House adopts temporary rules, appoints officers and select committees during organizational session

The Tennessee House of Representatives adopted temporary rules for the 114th General Assembly, installed officers and formed several committees during its organizational session on Jan. 13, 2025.

Leader Lambert presented the ad hoc temporary rules proposed by the rules committee and said the only change from the prior session was updating the session number. "So these are just the ad hoc committee rules. I move that these rules be adopted as the temporary rules of the house of representatives of the hundred and fourteenth general assembly," Leader Lambert said on the floor. The motion was seconded, put to a voice vote and the chair announced "the ayes have it." The temporary rules will be revisited at a rules committee meeting scheduled later in the week for consideration of permanent rules.

The House appointed officers to administer chamber business. The speaker named Tammy Letzler of Rutherford County as chief clerk, Greg Glass of Williamson County as chief engrossing clerk, Daniel Hicks of Davidson County as assistant chief clerk, and Bobby Trotter of Robertson County as chief sergeant at arms. Those officers were sworn in by Justice Mary L. Wagner on the floor.

The House also appointed committees to complete organizational tasks. A committee was named to notify Gov. Bill Lee that the House had perfected its organization (representatives Crawford, Capley, Moody, Shaw and Zachary, with Representative Zachary serving as chair). A separate committee was appointed to notify the Senate that the House had perfected its organization (representatives Hosey, Kiesling, Darby, Love and Todd, with Representative Todd as chair). Both committees reported back that they had completed their tasks later in the session.

In addition, the House moved and concurred with Senate Joint Resolution 14 to call a joint convention for electing constitutional officers and appointed members to a select committee to review audits and operations of the comptroller's and treasurer's offices (Representative Hicks of Hawkins to serve as chair). The speaker also appointed a select committee on rules (members named on the floor) to review the temporary rules and report recommendations for permanent rules to the full House; Leader Lambert was appointed to serve as that committee's chair.

Finally, the House agreed to stand in recess until 9 a.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025, concluding the floor's organizational business and setting committee deadlines and meeting times for the coming days.

These actions set the administrative and procedural framework for the House’s work in the new General Assembly but did not themselves enact policy or appropriate funds.