Attorney General Opinions 
Relating to County Government

2017 County Clerks

• Under T.C.A. § 55-22-101., county legislative bodies are authorized to regulate and license motor vehicle race tracks and racing, and county clerks are required to verify that anyone conducting a motor vehicle race has the insurance required by law.  However, the law does not define “motor vehicle race.”  While T.C.A. § 55-22-102 does mention “automobile race tracks,” this language is not sufficient to overcome the broader term “motor vehicle race” that is used throughout Chapter 22.  Because the. legislature repeatedly used the broader term “motor vehicle,” it did not intend to limit the statute’s requirements to automobile races.  As used in this law, “motor vehicle” should be interpreted in its broadest sense, which would include any self-propelled wheeled conveyance not running on rails.  Op. Tenn. Att’y Gen. 17-20 (March 21, 2017).