Committee advances 10 bills to calendar and rules; votes at a glance
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Summary
The Finance, Ways and Means Committee advanced 10 bills to calendar and rules on March 17, 2026, including unanimous or near-unanimous approvals for several administrative and agency measures. Vote tallies and brief descriptions are listed below.
The Tennessee House Finance, Ways and Means Committee on March 17 advanced 10 measures to calendar and rules. Most passed with broad support; several were unanimous. Key outcomes:
- House Bill 3-57 (Rescue Squad Recognition Act): Amendment adopted; committee vote 25–0. The bill requires rescue squads to be duly recognized and authorized by the state fire marshal’s office.
- House Bill 15-55 (Driving while holding an electronic device): Removes a $10 court-cost cap and sets court costs at 50% of normal moving-violation litigation taxes; committee vote 15–8–1 (aye–no–not voting). Sponsors noted example fines (a $50 fine plus roughly $35–$70 in court costs depending on jurisdiction).
- House Bill 18-05 (Social studies standards — history of communism): Committee advanced 23–2 after sponsor’s description.
- House Bill 16-72 (Comptroller authority — emergency loans/grant anticipation loans): Committee advanced 26–0; bill lets the comptroller approve emergency operating loans without waiting for FEMA and allows use of other revenues to repay grant-anticipation loans when reimbursements are late.
- House Bill 15-26 (Name a Blount County National Guard armory for Commander Sgt. Maj. William O. Gregory): Committee advanced 26–0.
- House Bill 8-78 (Treasurer: Criminal Injury Compensation Fund review): Committee advanced 26–0; bill authorizes certain county-level investigation into falling fund revenues and potential collection issues.
- House Bill 16-30 (Bureau of Workers’ Comp computer system): Committee advanced 25–0; the bill authorizes using excess fund balances (no new appropriation) to purchase a new computer system.
- House Bill 16-31 (Department of Agriculture — replace Tennessee State Fair and Exposition Commission references): Committee advanced 26–0 to modernize state aid references and replace the commission name with the Tennessee Agriculture Fair and Livestock Show Act.
- House Bill 7-54 (detransition coverage requirement): Advanced 20–7; see separate coverage for details.
- House Bill 19-78 (sales/use tax exemption extension): Advanced 17–9 after debate; see separate coverage for details.
House Bill 25-10 was rolled to the final calendar without objection. The committee adjourned after completing the calendar.
