Fiscal Review Committee elects Todd Gardenhire chair, keeps $2 million spending threshold

The Organizational Fiscal Review Committee on Jan. 16, 2025, elected Senator Todd Gardenhire as committee chair and Dan Howell as vice chair and voted to keep the monetary minimum that defines a "significant increase" in state expenditures at $2,000,000 under TCA 3-7-109.

The action matters because the monetary minimum triggers reporting and approval requirements tied to the attorney general's litigation and other fiscal-review processes; fiscal review staff told the committee the threshold has been $2,000,000 since 1986 and recommended that it remain unchanged.

Senator Watson nominated Gardenhire for chair, saying, "I would nominate the gentleman from Hamilton County, Mr. Todd Gardenhire for chair." The nomination received at least two seconds and passed on a voice vote; the meeting record shows the chair announcement and the gavel was handed to Gardenhire.

During the same organizational session, Representative Littleton nominated Dan Howell for vice chair; another member identified as "Heather" seconded the nomination. The vice chair nomination passed on a voice vote with no recorded opposition.

Fiscal review staff briefed the committee on the monetary minimum required by state statute, noting the requirement dates to 1986 and that the $2,000,000 figure had been in place since then. As a result of a motion by Senator Yeager and a recorded voice vote, the committee maintained the $2,000,000 threshold; the transcript records an "Aye" and notes the ayes prevailed.

Committee staff also announced the next two meeting dates: Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025, at 11 a.m., and Friday, March 27, 2025, at 11 a.m., both in the same room. The meeting then adjourned.

Details of formal motions and voice votes were recorded on the transcript but did not include roll-call tallies in the excerpt provided.