This week marked the beginning of the 114th Tennessee General Assembly. I’ve compiled my video update and notes from our Republican Caucus for the Capitol Checkup. I hope you enjoy it as I strive to keep our community informed.
Legislators sworn in as 114th Tennessee General Assembly convenes
Legislators convened this week for the first session of the 114th Tennessee General Assembly at the State Capitol in Nashville. House members were joined by their families as they were sworn in Tuesday by Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Mary L. Wagner.
Tennesseans in November reaffirmed their confidence in the GOP legislative supermajorities, sending 75 Republican representatives and 27 Republican senators to serve them in Nashville. On Tuesday, State Rep. Cameron Sexton, R-Crossville, was reelected House Speaker for the 114th General Assembly and State Rep. Pat Marsh, R-Shelbyville, was reelected Speaker Pro Tempore. State Rep. Jason Zachary, R-Knoxville, will serve as House Deputy Speaker.
Republicans plan to build on their successes from the 113th General Assembly to ensure the Volunteer State continues to be an example of common-sense conservative governance and success.
The Republican supermajority has improved Tennessee’s public education in the past decade by bolstering school safety and investing in students, teachers and local districts. The legislature has substantially raised statewide pupil spending by 34% and made historic investments in teacher pay since 2012. Work will continue this session to advance student outcomes and provide expanded access to educational choices.
Ensuring violent criminals remain behind bars and enhancing public safety in every corner of Tennessee will continue to be a priority for the 114th General Assembly. Tennessee Republicans have enacted smart-on-crime policies over the last decade to protect law enforcement, reduce recidivism and lower incidents of violent and juvenile crime. Lawmakers will explore additional ways to make all Tennesseans safer through bail reform and resources for public safety officers.
Voters reelected a Republican supermajority to represent Tennessee values, and House Republicans seek to Tennessee’s status as a beacon of freedom and prosperity for all.
Special session called on education, hurricane relief, immigration
Gov. Bill Lee on Wednesday called a special session beginning Jan. 27 to address education freedom, hurricane relief and immigration.
Lee hopes to expand opportunities for students in Tennessee by passing the Education Freedom Act during the session, which will establish statewide school choice and make historic investments in public schools. House Bill 1, sponsored by House Majority Leader William Lamberth, R-Portland, will provide 20,000 scholarships for Tennessee students to use in the 2025-26 school year, including 10,000 for students from qualifying low-income families. The total scholarship amount would be equal to per pupil base funds allocated to districts each year, which is currently $7,075.
The special session will also include plans to provide relief for Tennesseans devastated by Hurricane Helene in September, which caused an estimated $1.2 billion in damage. Lee has introduced a $450 million legislative package to assist the region through disaster relief funds, local loan interest management assistance, a response and recovery fund and $20 million to rebuild Hampton High School in Carter County. The legislature will also consider immigration measures to improve public safety in the Volunteer State.
GOP honors Riley Gaines, urges NCAA to reverse trans policy
House Republicans this week urged the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) to protect the integrity of women’s sports by immediately reversing its controversial decision to allow male athletes to compete as females. The request, signed by all 75 members of the Tennessee House of Representatives Republican Caucus, coincides with the NCAA’s annual convention held in Nashville.
The letter, sent by House Majority Whip Johnny Garrett, R-Goodlettsville, listed several concerns, including the risk of serious injury to female athletes and invasion of privacy.
“Americans have spoken loud and clear on this issue, and they do not want men entering their daughters’ locker rooms or bathrooms, stealing their scholarship opportunities and robbing them of their records and hard-fought victories. We are hopeful the NCAA will do the right thing; Men have no place in women’s sports,” Garrett said.
The House on Thursday voted 78-14 to pass House Joint Resolution 33, honoring University of Kentucky swimmer Riley Gaines of Sumner County for her advocacy against the inclusion of men in women’s sports. House Republicans have committed to protecting girls and women’s sports.
Republicans in the General Assembly remain firm in their mission to protect female athletes at every level.
This work began in 2021 with passage of a law that protected girls’ middle and high school interscholastic sports and continued in 2023 when Republicans voted to protect young women’s sports at the collegiate level.
Briefly…
Constitutional officers: The House of Representatives and Senate met in a joint session Wednesday to re-elect the state’s three constitutional officers, including Secretary of State Tre Hargett, State Treasurer David Lillard and Comptroller of the Treasury Jason Mumpower. Tennessee is the only state where the legislature elects the Secretary of State to a four-year term. The Comptroller and State Treasurer each serve two-year terms.
New members: Seven new Republicans were elected to serve in the House in November, including Reps. Fred Atchley, R-Sevierville, Renea Jones, R-Unicoi, Aron Maberry, R-Clarksville, Lee Reeves, R-Franklin, Michelle Reneau, R-Signal Mountain, Rick Scarbrough, R-Oak Ridge, and Tom Stinnett, R-Friendsville.
Animal cruelty: House Bill 76, sponsored by State Rep. Robert Stevens, R-Smyrna, prohibits the abandonment of an animal under a person’s care. It specifies that leaving an animal near a shelter, vet clinic, or similar facility does not excuse the person from prosecution, unless they have made reasonable arrangements for the animal’s proper care.
Civics essay contest: Secretary of State Tre Hargett is encouraging students to participate in a civics essay contest emphasizing the importance of using reliable sources of information to make informed decisions. The contest, titled “Why Trusted Sources Matter,” is open to all public, private, and homeschool students in kindergarten through 12th grade. Winners will receive TNStars 529 College Savings Program scholarships — $500 for first place, $250 for second place, and $100 for third place — along with a trip to the State Capitol. Students interested in entering can view the contest rules and submit essays online at sos.tn.gov/civics-essay-contest. The submission deadline is Feb. 14.
Bill filing deadline approaching: The bill filing deadline for the 2025 legislative session is Thursday, Feb. 6. As of Thursday, 213 bills have already been filed in the House.
State offices will be closed in observance of the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on Monday, Jan. 20. Members of the House of Representatives return to Capitol Hill on Monday, Jan. 27.
This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://tnhousegop.org/rep-bryan-terrys-capitol-checkup-january-17/