Tennessee House adopts budget, passes dozen measures in marathon session

The Tennessee House of Representatives passed the fiscal 2026 appropriations bill and a number of other measures after a day of extended debate on the House floor, concluding a session that combined routine business with contentious last-minute amendments.

The central action on the floor was passage of the state’s annual appropriations package. Representative Jerry Williams, chair of the House Finance, Ways and Means Committee, described the measure as an effort to allocate recurring and non-recurring revenues for education, health, transportation, disaster relief and other priorities before the next fiscal year. The House adopted the budget as amended after multiple committee amendments and debate on several late-filed changes, including an $8 million appropriation intended for local primary election costs that drew objections from members concerned about process and fiscal transparency.

Lawmakers also advanced and approved the companion statutory clean-up bills and a bond package that authorizes general-obligation bonds for higher-education and infrastructure projects. Representative Hicks (Appropriations chairman) said the bond bill keeps Tennessee a low-debt state while enabling needed campus and courthouse…