Senate committee meets, reviews rules and staff, and adjourns with no bills on notice

A Senate committee of the 2026 Tennessee Legislature met, confirmed a quorum and conducted only procedural business before adjourning.

The meeting opened with the presiding chair calling the session to order and asking the secretary to take roll. The secretary called the roll of named senators, and the chair noted the committee had a quorum. The chair then announced there were no bills on notice for the committee to discuss.

The chair reviewed committee rules and decorum, saying profanity is prohibited on signs in the committee room because minors may be present and the meeting is live streamed. The chair also said signs must not block other audience members’ views and stated a personal rule that men not wear hats in the committee room.

The committee’s procedural deadlines were reiterated: bills must be placed on notice by 12 p.m. Tuesday to appear on the following week’s calendar, and amendments for bills on calendars must be filed by 12 p.m. Monday, the day before the committee meets.

Staff members were introduced by the chair: Rita Redmond (secretary), Walker Beasley, Tanner Watson (research analyst), Elizabeth Ansonia (attorney), Roark Brown (budget analyst), Matthew Blessington and Faiza George (bill clerks), and Ralph Sowell (archives).

With no additional items raised, the chair invited a motion to adjourn. A motion was made and seconded; the chair called for the ayes and declared the meeting adjourned. The transcript records only a voice vote and does not provide a roll-call tally or identify who moved or seconded the motion.

The meeting included no substantive debate, no bills placed on notice during the session, and no formal votes on legislation reported in the transcript.