Terms Used In Tennessee Code > Title 3 > Chapter 6 - Ethics and Lobbying

• Acquire: means to purchase, lease, construct, reconstruct, replace, or acquire by gift. See Tennessee Code 7-52-102
• Administrative action: means the taking of any recommendation, report or nonministerial action. See Tennessee Code 3-6-301
• Affidavit: A written statement of facts confirmed by the oath of the party making it, before a notary or officer having authority to administer oaths.
• Affirmed: In the practice of the appellate courts, the decree or order is declared valid and will stand as rendered in the lower court.
• Agriculture: means :
  (i) The land, buildings and machinery used in the commercial production of farm products and nursery stock. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
• Allegation: something that someone says happened.
• Amendment: A proposal to alter the text of a pending bill or other measure by striking out some of it, by inserting new language, or both. Before an amendment becomes part of the measure, thelegislature must agree to it.
• Answer: The formal written statement by a defendant responding to a civil complaint and setting forth the grounds for defense.
• any prior fiscal year: means any fiscal year beginning on or after July 1, 1984. See Tennessee Code 7-52-303
• Appeal: A request made after a trial, asking another court (usually the court of appeals) to decide whether the trial was conducted properly. To make such a request is "to appeal" or "to take an appeal." One who appeals is called the appellant.
• Appellate: About appeals; an appellate court has the power to review the judgement of another lower court or tribunal.
• Applicable ad valorem taxes: means any ad valorem taxes that, but for ownership of a project by a corporation, would have been due and payable pursuant to §. See Tennessee Code 7-53-101
• Appraisal: A determination of property value.
• Appraisal ratio: means the ratio of appraised values of record to one hundred percent (100%) of current values that are to be derived in accordance with applicable state law for use in ad valorem property tax determinations each tax year. See Tennessee Code 7-52-303
• Appropriation: The provision of funds, through an annual appropriations act or a permanent law, for federal agencies to make payments out of the Treasury for specified purposes. The formal federal spending process consists of two sequential steps: authorization
• Arrest: Taking physical custody of a person by lawful authority.
• Assessment ratio in effect: means that assessment ratio being applied by the comptroller of the treasury in assessing electric system property of electric cooperatives and electric membership corporations for ad valorem taxation or, if such assessment function ceases to be performed by the comptroller of the treasury, that assessment ratio applied by any authorized department, agency, comptroller of the treasury, or official of the state empowered to so apply such an assessment ratio in assessing electric system property of electric cooperatives and electric membership corporations. See Tennessee Code 7-52-303
• Assets: (1) The property comprising the estate of a deceased person, or (2) the property in a trust account.
• Association: means any union, league, chamber of commerce, committee, club, or other membership organization. See Tennessee Code 3-6-301
• Attachment: A procedure by which a person's property is seized to pay judgments levied by the court.
• Attorney general: means the attorney general and reporter. See Tennessee Code 3-6-301
• Beneficiary: A person who is entitled to receive the benefits or proceeds of a will, trust, insurance policy, retirement plan, annuity, or other contract. ^{Source: OCC}
• Board: means the board of directors of the authority. See Tennessee Code 7-69-102
• Board: means the Tennessee hall of fame board created within the department under §. See Tennessee Code 4-3-5402
• Board: means the board of trustees of an authority. See Tennessee Code 7-57-103
• Board: means the mayor and the aldermen. See Tennessee Code 6-1-101
• Bonds: means bonds, notes, interim certificates or other obligations of a corporation issued pursuant to this chapter. See Tennessee Code 7-53-101
• Campaign contribution: means any contribution as defined by §. See Tennessee Code 3-6-301
• Candidate for public office: means any individual who has made a formal announcement of candidacy or who qualified under the law of this state to seek nomination for election or elections to any state public office, or has received contributions or made expenditures, except for incidental expenditures to determine if one shall be a candidate, or has given consent for a campaign committee to receive contributions or make expenditures, with a view to bringing about that person's nomination for election or the election to state public office, and any individual who has been nominated for appointment as an official in the legislative or executive branch. See Tennessee Code 3-6-301
• Caucus: From the Algonquian Indian language, a caucus meant "to meet together." An informal organization of members of the legislature that exists to discuss issues of mutual concern and possibly to perform legislative research and policy planning for its members. There are regional, political or ideological, ethnic, and economic-based caucuses.
• Chambers: A judge's office.
• chief legislative body: means the county legislative body. See Tennessee Code 7-57-103
• Citizen support organization: means an organization which:
  (A) Is organized as a nonprofit corporation, or is otherwise qualified to do business in Tennessee as a nonprofit corporation, pursuant to title 48, chapter 51. See Tennessee Code 4-3-2802
• City: means any city or territory to be incorporated that may adopt chapters 30-36 of this title. See Tennessee Code 6-30-102
• Clean energy: means energy that is derived from a source known to produce significantly lower carbon emissions than traditional fossil fuels. See Tennessee Code 7-51-2401
• Code: includes the Tennessee Code and all amendments and revisions to the code and all additions and supplements to the code. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
• Commission: means the Tennessee film, entertainment and music commission. See Tennessee Code 4-3-4902
• Commission: means the state procurement commission, which replaces the board of standards within former title 12, chapter 3, part 4. See Tennessee Code 4-56-101
• Commission: means the Tennessee state fair and exposition commission. See Tennessee Code 4-57-103
• Commissioner: means the commissioner of finance and administration or the commissioner's designee or, in the event of the commissioner's or designee's absence or vacancy in the office of the commissioner, the deputy commissioner. See Tennessee Code 4-3-2802
• Commissioner: means the commissioner of economic and community development. See Tennessee Code 4-3-4902
• Commissioner: means the commissioner of tourist development, or the commissioner's designee. See Tennessee Code 4-3-5402
• Commissioner: means the commissioner of agriculture. See Tennessee Code 4-57-103
• Committee: means the state protest committee, which replaces the board of standards protest authority within former §. See Tennessee Code 4-56-101
• Common law: The legal system that originated in England and is now in use in the United States. It is based on judicial decisions rather than legislative action.
• Compensation: means any salary, fee, payment, reimbursement or other valuable consideration, or any combination thereof, whether received or to be received. See Tennessee Code 3-6-301
• Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
• Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
• Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
• Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
• Corporation: means any corporation organized pursuant to this chapter. See Tennessee Code 7-53-101
• Council: means the advisory council on state procurement. See Tennessee Code 4-56-101
• County: means the county in which any such city or territory to be incorporated under chapters 30-36 of this title is located, or in which the major portion of the population of any such city or territory to be incorporated is located as indicated by the last federal census. See Tennessee Code 6-30-102
• County executive: means and includes "county mayor" unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
• County mayor: means and includes "county executive" unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
• Creating municipality: means any city or metropolitan government having a population of not less than two hundred thousand (200,000), according to the 1970 federal census or any subsequent federal census, or any county in which any such city shall be situated, that shall create an authority pursuant to this chapter. See Tennessee Code 7-57-103
• Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
• Decedent: A deceased person.
• Deed: The legal instrument used to transfer title in real property from one person to another.
• Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
• Department: means the department of finance and administration. See Tennessee Code 4-3-2802
• Department: means the department of economic and community development. See Tennessee Code 4-3-4902
• Department: means the department of tourist development. See Tennessee Code 4-3-5402
• Department: means the department of agriculture. See Tennessee Code 4-57-103
• Dependent: A person dependent for support upon another.
• Discovery: Lawyers' examination, before trial, of facts and documents in possession of the opponents to help the lawyers prepare for trial.
• Dismissal: The dropping of a case by the judge without further consideration or hearing. ^Source:
• Dispose: means to sell, lease, or otherwise transfer any interest in property. See Tennessee Code 7-52-102
• Docket: A log containing brief entries of court proceedings.
• Donor: The person who makes a gift.
• Drone: means a powered, aerial vehicle that:
  (A) Does not carry a human operator and is operated without the possibility of direct human intervention from within or on the aircraft. See Tennessee Code 4-56-101
• Electric operations: means all activities associated with the establishment, development, and administration of an electric system and the business of supplying electricity and associated services to the public, including, but not limited to, the generation, purchase, and sale of electric energy and the purchase, use and consumption of electric energy by ultimate consumers. See Tennessee Code 7-52-303
• Electric plant: means generating, transmission, or distribution systems, together with all other facilities, equipment and appurtenances necessary or appropriate to any such systems for the furnishing of electric power and energy for lighting, heating, power or any other purpose for which electric power and energy can be used. See Tennessee Code 7-52-102
• Electric service: means the furnishing of electric power and energy for lighting, heating, power or any other purpose for which electric power and energy can be used. See Tennessee Code 7-52-102
• Electric system: means all tangible and intangible property and resources of every kind and description used or held for use in the purchase, generation, transmission, distribution, and sale of electric energy. See Tennessee Code 7-52-303
• Electronic funds transfer: The transfer of money between accounts by consumer electronic systems-such as automated teller machines (ATMs) and electronic payment of bills-rather than by check or cash. (Wire transfers, checks, drafts, and paper instruments do not fall into this category.) ^{Source: OCC}
• Eligible headquarters facility: means a facility, located in a county with a population in excess of eight hundred thousand (800,000), according to the 2000 federal census or any subsequent federal census, that houses an international, national or regional headquarters facility of an entity that agrees, at a minimum, to make payments to the municipality in lieu of any special assessments or other fees or charges that would be levied on the project pursuant to chapter 84 of this title if the project were privately owned. See Tennessee Code 7-53-101
• employer: means any person or entity that employs, retains or otherwise arranges for a lobbyist to engage in lobbying on behalf of the person or entity for compensation. See Tennessee Code 3-6-301
• Energy: means a resource that is marketed, or that has the potential to be marketed, as a commodity because of the resource's value as a source of power or fuel. See Tennessee Code 7-51-2201
• Enterprise: means the manufacturing, processing, assembling, commercial, service and agricultural operations to be carried on with or otherwise using the facilities of the project. See Tennessee Code 7-53-101
• Entertainment properties: means motion pictures, television programs, computer-generated imagery, interactive digital media, stand-alone post-production scoring and editing, sound recordings, and other audio, video, or audiovisual programs produced for distribution to the public. See Tennessee Code 4-3-5002
• Equitable: Pertaining to civil suits in "equity" rather than in "law." In English legal history, the courts of "law" could order the payment of damages and could afford no other remedy. See damages. A separate court of "equity" could order someone to do something or to cease to do something. See, e.g., injunction. In American jurisprudence, the federal courts have both legal and equitable power, but the distinction is still an important one. For example, a trial by jury is normally available in "law" cases but not in "equity" cases. ^{Source: U.S. Courts}
• Escrow: Money given to a third party to be held for payment until certain conditions are met.
• Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
• Ex officio: Literally, by virtue of one's office.
• Executive director: means the director of the commission. See Tennessee Code 4-3-4902
• Executive officer: means the mayor, county mayor, or other chief executive officer of any creating or participating municipality. See Tennessee Code 7-57-103
• Exhibition: means one (1) or more displays or demonstrations which are of educational or entertainment value to those witnessing such exhibition. See Tennessee Code 4-57-103
• Expenditure: means any advance, conveyance, deposit, distribution, transfer of funds, loan, payment, pledge, or subscription of money or anything of value, and any contract, agreement, promise, or other obligation, whether or not legally enforceable, to make an expenditure. See Tennessee Code 3-6-301
• exposition: means an exhibition of agricultural, business, manufacturing, or other industries and labor, education service organizations, social and religious groups or any other events or activities consistent with the general welfare and interests of the people of the state, and includes such services as are necessary for the care and comfort or amusement of the public. See Tennessee Code 4-57-103
• Fair market value: The price at which an asset would change hands in a transaction between a willing, informed buyer and a willing, informed seller.
• Federal agency: includes the United States, the president of the United States, the department of housing and urban development, Tennessee Valley authority, or any other similar agency, instrumentality or corporation of the United States, that has heretofore been or may hereafter be created by or pursuant to any act or acts of the congress of the United States. See Tennessee Code 7-52-102
• Federal Reserve System: The central bank of the United States. The Fed, as it is commonly called, regulates the U.S. monetary and financial system. The Federal Reserve System is composed of a central governmental agency in Washington, D.C. (the Board of Governors) and twelve regional Federal Reserve Banks in major cities throughout the United States. ^{Source: OCC}
• Fiduciary: A trustee, executor, or administrator.
• Fiscal year: means the year beginning July 1 of each calendar year. See Tennessee Code 7-52-303
• Fiscal year: The fiscal year is the accounting period for the government. For the federal government, this begins on October 1 and ends on September 30. The fiscal year is designated by the calendar year in which it ends; for example, fiscal year 2006 begins on October 1, 2005 and ends on September 30, 2006.
• Forbearance: A means of handling a delinquent loan. A
• Foreclosure: A legal process in which property that is collateral or security for a loan may be sold to help repay the loan when the loan is in default. ^{Source: OCC}
• Fraud: Intentional deception resulting in injury to another.
• Garnishment: Generally, garnishment is a court proceeding in which a creditor asks a court to order a third party who owes money to the debtor or otherwise holds assets belonging to the debtor to turn over to the creditor any of the debtor
• Germane: On the subject of the pending bill or other business; a strict standard of relevance.
• Gift: A voluntary transfer or conveyance of property without consideration, or for less than full and adequate consideration based on fair market value.
• Gift: means any payment, honorarium, subscription, loan, advance, forbearance, rendering or deposit of money or services, unless consideration of equal or greater value is received. See Tennessee Code 3-6-301
• Goods: means all property, including, but not limited to, supplies, equipment, materials, printing, and insurance. See Tennessee Code 4-56-101
• Governing body: means the county legislative body, board, body or commission having general charge of the municipality. See Tennessee Code 7-52-102
• Governing body: means the legislative body of the creating municipality or municipalities. See Tennessee Code 7-69-102
• Governing body: means the board or body in which the general legislative powers of the municipality are vested. See Tennessee Code 7-53-101
• Governing body: means the chief legislative body of any creating or participating municipality. See Tennessee Code 7-57-103
• Grant: means any grant awarded to the state or awarded by the state for the furnishing by the state of assistance, whether financial or otherwise, to any person to support a program authorized by law. See Tennessee Code 4-56-101
• Guarantor: A party who agrees to be responsible for the payment of another party's debts should that party default. ^{Source: OCC}
• Guardian: A person legally empowered and charged with the duty of taking care of and managing the property of another person who because of age, intellect, or health, is incapable of managing his (her) own affairs.
• Hall of fame: means the Tennessee sports hall of fame created under §. See Tennessee Code 4-3-5402
• Highway: includes public bridges and may be held equivalent to the words "county way" "county road" or "state road". See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
• hospital authority: means a public body and a body corporate and public organized in accordance with this chapter for the purposes, with the powers, and subject to the restrictions set forth in this chapter. See Tennessee Code 7-57-103
• Immediate family: means a spouse or minor child living in the household. See Tennessee Code 3-6-301
• Improve: means to acquire any improvement. See Tennessee Code 7-52-102
• Improvement: means any improvement, extension, betterment, or addition to any electric plant. See Tennessee Code 7-52-102
• incentive grant: means a grant for a state-certified production that is approved by the department to receive a grant based upon the recommendation of the executive director. See Tennessee Code 4-3-4902
• Indictment: The formal charge issued by a grand jury stating that there is enough evidence that the defendant committed the crime to justify having a trial; it is used primarily for felonies.
• Injunction: An order of the court prohibiting (or compelling) the performance of a specific act to prevent irreparable damage or injury.
• Intangible property: Property that has no intrinsic value, but is merely the evidence of value such as stock certificates, bonds, and promissory notes.
• Interest rate: The amount paid by a borrower to a lender in exchange for the use of the lender's money for a certain period of time. Interest is paid on loans or on debt instruments, such as notes or bonds, either at regular intervals or as part of a lump sum payment when the issue matures. ^{Source: OCC}
• Investigatory audit information: means data obtained pursuant to a finding of probable cause to believe that an employer or lobbyist has violated this part, including information pertaining to the source or amount of employer or lobbyist income, expenditures, receipts, assets, liabilities, net worth, or related financial or proprietary information that is received by, recorded by, prepared by, or collected by or on behalf of the ethics commission during the course of any audit, investigation or other examination undertaken for the purpose of ensuring compliance with, or imposing civil or criminal sanctions for violation of, this part. See Tennessee Code 3-6-301
• Joint committee: Committees including membership from both houses of teh legislature. Joint committees are usually established with narrow jurisdictions and normally lack authority to report legislation.
• Joint resolution: A legislative measure which requires the approval of both chambers.
• Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
• Lands: includes lands, tenements and hereditaments, and all rights thereto and interests therein, equitable as well as legal. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
• Law: means any act or statute, general, special or local, of the state of Tennessee, including, but not limited to, the charter of any municipality. See Tennessee Code 7-52-102
• Lease: includes a lease containing an option to purchase the project for a nominal sum upon payment in full, or provision for payment in full, of all bonds issued in connection with the project and all interest on the bonds and all other expenses in connection with the project, and a lease containing an option to purchase the project at any time, as provided in the lease, upon payment of the purchase price, which shall be sufficient to pay all bonds issued in connection with the project and all interest on the bonds and all other expenses incurred in connection with the project, but which payment may be made in the form of one (1) or more notes, debentures, bonds or other secured or unsecured debt obligations of the lessee providing for timely payments, including, without limitation, interest on the obligations sufficient for such purposes and delivered to the corporation or to the trustee under the indenture pursuant to which the bonds were issued. See Tennessee Code 7-53-101
• Lease: A contract transferring the use of property or occupancy of land, space, structures, or equipment in consideration of a payment (e.g., rent). ^{Source: OCC}
• Legislative action: means introduction, sponsorship, debate, voting or any other nonministerial official action or nonaction on any bill, resolution, amendment, nomination, appointment, report or any other matter pending or proposed in a legislative committee or in either house of the general assembly. See Tennessee Code 3-6-301
• Liabilities: The aggregate of all debts and other legal obligations of a particular person or legal entity.
• Lien: A claim against real or personal property in satisfaction of a debt.
• Litigation: A case, controversy, or lawsuit. Participants (plaintiffs and defendants) in lawsuits are called litigants.
• Loan agreement: means an agreement providing for a corporation to loan the proceeds derived from the issuance of bonds pursuant to this chapter to one (1) or more contracting parties to be used to pay the cost of one (1) or more projects and providing for the repayment of such loan by the other contracting party or parties, and that may provide for such loans to be secured or evidenced by one (1) or more notes, debentures, bonds or other secured or unsecured debt obligations of the contracting party or parties, delivered to the corporation or to the trustee under the indenture pursuant to which the bonds were issued. See Tennessee Code 7-53-101
• lobby: includes communications by the contractor, subcontractor or other representative, and the contractor, subcontractor or other representative shall comply with the lobbying registration and other provisions of this part pertaining to lobbyists. See Tennessee Code 3-6-301
• Lobbying firm: means any firm, corporation, partnership or other business entity that regularly supplies lobbying services to others for compensation. See Tennessee Code 3-6-301
• Lobbyist: means any person who engages in lobbying for compensation. See Tennessee Code 3-6-301
• Local government: means any county, municipality, city or other political subdivision of this state. See Tennessee Code 4-3-5002
• Local government: means any county, municipality, city or other political subdivision of this state, including any school districts or school systems created thereby. See Tennessee Code 4-3-5525
• Metropolitan government: means the political entity created by consolidation of all, or substantially all, of the political and corporate functions of a county and a city or cities. See Tennessee Code 7-1-101
• Minor: means any person who has not attained eighteen (18) years of age. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
• Month: means a calendar month. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
• Mortgage: The written agreement pledging property to a creditor as collateral for a loan.
• Municipality: means any municipality or county incorporated or existing under the laws of Tennessee, or any combination of any municipality or county incorporated or existing under the laws of Tennessee. See Tennessee Code 7-69-102
• Municipality: means any county, metropolitan government, incorporated city or town in the state of Tennessee. See Tennessee Code 7-52-102
• Municipality: means any incorporated city or town, metropolitan government, or county that now or hereafter owns and operates an electric system and buys all or part of its power requirements for resale and distribution from the Tennessee Valley authority. See Tennessee Code 7-52-303
• Municipality: means any county or incorporated city or town in this state with respect to which a corporation may be organized and in which it is contemplated the corporation will function. See Tennessee Code 7-53-101
• Net plant value of the electric plant: means the depreciated original cost of the electric plant, in service and held for future use, and the book value of construction work in progress, all as shown on the books of the electric system and all of which are for use in the generation, transmission, and distribution of electricity. See Tennessee Code 7-52-303
• Nolo contendere: No contest-has the same effect as a plea of guilty, as far as the criminal sentence is concerned, but may not be considered as an admission of guilt for any other purpose.
• Oath: includes affirmation. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
• Oath: A promise to tell the truth.
• Obligation: An order placed, contract awarded, service received, or similar transaction during a given period that will require payments during the same or a future period.
• Officer: means the mayor, aldermen, city attorney and city judge. See Tennessee Code 6-1-101
• Official in the executive branch: means the governor, any member of the governor's staff, any member or employee of a state regulatory commission, including, without limitation, commissioners of the Tennessee public utility commission, or any member or employee of any executive department or agency or other state body in the executive branch. See Tennessee Code 3-6-301
• Official in the legislative branch: means any member, member-elect, any staff person or employee of the general assembly or any member of a commission established by and responsible to the general assembly or either house of the general assembly who takes legislative action. See Tennessee Code 3-6-301
• Ordinance: means any ordinance adopted by governing bodies pursuant to this chapter. See Tennessee Code 7-57-103
• other contracting party: means any party to a sale contract or loan agreement except the corporation. See Tennessee Code 7-53-101
• Oversight: Committee review of the activities of a Federal agency or program.
• Participating municipality: means any city, town or county, which city, town or county, pursuant to a resolution of its governing body and an agreement with the creating municipality, shall have sold, leased, dedicated, donated or otherwise conveyed its hospitals to the authority for operation by the authority in order to make such hospital an operational part of its health care system. See Tennessee Code 7-57-103
• Partnership: A voluntary contract between two or more persons to pool some or all of their assets into a business, with the agreement that there will be a proportional sharing of profits and losses.
• Payments in lieu of taxes: means any amount negotiated separately from rent in lieu of applicable ad valorem taxes. See Tennessee Code 7-53-101
• Person: means any individual, partnership, committee, association, corporation, labor organization, or any other organization or group of persons. See Tennessee Code 3-6-301
• Person: includes a corporation, firm, company or association. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
• Plaintiff: The person who files the complaint in a civil lawsuit.
• Plea: In a criminal case, the defendant's statement pleading "guilty" or "not guilty" in answer to the charges, a declaration made in open court.
• Plea agreement: An arrangement between the prosecutor, the defense attorney, and the defendant in which the defendant agrees to plead guilty in exchange for special considerations. ^Source:
• Political subdivision: means this state or a municipality, public corporation, body politic, authority, district, metropolitan government, county, agency, department, or board of one (1) or more of the entities listed. See Tennessee Code 7-51-2401
• Political subdivision: means any local governmental entity, including, but not limited to, any municipality, metropolitan government, county, utility district, school district, public building authority, and development district created and existing pursuant to the laws of this state, or any instrumentality of government created by any one (1) or more of the named local governmental entities. See Tennessee Code 4-58-102
• Pollution: means the placing of any noxious or deleterious substances, including noise, in any air or water of or adjacent to the state of Tennessee affecting the physical, chemical or biological properties of any air or waters of or adjacent to the state of Tennessee in a manner and to an extent that renders or is likely to render such air or waters inimical or harmful to the public health, safety or welfare, or to animal, bird or aquatic life, or to the use of such air or waters for domestic, industrial, agricultural or recreational purposes. See Tennessee Code 7-53-101
• Precedent: A court decision in an earlier case with facts and law similar to a dispute currently before a court. Precedent will ordinarily govern the decision of a later similar case, unless a party can show that it was wrongly decided or that it differed in some significant way.
• Presiding officer: A majority-party Senator who presides over the Senate and is charged with maintaining order and decorum, recognizing Members to speak, and interpreting the Senate's rules, practices and precedents.
• Private act: includes , without limitation, the charter and any amendments to the charter of any home rule municipality or any metropolitan government. See Tennessee Code 7-52-303
• Probable cause: A reasonable ground for belief that the offender violated a specific law.
• Procurement: means buying, purchasing, renting, leasing, or otherwise acquiring any goods or services. See Tennessee Code 4-56-101
• Production company: means any person or entity that produces a film, movie, pilot, or show in this state. See Tennessee Code 4-3-4902
• Project: means a facility or group of facilities to be owned or controlled (either through ownership, lease, or an easement) by the authority or other governmental entity and that is available for use by the public, including, without limitation, visitor centers, performing arts centers, museums, recreational facilities such as greenways and trails, and other government-owned tourist attractions. See Tennessee Code 7-69-102
• Project: means all or any part of, or any interest in:
  (A) Any land and building, including office building, any facility or other improvement on the land, and all real and personal properties deemed necessary in connection therewith, whether or not now in existence, that shall be suitable for the following or by any combination of two (2) or more thereof:

  (i) Any industry for the manufacturing, processing or assembling of any agricultural, mining, or manufactured products. See Tennessee Code 7-53-101
• Property: includes both personal and real property. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
• Proposer: includes a "bidder" or "proposer" that is a legal entity that has properly registered as required by the state. See Tennessee Code 4-56-101
• Prosecute: To charge someone with a crime. A prosecutor tries a criminal case on behalf of the government.
• Proxy voting: The practice of allowing a legislator to cast a vote in committee for an absent legislator.
• Public defender: Represent defendants who can't afford an attorney in criminal matters.
• Public law: A public bill or joint resolution that has passed both chambers and been enacted into law. Public laws have general applicability nationwide.
• Public utility: means :
  (A) An entity subject to the jurisdiction of the water and wastewater financing board, or a successor board, in accordance with §. See Tennessee Code 7-51-2401
• Qualified alien: means :
  (A) A qualified alien as defined by 8 U. See Tennessee Code 4-58-102
• Quorum: The number of legislators that must be present to do business.
• Random audit information: means information obtained pursuant to an examination of a lobbyist's employment contract, job description or other documentation in order to determine that no contingency fee arrangement prohibited under §. See Tennessee Code 3-6-301
• Real property: Land, and all immovable fixtures erected on, growing on, or affixed to the land.
• real property: include lands, tenements and hereditaments, and all rights thereto and interests therein, equitable as well as legal. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
• Record: means information that is inscribed on a tangible medium or that is stored in an electronic or other medium and is retrievable in a perceivable form. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
• Remainder: An interest in property that takes effect in the future at a specified time or after the occurrence of some event, such as the death of a life tenant.
• Renewable energy: means energy that is derived from a source that is naturally replenishing or that is virtually inexhaustible on a human timescale. See Tennessee Code 7-51-2401
• Rent: means a charge for use of property, including the lessee's obligation to repay debt issued or assumed by a lessor, or rent implied by the lessee's stated obligation to construct improvements. See Tennessee Code 7-53-101
• Reporter: Makes a record of court proceedings and prepares a transcript, and also publishes the court's opinions or decisions (in the courts of appeals).
• Representative: when applied to those who represent a decedent, includes executors and administrators, unless the context implies heirs and distributees. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
• Resolution: means any resolution adopted by governing bodies pursuant to this chapter. See Tennessee Code 7-57-103
• Retail business: means a retail establishment providing general retail sales or services to consumers. See Tennessee Code 7-53-101
• Road: includes public bridges and may be held equivalent to the words "county way" "county road" or "state road". See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
• Sale contract: means a contract providing for the sale of one (1) or more projects to one (1) or more contracting parties and includes a contract providing for payment of the purchase price in one (1) or more installments. See Tennessee Code 7-53-101
• SAVE program: means the systematic alien verification for entitlements program created pursuant to the federal Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 (8 U. See Tennessee Code 4-58-102
• Service of process: The service of writs or summonses to the appropriate party.
• Services: means all services and agreements obligating the state, except services for highway and road improvements, which are governed by title 54, and designer and construction services, which are governed under chapter 15 of this title. See Tennessee Code 4-56-101
• Settlement: Parties to a lawsuit resolve their difference without having a trial. Settlements often involve the payment of compensation by one party in satisfaction of the other party's claims.
• SEVIS system: means the student and exchange visitor information system created pursuant to §. See Tennessee Code 4-58-102
• sex: means a person's immutable biological sex as determined by anatomy and genetics existing at the time of birth and evidence of a person's biological sex. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
• signed: includes a mark, the name being written near the mark and witnessed, or any other symbol or methodology executed or adopted by a party with intention to authenticate a writing or record, regardless of being witnessed. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
• Solicit: means to entreat, to implore, to ask, to attempt, or to try to obtain. See Tennessee Code 3-6-301
• State: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the several territories of the United States. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
• State: means the state of Tennessee. See Tennessee Code 7-57-103
• State agency: means a board, commission, committee, department, office, or another entity of this state. See Tennessee Code 4-56-101
• State communications: refers to the transmission of voice, data, video, the written word or other visual signals by electronic means but does not include broadcast radio and television facilities. See Tennessee Code 4-3-5525
• State-certified production: means a film, movie, pilot, or show. See Tennessee Code 4-3-4902
• Statute: A law passed by a legislature.
• Subpoena: A command to a witness to appear and give testimony.
• Subpoena duces tecum: A command to a witness to produce documents.
• Subscription: includes a mark, the name being written near the mark and witnessed. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
• Supervisory body: means any board or other agency of a municipality established to supervise the management and operation of its electric system and electric operations, or, in the absence of a board or other agency, the governing body of the municipality. See Tennessee Code 7-52-303
• Taxing jurisdiction: means any county, incorporated city or town, or metropolitan government in Tennessee having the power to levy taxes, or any special taxing district in Tennessee on behalf of which ad valorem property taxes may be levied, for the support of governmental and related activities and services. See Tennessee Code 7-52-303
• Testify: Answer questions in court.
• Testimony: Evidence presented orally by witnesses during trials or before grand juries.
• Tort: A civil wrong or breach of a duty to another person, as outlined by law. A very common tort is negligent operation of a motor vehicle that results in property damage and personal injury in an automobile accident.
• Transcript: A written, word-for-word record of what was said, either in a proceeding such as a trial or during some other conversation, as in a transcript of a hearing or oral deposition.
• Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.
• Trustee: A person or institution holding and administering property in trust.
• United States: includes the District of Columbia and the several territories of the United States. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
• utility: means :
  (1) An entity subject to the jurisdiction of the Tennessee board of utility regulation in accordance with §. See Tennessee Code 7-51-2301
• Vendor: means a legal entity that has been established by the department of finance and administration's division of accounts as a vendor through proper authority for which payment may be made by the state. See Tennessee Code 4-56-101
• Venue: The geographical location in which a case is tried.
• Verdict: The decision of a petit jury or a judge.
• Waiver: means an agreement that does not require the payment of any payments in lieu of taxes for a period of time. See Tennessee Code 7-53-101
• Writ: A formal written command, issued from the court, requiring the performance of a specific act.
• written: includes printing, typewriting, engraving, lithography, and any other mode of representing words and letters. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
• Year: means a calendar year, unless otherwise expressed. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105