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.
Republicans propose true grocery tax relief
Additional relief from the rising cost of food might soon be coming to Tennesseans if the General Assembly approves a proposal to eliminate the state’s grocery tax. House Bill 21,sponsored by State Rep. Elaine Davis, R-Knoxville, and House Majority Leader William Lamberth, R-Portland, would end the state tax on retail sales of food and food ingredients without local revenue loss or raising a single penny of taxes on Tennessee businesses.
“We have all felt the impact of rising food prices over the last few years, and working families have struggled to put food on the table as a result,” Davis said. “This legislation will save Tennesseans hundreds of dollars annually and not have any consequences for our business owners or their employees.”
The state sales tax on food and food ingredients is currently 4%, plus the local sales tax rate. This includes food items like eggs, bread, canned goods, produce, spices and condiments.
The Volunteer State remains one of the lowest-taxed states in the nation and collects zero state income tax.
PEACE Act confronts hate crimes, improves public safety
Multiple hate groups sparked outrage across the Volunteer State in 2024 when they marched and held demonstrations in the Nashville area. At least one targeted a synagogue and distributed anti-Jewish literature to congregants. In another incident, a neo-Nazi group held signs on overpasses promoting hateful messages.
In an effort to deter hate crimes and strengthen public safety across Tennessee, House Majority Leader William Lamberth, R-Portland, has proposed the Protecting Everyone Against Crime and Extremism (PEACE) Act. The PEACE Act, House Bill 55, makes key changes to state law to address hate littering and trespassing, police procedure and obstruction, and road safety.
Hate litter and trespassing – The bill creates new protections against hate littering and trespassing, a practice in which extremist groups deliberately flood neighborhoods and parking lots with hate-filled fliers, leaving them on citizens’ personal property like driveways, doorsteps, or on car windshields. While littering and trespassing are already criminal offenses, House Bill 55 adds a Class A misdemeanor offense when the act is intended to intimidate or prevent someone from exercising their civil rights, such as religious freedom or ability to vote.
Police procedures and obstruction – The PEACE Act improves three key areas of the law that will enhance law enforcement’s response and ability to do their jobs unimpeded.
First, the new law creates a buffer zone by requiring members of the public to keep a distance of 25 feet from an officer engaged in carrying out official duties. Intentionally violating the law could result in a Class B misdemeanor charge. The PEACE Act creates a Class C misdemeanor when a person fails to identify themselves or provides a false name to law enforcement when the officer has reasonable suspicion to believe the person has violated a state law or local ordinance. And finally, it gives law enforcement the ability to arrest someone for a misdemeanor committed outside of the officer’s presence. Current law allows an arrest for a felony without a warrant and only for misdemeanors when an officer witnesses the crime being committed.
Road safety – The PEACE Act addresses road safety in two parts, both creating a new Class B misdemeanor offense. First, the bill makes it illegal to transport a person in the enclosed cargo area of a box truck, which is designed to transport property. Second, it makes the act of attaching a sign, signal or other marking to a bridge, overpass, or tunnel a crime. House Bill 55 is expected to begin moving through committees in the coming weeks.
Free feminine hygiene products in high schools proposed
A proposal to provide feminine hygiene products at no cost to students in public and charter high schools in Tennessee will soon make its way through the General Assembly.
The Menstrual Hygiene Product Accessibility Act, House Bill 39, sponsored by State Rep. Elaine Davis, R-Knoxville, would place feminine hygiene products in nurses’ offices and women’s and girls’ restrooms and locker rooms across the state.
“Menstrual cycles can be unpredictable and every woman knows the awkward feeling of being caught without appropriate period products. This is a situation our young girls should never have to experience, especially at school,” Davis said. “Feminine hygiene products are as essential as toilet paper and are not a luxury. My goal is to bring dignity to these young ladies, keep them healthy, and ensure they can stay in the classroom.”
Knox County Schools implemented a similar initiative this school year in their 13 high schools. Each school has a “student representative” who monitors the supply of feminine hygiene products in the school bathrooms and reports when the items need to be restocked through a QR code.
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.
Bail transparency and accountability measures proposed
Republican efforts to keep violent criminals off the streets remains a priority, with one lawmaker proposing accountability and transparency measures in the state’s bail process.
House Bill 33 and House Bill 34, sponsored by State Rep. John Gillespie, R-Memphis, would reform bail in Tennessee by giving courts all relevant information while holding judicial magistrates accountable.
“All Tennesseans have the right to feel safe on our streets, and public officials have a duty to make every reasonable effort to achieve maximum public safety,” Gillespie said. “These bills will provide the full picture of a defendant’s criminal history while at the same time ensuring transparency and accountability.”
House Bill 33 would create a presumption that defendants charged with offenses involving the use or display of firearms resulting in serious bodily injury should not be released on personal recognizance. If a magistrate or judicial official disproves this presumption, they would be required to list out written findings in a bail order for each applicable factor.
House Bill 34 would allow courts, professional staff, attorneys for defendants and other officials to consider a defendant’s prior juvenile record in addition to prior criminal record to determine bail. Current Tennessee law only allows courts to consider prior criminal records in bail proceedings, which include crimes committed after the age of 18.
Bill seeks annual bonus for campus, public safety officers
A proposal to provide supplemental annual training pay to eligible campus public safety officers has been introduced in the House.
House Bill 8, sponsored by State Rep. Michael Hale, R-Smithville, would provide an annual $800 training pay supplement to certified campus police officers, similar to the bonuses already granted to law enforcement officers each year.
“By providing this supplemental pay, we can help these departments offer compensation that aligns with other law enforcement agencies, making it easier to recruit new officers,” Hale said. “This is the right thing to do for these officers and our colleges across the state.”
Campus police, public safety officers, and other law enforcement officers all complete certification training through the Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Commission and meet the same requirements.
The funds would be allocated by POST to the appropriate institutions, boards, and schools to ensure that the bonuses are distributed to campus and public safety officers.
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.
Maternal health care: House Bill 70, sponsored by State Rep. Esther Helton-Haynes, R-East Ridge, will require TennCare plans renewed or issued after July 1, 2025, to include biomarker testing for preeclampsia testing in pregnant women. An estimated five to seven percent of all pregnancies involve preeclampsia, which is a complication where women may have high blood pressure and indications of organ damage. It is one of the leading causes of maternal morbidity.
Protecting children: Tennessee Republicans have led the nation in protecting children from the dangers of left-wing gender ideology. State Rep. Gino Bulso, R-Brentwood, is now looking to enhance these safeguards by ensuring children use the bathroom and facilities that correspond with their biological sex. House Bill 64 will require all residential educational programs that allow minors access to separate facilities like showers, restrooms and changing areas by biological sex.
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.
Child abuse penalties: House Bill 45, sponsored by State Rep. Jake McCalmon, R-Franklin, would increase the penalty for child abuse from a Class A misdemeanor to a Class E felony. This proposed legislation would apply to someone who knowingly harms a child between the ages of nine and 17 years old.
Veteran benefits: House Bill 53, sponsored by State Rep. Jerome Moon, R-Maryville, puts certain guardrails in place to allow veterans to seek outside help with their benefits and protects them from dishonest people. If caught, those doing so could face penalties under the Tennessee Consumer Protection Act of 1977.
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.
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This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://tnhousegop.org/state-rep-brock-martins-capitol-report-13/