TN General Assembly is Back!

This week, the 114th General Assembly convened for its second and final session. As with every second session there will be pressure to move quickly and to end the session so that fundraising and campaigning for re-election can begin. We expect a very fast pace. 

As of early 2026, there are already a handful of legislators who have announced they will not seek re-election. More “retirement” announcements are expected as session moves forward. 17 State Senators and all 99 State Representatives are up for reelection this year. Upcoming retirements, the election, and the Governor’s term ending, will affect how some officials take action or do not take action during legislative session.

Things to remember:

• Bills that were introduced but not acted on during last year’s session may move forward this session. 
• We can expect more than a thousand new bills to be introduced.
• The only constitutionally mandated action of the General Assembly is the passage of a budget.
• The Governor is slated to give his final State of State speech (likely February 2nd) at which time he will release his proposed budget.  

What to look for:

• Rural Health Initiatives. Tennessee has been awarded $206,888,882 in federal funding to “transform” rural health care.  The proposed goals are to expand access, prevent chronic disease, improve technology, develop the workforce, and to support rural hospitals.
• Education. Dramatic changes in the federal education landscape mean that education policy in Tennessee is even more important. Last year Tennessee passed a universal school voucher program.  Expect additional action on this program and similar policies. 

The Coalition is following all legislation that may impact children and adults with disabilities.  Three key areas of emphasis for us this year are access to care, education, and paid family caregiving.