Tennessee Code Title 8. Public Officers and Employees § 8-17-106

(a) Members of a governing body of an entity covered by this chapter who fail to adopt ethical standards as provided in this chapter shall be subject to removal from office as provided in chapter 47 of this title.

(b) Violations of ethical standards by officials or employees of entities covered by this chapter shall be enforced in accordance with provisions of existing law; provided, that no civil penalties for a violation of title 3, chapter 6, part 3 shall be imposed by the ethics commission on an employee of entities covered by this chapter. The ethics commission shall instead refer the commission's findings and recommendations for appropriate action to the appropriate official with supervisory authority over the person.