[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6125893,"mediaKeyId","2674326-05d954f94d34589614a4406abbfcd78e","parentId",2674326,"title","General Services outlines $719M capital request including historic library renovation and youth facility funding","audioSeconds",2153,"startMs",2196000,"endMs",4349000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2674326-05d954f94d34589614a4406abbfcd78e&start=2196&end=4349","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2674326-05d954f94d34589614a4406abbfcd78e/thumbnail_2196000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6125893/Tennessee/General-Services-outlines-719M-capital-request-including-historic-library-renovation-and-youth-facility-funding","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6125893-7b2d07580c88bdc520105c54df17bcd4/orig.mp4?Expires=1770897337&Signature=M-Tblq-wuwqGiizCRC6GHEMFEnSr1XTgmy1Hbux3YDMoTOikoXzxIadJQD-NliBsVb~XUm~D0rN~YSBYGR2oPHIiPYimv~lYOFR7CDuvS2pLhiLGYcgFEgfCDCy70cNZ5EvUHBJwCCAE~1s1D5eF8mUGXP-2WvjLwMrvXdVoWBU3Ro155W~UuS2~SmT3yjULnjwRKLnswX56mmcrQxKZKNnruQKg3p7n-2gKV2I9al~1YeuPJHz~ysIeD9Bzx0-QdYMwKd0Q8EovOpzAxmge7mx10gTj11WRM6CXY0JP6FQVqNWK~Kp4uB7nBeKxf-Qfnjv1eyyWLh7B8UEIJRMt3g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","TN State Legislature","date","2025-03-18T00:00:00Z","article","The Department of General Services (DGS) on March 18 presented the administration’s FY26 capital-outlay plan to the Senate Finance Ways and Means Committee and outlined a set of projects totaling approximately $719 million.

Matt Van Epps, commissioner of DGS, and John Hall, deputy commissioner and director of the Real Estate Asset Management division (STREAM), told the committee the request includes 16 capital-improvement projects totaling about $572 million and 31 capital-maintenance projects totaling about $147 million.

The most prominent projects described were a $139.5 million request to renovate the Old Library and Archives Building (a structure on the National Register of Historic Places), additional funding to complete a state capitol roof, window and door project, and an $81.1 million allocation to finish construction of three youth development centers for the Department of Children’s Services (DCS).

Van Epps showed a rendering and said the Old Library and Archives renovation would preserve historical features, remove storage stacks on the west side and build new office space to accommodate the Administrative Office of the Courts with a secure connection to the Supreme Court Building. The committee confirmed the $139.5 million appropriation includes about $134 million proposed as bonded funding.

The request also includes $3.5 million in additional capital maintenance for state building roof, window and door work, bringing that project to roughly $28 million total; work is expected to begin spring 2025 and run into fall 2026, the agency said. DGS said the scope includes replacing 209 windows and 15 wooden exterior doors with designs matching the original state capitol and replacing the copper roof with a new pre-patina copper roof.

The DCS allocation completes previously requested funds to construct three youth development centers (including Woodland Hills in Nashville and two facilities at John Wilder in Somerville). DGS said the Woodland Hills facility will be a 72-bed staff-secure center; the John Wilder site will include a 72-bed hardware-secure facility and a separate 48-bed staff-secure facility. Commissioners confirmed those centers are intended to serve post-adjudicated youth under DCS custody.

DGS also outlined a $275.4 million request to build a new Tennessee Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) operations center and administration building on the Joint Forces Headquarters campus in Nashville. The agency described the proposed new facility as 175,000 square feet with a state-of-the-art emergency operations center, training and planning space, an auditorium and expanded parking; DGS said the current operations center is undersized, located in a basement and has infrastructure problems.

On parks and outdoor recreation, DGS described capital support for the Department of Environment and Conservation’s plan to create three stand-alone state parks and to complete the Devil’s Backbone State Park project; DGS said capital improvements would include visitor centers, utilities, roads and parking.

Committee members asked for more details about project lists and schedules. Michael Winston, fiscal officer for DGS, said capital project financing and the timing of bond sales are handled by the Finance and Administration department; he added that some state projects that are not bonded remain in the capital project fund until construction draws on them. Committee members also sought lists of completed projects tied to large multi-year park investments and asked DGS to provide completion tallies by fiscal year.

Van Epps and Hall discussed inflation and market volatility, and said STREAM escalates cost estimates to the midpoint of expected construction and monitors bidder rates to set contingencies. DGS described a typical four-year project lifecycle from program verification to construction closeout.

Committee members requested additional detail about older projects that remain on planning lists and asked whether previously authorized projects are still likely to be delivered. DGS said it has delivered many legacy projects over time but acknowledged longer-duration projects and changing priorities can delay individual corridors or elements and that the state continues to prioritize projects based on available funds and changing needs.

No formal vote was taken on the DGS capital presentation. DGS leaders agreed to provide the committee with requested follow-up details on project completions, financing and schedules.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee March 18, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Department of General Services presented a $719 million FY26 capital package that includes the renovation of the Old Library and Archives Building, roof and window work at the state capitol and funding to finish three youth development centers.","taxTitle","Finance, Ways and Means, Senate, Committees, Legislative, Tennessee","taxId",29604,"location","Tennessee","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6125898,"Senate finance committee gives Tennessee Arts Commission budget positive recommendation amid questions on reserves and federal grants",1513,691000,2204000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2674326-05d954f94d34589614a4406abbfcd78e&start=691&end=2204","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2674326-05d954f94d34589614a4406abbfcd78e/thumbnail_691000.jpg","/articles/6125898/Tennessee/Senate-finance-committee-gives-Tennessee-Arts-Commission-budget-positive-recommendation-amid-questions-on-reserves-and-federal-grants","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6125898-61a095cb8b7201f1bea78a06386f999a/orig.mp4?Expires=1770897337&Signature=TReHQnNsjuzXpC5Toqc5glY~gtikdOZqRlXiPc7zukxDWjhJOY0xd9BIYF1Nx~GDva3Zm0L8Q7azPzoCn1yjowecQ0K2tchOcyQpd3PA5t4BHCz89mrNw1rXmG~-ET~FwYeVX3UiHQlC-46eygGSYthozLv62noWmwHmjL~m-Py6ExFLW~JsfBsNfnAV9DGyt8O36ujrpvtQKY9cHCk5a7vPGG-0H1Soy1mmJjXKtf5C3xtT2AJd5eGZBnyLbakYyHj7qhjeR3LSVXLhtJdX~6mzgyQvgVTsEbBlDqJndYxUYTTsH1pqtwW7pbPTa3N5auAbYMG7AUIV6~4~tsECjg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Senate Finance Ways and Means Committee on March 18 voted to give the Tennessee Arts Commission’s proposed FY26 budget a positive recommendation after agency leaders outlined grant activity, revenue sources and reserve use.

The commission requested about $17.6 million in the governor’s recommended budget, including roughly $13.6 million in state funds, $1 million in federal funds and $3 million from other sources and reserves, Executive Director Anne Pope told the committee. Committee members pressed the commission on whether planned use of reserves and the reliance on specialty license plate revenue posed risks if federal funding changed or license-plate sales slowed.

The budget matters because the Arts Commission distributes grants statewide and the agency asked lawmakers to authorize one-time reserve use and a projected increase in specialty-plate revenue to meet demand for grants, particularly in rural communities.

Pope said the commission’s mission is “to cultivate the arts for the benefit of all Tennesseans in their communities.” She told lawmakers the governor’s recommendation included a technical request to raise the estimate for specialty license plate dedicated appropriations and a one-time use of reserves to address increased grant demand. Pope said the commission has obligated roughly $9.7 million of an arts-and-culture recovery fund and reported no findings in recent ARPA audits by the comptroller’s office.

Senators pressed for specifics. Senator Hensley asked what would happen if the commission lost the roughly $1 million in federal funds the budget anticipates; Pope replied, “We'd have to reduce grants.” She and staff said the agency is watching specialty plate sales closely and expects growth based on current trends and about eight months of additional sales data before the board finalizes a May budget vote.

Committee members also asked about a person-centered music program funded by a one-time CMS grant. Pope said the original $1 million award came through a nursing-home penalty fund, the program ran roughly three-and-a-half years with extensions during the COVID period, and training materials and equipment remain in nursing homes but the CMS continuation is “on hold” and the Arts Commission has no current funds to maintain the program.

On specialty plate revenue, committee members asked how proceeds are distributed. Pope said newly approved plates split net proceeds roughly 50% to the sponsoring nonprofit, 40% to the Arts Commission (used for grants) and 10% to the highway fund; she said the Department of Revenue handles remittances and the arts commission receives accounting on a quarterly basis. Later a staff member told the committee that, for fiscal 2023, the Department of Revenue remitted $951,161 to the state highway fund from new specialty plate proceeds.

After discussion the committee’s chair called for a motion and members voted in favor of a positive recommendation. The clerk recorded 10 ayes.

The committee did not take up standalone legislation for the Arts Commission; the action was a budget recommendation that moves to subsequent budget processes.

The Arts Commission provided committee members with a county-by-county list of 2024 grants and reported regular grant applications were up more than 12% for FY26, totaling nearly $26 million in requests.

Looking ahead, the commission said it is monitoring federal grant decisions and will report back if the federal funding picture changes. Committee members asked the commission to provide further detail about reserve balances and how projected specialty-plate revenues would cover the commission’s planned one-time reserve draw.

10 ayes were recorded and the Arts Commission’s budget received a positive recommendation from the Senate Finance Ways and Means Committee.","The Senate Finance Ways and Means Committee gave the Tennessee Arts Commission’s FY26 budget a positive recommendation after a presentation and questioning about specialty license plate revenue, reserve use and a paused CMS-funded program.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6125884,"TDOT tells finance committee it remains committed to legacy road projects while balancing inflation, funding and evolving needs",2200,4298000,6498000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2674326-05d954f94d34589614a4406abbfcd78e&start=4298&end=6498","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2674326-05d954f94d34589614a4406abbfcd78e/thumbnail_4298000.jpg","/articles/6125884/Tennessee/TDOT-tells-finance-committee-it-remains-committed-to-legacy-road-projects-while-balancing-inflation-funding-and-evolving-needs","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6125884-85d64873cd80544ddd25d37af397f520/orig.mp4?Expires=1770897337&Signature=Rjub0AmccGNci1-ddp4qlE0QM7TZB432ge1Pt7Y-jKVBsX2hZE3tp8PzoyCA88kqRNMkb3PxRTEPA-siVTwOmTz73NSs2ieJr8sSvpNzx-yAMqL~tK-V1eqg5t0WFSxNwpZgtYjbKB7ORbV~0ou2FtGKnMg4QxUlfvP~gZCQsgT-9t7ZnNcaBgDlREZHvjBOsGNtWU1vHYsTSN3Qi26wNb79psxAVXg9NwKiOxPbWNuytYLZbSOc2SRWB7SWqdChYi~klKk5~kN6~JeJ~DWz91A~Alj2tdwLUeVWB9D~JEZaRQTzi9c9mekk9LDPPE03IxFLQETae8dJzXp4i8JN1Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Tennessee Department of Transportation leaders on March 18 briefed the Senate Finance Ways and Means Committee about the status of legacy roadway projects, the department’s 10-year plan and the practical constraints that affect project delivery.

Committee members asked whether projects listed in the Comprehensive Tax Restructure Act of 1986 and in later statutes such as the IMPROVE Act remain priorities and how TDOT balances older statutory commitments with changing congestion and community needs. TDOT officials said they are \"totally committed to every single project\" listed in those acts but noted that funding, inflation and evolving local priorities have required the agency to break long corridors into deliverable segments and re-prioritize work.

Deputy Commissioner Preston Elliott and the department’s chief engineer outlined a multi-factor prioritization process that considers project performance, safety, time to deliver, community input and metropolitan planning organization (MPO) priorities. They said TDOT has advanced many projects from the 1986 program and IMPROVE Act and is delivering 72 of 93 non-bridge IMPROVE Act projects in the 10-year planning process; a small number of corridor segments remain to be completed.

Lawmakers repeatedly raised examples of projects that remain incomplete decades after authorization. Senator Hensley described a corridor intended to provide four-lane access from Columbia to Lexington with roughly 6.5 miles still outstanding and said the project was originally scheduled for completion by 1999. TDOT officials said some sections have been constructed while remaining portions face environmental or right-of-way challenges that lengthen delivery timelines.

Committee members pressed TDOT on financing mechanics. Michael Winston, DGS fiscal officer, and TDOT staff explained that capital project fund dollars are held until projects draw on them, that some capital appropriations are not bonded and that bond issuance timing is handled by Finance & Administration. TDOT officials explained they include inflation escalation to the midpoint of construction in cost estimates and that when bids are received 2–3 years after budget submission, projects increasingly have sufficient funds to award contracts because bidder participation has increased since 2023.

Senators also raised questions about non-state roads in the budget. The committee discussed a proposed allocation for Peyton Road, a project that is not a state highway but which appeared in the administration’s capital plan and has federal earmarks; TDOT said federal earmark funding was programmed and that local ownership and operations would remain local after construction.

On performance and maintenance, TDOT officials said the resurfacing program for 2025 is roughly $425–$591 million depending on the scope referenced, and they emphasized steps taken to increase the state of good repair after several years of underinvestment. TDOT leaders told the committee recurring revenue from fuel taxes and registration fees has been largely flat, increasing pressure on the department to prioritize work and seek alternative revenue strategies.

The department outlined a governor-proposed transportation revenue package that would dedicate additional recurring transportation-related revenue and cited an $8,080,000,000 recommendation in broader fiscal plans to address long-term needs (discussion framed as administration recommendations rather than committee action at the hearing). TDOT leaders described the tradeoffs of bonding and noted Tennessee is among a small number of states with no state debt for transportation.

Committee members asked about county-seat connector statutes and about project delivery metrics; TDOT officials said 68 county seats have been connected under the policy, with others in various stages. Officials also emphasized they track project phases and delivery timelines and will provide additional detail on older projects that remain on planning lists.

TDOT’s presentation closed with committee praise for the department’s operational performance, followed by requests for additional detail on completion rates and the timeline for older projects.","Tennessee Department of Transportation officials told the Senate Finance Ways and Means Committee they remain committed to projects from the 1986 tax-restructuring program and the IMPROVE Act but emphasized a need to prioritize projects because of flat user-fee revenue, inflation and changing local needs.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6125889,"Megasite authority says state infrastructure for Blue Oval City is largely complete; Ford invoices now being issued",286,3889000,4175000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2674326-05d954f94d34589614a4406abbfcd78e&start=3889&end=4175","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2674326-05d954f94d34589614a4406abbfcd78e/thumbnail_3889000.jpg","/articles/6125889/Tennessee/Megasite-authority-says-state-infrastructure-for-Blue-Oval-City-is-largely-complete-Ford-invoices-now-being-issued","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6125889-1fe86ea9bdd8d04728b8aa9f038d8aa8/orig.mp4?Expires=1770897337&Signature=Rr1EuF-2rGMczzctfS9jKLjYefMzknGzx8Ibgm9CfoxXww0wMgG2xBrHoIJW8VwbwvJDB1JaU2fqrAN1goXh4TawTYVLOD97iI8TQyGg2cZ7HC3yyOearjxrbp9t41KjkAo~FU4sKygddID5sN2QE9n0R7Jv8L0yFK3Rtobvuv47jMtwcZRspqxFoPfD9RnvzxkK2AsjwrmCenyHU8Y0vo6G0ILYruNTVYxRUCLiZyMV~IxWvz8jh2Igy3kzzQjke8TCghmWB7KnKFd~U9p1npe36LNFg1M2J9G17tZjLS8sDXc9MJsYwonbiqn-wzCp8GJBLG5yWWpOoWhJlz7osQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Representatives of the West Tennessee Megasite Authority told the Senate Finance Ways and Means Committee on March 18 that the state has delivered the infrastructure it committed to for Blue Oval City and that the authority has begun invoicing Ford for utility use based on a recent rate study.

Clay Bright, speaking for the Megasite Authority, said the Tennessee College of Applied Technology (TCAT) at the site opened June 14, 2024; TDOT’s phase 1 roadway work was expected to finish in late 2025; and the water treatment plant, wastewater treatment plant, pipeline to the Mississippi River and pump station were completed and started furnishing water in November 2023 and accepting sewer in July 2024. Bright said the authority started billing Ford this year based on a rate study and discussions with Finance & Administration and the comptroller’s office to comply with a statutory requirement not to operate at a deficit after December 2026.

Bright said Megasite Authority staff performed a rate study to determine full costs, including depreciation, and that invoices to Ford reflect those rates; he said the authority has begun sending invoices \"based on those rates to Ford first this year.\" Bright also said the authority engaged a third-party operator, Clearwater Solutions, to run the wastewater treatment plant and has been invoicing Ford for operations costs; he told the committee the site was using only a small share of capacity so far — about 6% of water capacity and less than 2% of sewer capacity according to the authority’s initial bills.

When asked about Ford’s internal plans, Bright said the authority does not receive updates from Ford and \"I read the same paper everybody else does.\" He added that, to his knowledge, Ford told the megasite authority it will start making some batteries for another vehicle in 2026 and that assembly-plant activity has shifted to a later date, with the assembly plant postponed to sometime in 2027.

Senators asked the authority about governance, oversight and billing. Bright said the authority initially met more frequently and now meets several times a year and that the board acts when there are items to decide. He said invoices are being sent and that, \"so far so good\" when asked whether Ford had paid the initial bills.

The committee’s discussion also touched on local sewer authorities and the potential for future requests for regional sewer funding as residential development follows industrial infrastructure.

The Megasite Authority’s briefing indicated the state’s infrastructure commitments for the site are largely complete and that the authority has begun operational billing to recover costs consistent with statutory constraints on authority deficits.","Officials with the Megasite Authority told the Senate finance committee that utilities and treatment plants for Blue Oval City have been built and that the authority has begun invoicing Ford for water and sewer service after a rate study; officials said they have no direct information about Ford’s corporate construction timing","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

General Services outlines $719M capital request including historic library renovation and youth facility funding

Senate finance committee gives Tennessee Arts Commission budget positive recommendation amid questions on reserves and federal grants

TDOT tells finance committee it remains committed to legacy road projects while balancing inflation, funding and evolving needs

Megasite authority says state infrastructure for Blue Oval City is largely complete; Ford invoices now being issued