FW&M Appropriations subcommittee hears dozens of local funding requests; no votes taken

At a meeting of the Finance, Ways & Means Appropriations Subcommittee, members heard presentations on a slate of budget amendments from senators representing regions across Tennessee; committee members asked clarifying questions but no formal votes were recorded.

The proposals presented included large capital requests and numerous local grants. Among the largest items were a $26.6 million state funding request for Austin Peay State University’s Military Academic Building (amendment 193); a $10 million request for preliminary planning and site-selection work toward a new state psychiatric hospital in the Knox County region (amendment 208); and a $3,375,000 appropriation for an educational dental safety-net pilot in 33 East Tennessee counties administered with Lincoln Memorial University’s College of Dental Medicine (amendment 206). Senator Powers described another health-related request as “a repeat of the one that was approved in fiscal year 22, 23 and ’24,” referring to ongoing appropriations for Centerstone’s military behavioral-health services (amendment 326).

Why this matters: Many of the requests would support regional health-care capacity, behavioral-health services for military families, disaster recovery and local infrastructure, or workforce and education programs. The subcommittee’s review is an early step; most requests would require further committee action and appropriation in later stages if the legislature chooses to fund them.

Key presentations and amounts

- Senator Powers presented amendment 326 seeking additional funding for Centerstone Military Services to expand behavioral-health services for veterans and military families; the packet noted an included $500,000 in the amendment and referenced prior legislative funding of $800,000 (FY24), $800,000 (FY23) and $700,000 (FY25). Powers asked the committee to consider funding above the governor’s proposal to expand reach into rural areas and the Stephen A. Cohen Military Family Clinic in Clarksville.

- Amendment 193: Austin Peay State University — $26,600,000 requested for renovation of the Military Academic Building (MAB) in Clarksville to consolidate culinary arts, sports communications, ROTC and National Security Studies and to house ROTC faculty and the Institute for National Security and Military Studies.

- Amendment 208: Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services — $10,000,000 for site selection, preliminary architectural plans and cost estimation for a new state psychiatric hospital in the Knox County regional area; the presentation said the region is short of beds following the 2012 closure of Lakeshore and cited a need for additional capacity.

- Amendment 206: Educational dental safety-net pilot — $3,375,000 nonrecurring to support dental services in 33 East Tennessee counties in partnership with Lincoln Memorial University’s College of Dental Medicine.

- Amendment 204: Remote Area Medical — $1,075,000 nonrecurring to purchase a new mobile unit/van to expand free clinics, telehealth and mobile services statewide and in other states; presenters said the van would be used outside Knox County.

- Amendment 207: Department of Disability and Aging (Office of the Long-Term Care Ombudsman) — $2,000,000 to support an increase to 30 complaint-handling ombudsmen at the local level and statewide education and outreach initiatives.

- Disaster- and FEMA-related requests presented by Senator Sutherland included: amendment 113 — $36,000,000 nonrecurring to the Department of Finance and Administration for Cott County to replace a county highway department and annex building damaged in a September 2024 hurricane event; amendment (unnumbered in presentation) to provide $20,000,000 for Irwin utility authorities as a local match for FEMA disaster relief to replace a wastewater treatment plant; and amendment 107 — $400,000 for the Unicoi County Gas Utility District as local match funding for FEMA relief.

- Additional local and nonprofit requests included: Pat Summitt Foundation — $750,000 nonrecurring for Alzheimer’s and dementia training and caregiver support (presented by Senator Massie); Tennessee Theatre Foundation — $2,000,000 nonrecurring for expansion in Knoxville (amendment 196); Smoky Mountain Regional FIRST Robotics — $81,200 via the Department of Education to increase participating teams (amendment 197); Midland Baptist Association — $60,000 for disaster relief equipment (amendment 198); New Directions Healthcare Solutions — $75,000 nonrecurring for health outreach (amendment 199); The Change Center (Knoxville) — $300,000 nonrecurring for jobs/mentorship programming (amendment 200); Beck Cultural Exchange Center — $250,000 nonrecurring for programs and engagement (amendment 201); Grow Partnership Tennessee — $100,000 nonrecurring for early breast-cancer screening and outreach in East Tennessee (amendment 202); Seymour Volunteer Fire Department — $25,000 for emergency/medical response equipment (amendment 203); Epilepsy Foundation of East Tennessee — $100,000 nonrecurring for statewide services (amendment 205).

Local infrastructure and veterans items

- Senator Lowe presented amendment 210 for monuments and related site work at Veterans Park in Dayton tied to a newly announced VA cemetery in Meigs County and a proposed veterans corridor; he also presented amendment 211 for a $10,000 gap request to expand festival grounds in downtown Cleveland between City Hall and the Museum Center at Five Points, and discussed a subsidy proposal (amendment 243) to bring rotating OB-GYN coverage to Ray County.

- Senator Sutherland asked for $1,365,000 nonrecurring for the vacant Tennessee National Guard armory in Unicoi County (amendment 111) and other recovery and match grants tied to recent storm damage.

What committee members asked and next steps

Most presentations drew brief procedural or clarifying questions from members. For example, when Senator Massie described the Tennessee Theatre Foundation request, a committee member asked whether the foundation was midcampaign or seeking closing dollars; Massie said he would provide fundraising status to the committee. When the Remote Area Medical request was described, Senator Yeager asked whether the van would be used outside Knox County; the presenter replied it would be used in other counties and states.

No formal votes, roll-call tallies or approvals were recorded in the transcript. Several presenters moved the listed amendments for committee consideration (for example, Senator Powers moved amendment 193). The subcommittee scheduled another appropriations session and adjourned; a posted reconvening time in the transcript referenced 1:30 tomorrow.

Speakers quoted in the meeting used the committee title or senator designation in the transcript; direct quotations in the record include, for example, Senator Powers saying, “This amendment is a repeat of the one that was approved in fiscal year 22, 23 and ’24,” and later moving an item with, “And with that, mister, Chairman, I move budget amendment number 1 93.”

Ending: The subcommittee heard a broad set of regional and statewide requests but did not take votes. Many items will require additional committee review and scheduling for floor action or inclusion in a final appropriations package.