Memphis public notice starts process for proposed lobbyist-registration charter referendum

A proposed Memphis charter amendment that would create annual lobbyist-registration and disclosure requirements has entered the public-notice stage, with the question intended for submission to city voters in the Nov. 3, 2026 state general election.

The referendum ordinance was published July 3. It proposes amending the city charter under Article XI, Section 9 of the Tennessee Constitution. The available notice describes a proposed measure; it does not establish that the City Council has formally adopted the referendum ordinance or that the question has been placed on the ballot.

What the proposed amendment would do

If approved by voters, the amendment would establish a Memphis system for lobbyist registration and disclosure. Lobbyists would be required to register with the city each year and file disclosure statements that are required by the state.

The proposal would therefore add city-level registration and reporting obligations for lobbyists. The public notice identifies the purpose as establishing lobbyist registration and disclosure requirements, rather than announcing an already-effective rule.

The intended election date is Nov. 3, 2026, the state general election. Voters, rather than the council alone, would decide whether to amend the charter if the referendum proceeds through the required steps and is submitted for the election.

Funding and possible court action

The proposed ordinance authorizes the mayor to appropriate general-revenue funds for costs associated with placing the measure on the ballot. The packet does not specify a dollar amount for those costs.

It also contemplates spending city funds on a declaratory-judgment action concerning the amendment’s enforceability if voters approve it. A declaratory judgment is a court determination about legal rights or obligations; the notice contemplates that step only in the event of voter approval.

No final ballot language is confirmed in the available materials, and any legal challenge remains unresolved. The available record also does not show a final council vote, vote total, or filing confirming that the referendum will appear on the November ballot.

Next listed council meeting

The City of Memphis events calendar lists a City Council Board Meeting for Aug. 4, 2026, at 4 p.m. The city maintains a separate online repository for council agendas, meeting documents and minutes. The packet does not establish whether the lobbyist-registration proposal is on that meeting’s agenda or whether the meeting will include action on the referendum.

For now, the July publication marks a procedural step toward a potential charter vote, not enactment of a lobbying-disclosure system. The central remaining questions are whether the council completes the referendum process, what final ballot language is used and whether the measure reaches Memphis voters on Nov. 3.