Tennessee House votes to recess to Feb. 3, schedules joint convention for State of the State and extends bill-filing window

The Tennessee House of Representatives on the House Floor adopted a series of procedural resolutions Friday that set a return date for the regular session, scheduled a joint convention for the governor's State of the State and budget transmittal, and approved a rules suspension to allow key administration bills to be filed later than the original deadline.

House Joint Resolution 61, moved by Leader Lambert, was adopted by voice vote with recorded tallies of 84 ayes and 7 nays. The resolution recesses the regular session and provides that the House will reconvene at 2 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 3, 2025. Leader Lambert told the chamber the measure is a placeholder to allow further deliberation on bills filed for the special session.

The House also adopted House Joint Resolution 62, which provides an alternative return date the Senate may use; that resolution passed 72 ayes and 19 nays. Members questioned the need for two return dates and whether the House should mirror a Senate schedule. Chairman Clemens asked for clarification on the reconvene date, saying, "February 3, I think that's next…