Finance, Ways and Means committee advances 20 of 22 bills to calendar and rules; nursing-home, hospital assessments clear panel

The Finance, Ways and Means Committee met in April 2025 and advanced 20 of the 22 items on its agenda to the House calendar and rules, voting overwhelmingly in favor of a slate of administrative and policy bills ranging from civil asset forfeiture reforms to annual health-care assessments.

Committee action moved dozens of bills to the next stage of floor consideration rather than adopting final law; most items passed by unanimous recorded tallies in committee. Notable committee approvals included a measure to remove a $350 civil asset forfeiture bond, multiple annual health-care assessments, amendments to transportation and tourism statutes, and several measures affecting education, local government finance and vehicle rules.

Among the higher-profile items, the committee approved House Bill 1229, described by its sponsor as removing the $350 bond required for people to retrieve property seized under civil asset forfeiture procedures. The panel also approved House Bill 728 (the annual nursing-home assessment) and House Bill 829 (the annual hospital assessment) after brief descriptions from sponsors. Committee members moved an omnibus transportation bill (House Bill 212) containing multiple license-plate and naming provisions, and a transportation bill addressing the naming of state roads and bridges (House Bill 213) to calendar and rules after amendments were adopted.

On education and workforce issues, the committee advanced bills that create a limited occupational teachers license and allow certain endorsement exemptions for instructors (House Bill 1323), and an administration bill that expands tools for local governments to use tax-increment financing and payment-in-lieu-of-tax programs for affordable and workforce housing and brownfield redevelopment (House Bill 1306). The committee also advanced a measure to clarify rules for off-highway utility vehicles on state roads (House Bill 810).

Most roll calls were uncontested and recorded as unanimous or near-unanimous in committee. Several items were rolled to a later week or taken off notice; a late-filed substantive amendment on one bill was rolled to the "heel" by motion. Committee members closed the meeting with a brief recognition of flooding in parts of West Tennessee and then adjourned.

Votes at a glance (bill — sponsor/description — committee vote — outcome):

House Bill 759 — Speaker Pro Tem Marsh — allows local school boards discretion to use future state funding for merit-pay structures for educators; 27 ayes, 0 nos — moved to calendar and rules.

House Bill 212 — Chairman Howe — annual transportation omnibus (license plates and naming provisions); amendment adopted (drafting code 006812); 26 ayes, 0 nos — moved to calendar and rules.

House Bill 213 — Chairman Howe (amendment by Leader Camper, drafting code 007094) — transportation omnibus for naming roads and bridges; amendment corrected an honoree—s name; 28 ayes, 0 nos — moved to calendar and rules.

House Bill 1229 — Chairman Kumar — removes a $350 bond requirement for individuals seeking return of property seized under civil asset forfeiture; 28 ayes, 0 nos — moved to calendar and rules.

House Bill 45 — Representative McCalmon — increases penalty for child abuse that is injurious for ages 9–17 from a Class A misdemeanor to a Class E felony; 28 ayes, 0 nos — moved to calendar and rules.

House Bill 171 — Representative Brady — extends the ground ambulance service annual assessment to June 30, 2026; 28 ayes, 0 nos — moved to calendar and rules.

House Bill 496 — Representative Reedy — modifies the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act per the state treasurer's request; 28 ayes, 0 nos — moved to calendar and rules.

House Bill 1321 — Representative Stannett — administrative change renaming the tourism division to marketing and transferring funds from TDOT to the marketing division to operate welcome centers; 28 ayes, 0 nos — moved to calendar and rules.

House Bill 1314 — Leader Cochran — codifies existing authority for the tourism/marketing unit and authorizes agreements with the Department of Transportation for maintenance assistance; 28 ayes, 0 nos — moved to calendar and rules.

House Bill 810 — Chairman Grills — clarifies how utility terrain vehicles (UTVs) are allowed to operate on state roads, consolidating a piecemeal approach into clearer code language; 28 ayes, 0 nos — moved to calendar and rules.

House Bill 1323 — Representative Hicks — creates a new limited occupational teacher's license and allows commissioner-issued endorsement exemptions for certain course-assessment instructors; 28 ayes, 0 nos — moved to calendar and rules.

House Bill 335 — Chairman Hulsey — authorizes the Utility District of Blountville to increase board-member pay from $300 to $500 per month; 26 ayes, 0 nos — moved to calendar and rules.

House Bill 1306 — Chairman Williams — administration bill expanding eligible projects for TIF/pilot programs for affordable and workforce housing and brownfield incentives; an amendment adjusted an effective date; 28 ayes, 0 nos — moved to calendar and rules.

House Bill 35 — Chairman Hicks — provides an increase for the nine development districts across the state; 25 ayes, 0 nos — moved to calendar and rules.

House Bill 728 — Chairman Hicks — annual nursing-home assessment; 25 ayes, 0 nos — moved to calendar and rules.

House Bill 829 — Chairman Hicks — annual hospital assessment; 24 ayes, 0 nos — moved to calendar and rules.

Other items: several bills were rolled or taken off notice. House Bill 1199 and House Bill 547 were rolled one week. Item number 8 was taken off notice. One substantive untimely-filed amendment referenced in committee was rolled to the "heel." The committee adjourned after a member noted rapid flooding in several West Tennessee communities.

The committee's approvals move the bills to the House calendar and rules for further floor consideration; committee passage does not enact law. Sponsors and committee chairs presented brief descriptions on the floor and answered few questions; few substantive amendments were debated at length in committee.

Members then adjourned; items not taken up will be taken up next week.