Tennessee House approves consent calendar, processes dozens of procedural motions and sets bill-filing deadline

The Tennessee House of Representatives passed its consent calendar and processed a series of procedural motions during a floor session that recessed until 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025.

Rep. Shirley Moody moved passage of the consent calendar on third and final consideration under Rule 50; the clerk announced “Ayes, 92. No nays.” The speaker declared the consent calendar passed after noting the constitutional majority.

The session also recorded multiple motions to withdraw individual house bills from committee. Members who moved withdrawals included Rep. Zachary (h. r. d. 52 referral motion), Rep. Hulsey (house bill 446), Rep. Sparks (house bill 1406), Rep. Hurt (house bill 350), Rep. Cipicci (house bills 13 and 63), Rep. Jones of Unicoi (house bill 429), Rep. Hardaway (har76), Rep. Martin of Hamilton (bill 188), Rep. Terry (house bill 394), Rep. Marsh (h. b. 423), Rep. Gantt (house bill 290), Chairman Clemens (house bill 294) and others. Some motions were ordered “with objection,” and some were ordered “without objection” as recorded on the floor; the transcript did not specify the substance of the objections.

Leader Lambert objected to certain items on the consent calendar, and Chairman Clemens was recorded objecting to SJR 24 on the consent calendar. The clerk read multiple objections aloud before the voice vote that carried the calendar.

The House clerk announced a large introductory batch of bills: house bills 359 through 636 were introduced and passed on first consideration, and Leader Lambert noted that house bills 186 through 358 would be held on second consideration or referred to the appropriate standing committee. Several joint and senate resolutions were placed on the consent calendar or referred to committee under Rule 17 after procedural objection and disposition on the floor.

On scheduling and reports, a House official identified the bill-filing deadline as Thursday, Feb. 6, at the close of business. The clerk also listed reports filed with the clerk’s office available for member review, including reports from the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (Public Chapter 192), Department of Human Services (Public Chapter 192 and Public Chapter 308 quarterly reports), the Tennessee State Fire Marshal’s office, the Tennessee Emergency Communication Board annual report, the Tennessee Public Utility Commission report on utility rates, the Department of Revenue federal grants report for fiscal year 2024, the 2024 TDOT rail and public transportation annual report, and multiple other statutorily required reports.

Before recess, Rep. Cochran moved that the House stand in recess until 8:30 a.m. Feb. 5, 2025; the motion carried “without objection.”

Votes at a glance

- Consent calendar (third and final consideration, Rule 50): Ayes 92; Nays 0. Outcome: Passed.

- Recess motion (Rep. Cochran): Outcome: Passed (house stands recessed until 8:30 a.m., Feb. 5, 2025).

- Multiple motions to withdraw specific house bills from committee: Each motion recorded on the floor as “ordered” (some with the notation “with objection,” others “without objection”); transcript does not record roll-call tallies for these individual withdrawals.

What this means

The action clears a large number of routine measures via the consent calendar and advances a substantial group of bills on first consideration, while individual members continued procedural housekeeping by withdrawing specified bills from committee for further consideration or reassignment. The filing deadline and the numerous statutorily required reports listed by the clerk establish near-term scheduling and oversight items for members.

Sources: Floor proceedings of the Tennessee House of Representatives as recorded in the session transcript.