{"data":{"id":"us-tn/tenn.-code-ann.-7-21-104","jurisdiction":"us-tn","citation":"Tenn. Code Ann. § 7-21-104","heading":"Chapter definitions","body":"As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise requires: (1) \"Charter\" means a document containing a unified government structure, pursuant to this chapter, that constitutes the fundamental law of the unified government; (2) \"Charter commission\" means a commission established to propose the charter to the voters for adoption as provided in this chapter; (3) \"Chief executive officer of the county\" means the officer vested by either the county charter or general law with the executive powers of the county government; (4) \"City legislative body\" means the city council, board of mayor and aldermen or other body possessing the legislative power and authority of the government of a municipality; (5) \"County\" means any county whose voters have adopted a county charter government; (6) \"County legislative body\" means that body vested by either the county charter or general law with the legislative powers of the county government; (7) \"Mayor\" means such officer vested by either the city charter or general law with the executive powers of a municipality; (8) \"Municipality\" means an incorporated city or town located within the boundaries of a county whose voters have adopted a county charter government; (9) \"Participating governmental unit\" means a county whose voters have adopted a county charter government or a municipality located within that county's boundaries that has elected to participate in the preparation of a charter pursuant to this chapter; (10) \"Principal city\" means that municipality having the largest population of any municipality in a particular county; (11) \"Smaller city\" means any municipality within a county other than the principal city; (12) \"Unification\" or \"unified\" means consolidation or consolidated pursuant to this chapter and that power granted by the Constitution of Tennessee, Article XI, § 9 to consolidate any or all of the governmental and corporate functions now, or hereafter, vested in a county government with one (1) or more municipalities located within that county's boundaries; (13) \"Unified government\" means the governmental entity created by the unification of the governmental and corporate functions of a charter county government with the governmental and corporate functions of one (1) or more municipalities within that county's boundaries; and (14) \"Unified municipality\" means a former municipality that has merged into a unified government pursuant to this chapter. Acts 1991, ch. 497, § 104.\nAs used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise requires:\n(1) \"Charter\" means a document containing a unified government structure, pursuant to this chapter, that constitutes the fundamental law of the unified government;\n(2) \"Charter commission\" means a commission established to propose the charter to the voters for adoption as provided in this chapter;\n(3) \"Chief executive officer of the county\" means the officer vested by either the county charter or general law with the executive powers of the county government;\n(4) \"City legislative body\" means the city council, board of mayor and aldermen or other body possessing the legislative power and authority of the government of a municipality;\n(5) \"County\" means any county whose voters have adopted a county charter government;\n(6) \"County legislative body\" means that body vested by either the county charter or general law with the legislative powers of the county government;\n(7) \"Mayor\" means such officer vested by either the city charter or general law with the executive powers of a municipality;\n(8) \"Municipality\" means an incorporated city or town located within the boundaries of a county whose voters have adopted a county charter government;\n(9) \"Participating governmental unit\" means a county whose voters have adopted a county charter government or a municipality located within that county's boundaries that has elected to participate in the preparation of a charter pursuant to this chapter;\nMunicipality\" means an incorporated city or town located within the boundaries of a county whose voters have adopted a county charter government;\n(9) \"Participating governmental unit\" means a county whose voters have adopted a county charter government or a municipality located within that county's boundaries that has elected to participate in the preparation of a charter pursuant to this chapter;\n(10) \"Principal city\" means that municipality having the largest population of any municipality in a particular county;\n(11) \"Smaller city\" means any municipality within a county other than the principal city;\n(12) \"Unification\" or \"unified\" means consolidation or consolidated pursuant to this chapter and that power granted by the Constitution of Tennessee, Article XI, § 9 to consolidate any or all of the governmental and corporate functions now, or hereafter, vested in a county government with one (1) or more municipalities located within that county's boundaries;\n(13) \"Unified government\" means the governmental entity created by the unification of the governmental and corporate functions of a charter county government with the governmental and corporate functions of one (1) or more municipalities within that county's boundaries; and\n(14) \"Unified municipality\" means a former municipality that has merged into a unified government pursuant to this chapter.","path":["TN Code","Title 7","Chapter 21"],"source_url":"https://oss-data-us.vaquill.ai/v2026.08/us_tn_statutes.parquet","current_through":"2026-08-14","vintage":"open-us-law v2026.08, retrieved 2026-09-14","retrieved_at":"2026-09-14T18:32:26Z","sha256":"abc61de31f20949c0e9693196ed1917fc3a39e1d9f10b5588809810f73a1fa98","source_id":"us-tn","stale":false,"prev":"us-tn/tenn.-code-ann.-7-21-103","next":"us-tn/tenn.-code-ann.-7-21-105"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}