Tennessee Code Title 8. Public Officers and Employees § 8-17-103

(a) Not later than June 30, 2007, the governing body of each entity covered by this chapter shall adopt by ordinance or resolution, as appropriate, ethical standards for all officials and employees of such entity. To the extent that an issue covered by an ethical standard is addressed by a law of general application, public law of local application, local option law, or private act, any ethical standard adopted by a governing body shall not be less restrictive than such laws.

(b) By resolution of the county legislative body, any county having a population of eight hundred thousand (800,000) or more, according to the 2000 census or any subsequent federal census, may elect to include all of its administrative officials and employees and all of its legislative officials and employees within the meaning and scope of title 3, chapter 6, part 3, as if the county officials and employees were officials and employees of state government. Upon adopting the resolution on or before June 30, 2007, the county shall be deemed to be in compliance with the requirements of this part; provided, that the county shall periodically reimburse the Tennessee ethics commission for the commission's increased costs arising from oversight and regulation of the county officials and employees.