Tennessee Senate passes Appropriations Act, adds disaster and education funding

The Tennessee Senate passed Senate Bill 6005, the Appropriations Act for the first extraordinary session of the 114th General Assembly, as amended during floor debate. The chamber approved a series of Finance, Ways and Means Committee amendments that add and shift funding for disaster relief, school reconstruction and education programs.

Chairman Watson told colleagues the amended appropriations package assembles funding for the items slated for the extraordinary session and related costs. “This pays for, all of the acts that will be presented before this, senate body,” he said on the floor as the bill moved to final passage.

The finance committee adopted four committee amendments during debate. Amendment 1 (moved by Chairman Watson) added funding described in the amendment as “5.5 $1,000,000” for the immigration bill passed the previous day and $1,900,000 recurring for disaster release relief, and it made further adjustments related to teacher pay and capital funding that were addressed in later amendments. Amendment 2 reduced a gaming-fund capital figure cited in the amendment from $77,000,000 to $62,700,000. Amendment 3 removed approximately $3,000,000 in administrative costs from an earlier appropriation and removed a $6,200,000 recurring allocation for a Sevier County tax district. Amendment 4 restored the $6,200,000 recurring allocation to Sevier County after additional committee discussion.

Senator Yarbrough criticized the late-stage changes and their fit within the special-session call, saying, “I I I don't actually believe that that ends up being an adequate explanation in terms of why this would be in the full scope of the call.” The Senate nevertheless adopted amendment 4 and then advanced the bill to final passage.

Senator Watson outlined several headline appropriations in his closing remarks on the bill: $210,000,000 in nonrecurring funds for a hurricane-related interest payment and recovery fund; $240,000,000 nonrecurring to the Department of Military for disaster relief grants; $20,000,000 nonrecurring to the Department of Finance and Administration for relocation and reconstruction of Hampton High School in Carter County; $17,000,000 recurring to the Department of Education to reward high-performing school districts under the department grading system; $198,000,000 for teacher bonuses; $145,000,000 for education scholarships; and roughly $63,000,000 noted for capital. Watson said the appropriations act funds the suite of measures before the chamber.

After the vote, Senator Crow thanked the body and the bill sponsor for the Hampton High School allocation, saying the community has been eager to begin rebuilding: “placing the 20,000,000 in to to rebuild our our school, our Hampton High School.”

The Senate recorded the final vote on Senate Bill 6005 as amended and declared the bill passed. The clerk’s tally reported what was stated on the floor as 27 yes and 6 no votes; the presiding officer said the bill had received a constitutional majority and declared it passed. The body also adopted a consent calendar earlier in the session and later adopted a joint resolution providing for adjournment of the extraordinary session.

Votes at a glance: - Consent calendar — adopted (voice vote; presiding officer declared constitutional majority). - Finance Committee Amendment 1 (adds funding described in the manuscript as “5.5 $1,000,000” for an immigration bill and $1,900,000 recurring for disaster release relief) — adopted (voice vote). - Finance Committee Amendment 2 (adjust gaming-fund capital from $77,000,000 to $62,700,000) — adopted (voice vote). - Finance Committee Amendment 3 (remove ~$3,000,000 administrative cost; remove $6,200,000 recurring to Sevier County tax district) — adopted (voice vote). - Finance Committee Amendment 4 (restores $6,200,000 recurring for Sevier County tourism development zones) — adopted (voice vote). - Senate Bill 6005 as amended (Appropriations Act) — adopted; presiding officer declared constitutional majority (recorded on the floor as 27 yes, 6 no). - Senate Joint Resolution 6005 (adjournment resolution) — adopted after suspension of rules.

The Senate recessed for lunch earlier in the day and later returned to consider the appropriations and related education legislation tied to the extraordinary session. Leader Johnson noted the House was advancing companion education legislation and working through amendments before a planned vote later in the day.