Tennessee House adopts special‑session rules, sets 24‑hour deadline for floor amendments amid minority objections

The Tennessee House adopted the permanent rules governing its first extraordinary session of the 114th General Assembly after a floor vote that followed extended debate over amendment deadlines and the pace of business.

The rules package, the House’s ad hoc committee on rules report, was adopted after the clerk recorded the vote as, “Aye, 71, 20 2 nays,” and the speaker declared the report adopted.

The new rules require members to file floor amendments at least 24 hours before a bill is scheduled for floor consideration; committee amendment deadlines were set at two hours before committee proceedings begin. That scheduling framework applies as the House prepares to consider seven bills filed for the special session, several members said.

“There's a the committee sent that on their own, but ordinarily, there's a practice of the committees for there to be a 2 hour 2 hours before the committee begins, deadline to have any amendments in. The 24 hours is for the floor,” Chairman Clemens said during debate on the rules.

Severa…