Capitol Update: TN General Assembly

Listen: Tennessee Chamber Releases First Podcast

113th General Assembly Gavels In: The Key Three: Take Aways from this Week at the Tennessee General Assembly

Tennessee Chamber and Major Tennessee Brands Welcome New General Assembly in a Big Way -

On Tuesday evening, the Tennessee Chamber and some of Tennessee's most prominent companies welcomed the 113th Tennessee General Assembly by hosting the year’s largest legislative reception at the Tennessee State Museum. With record attendance, the event was a who’s who in Tennessee business and government circles and signifies the beginning of the session. “We see this as an opportunity for members, staff, business leaders, and Tennesseans to join in spirit of working together and finding common ground solutions during the session to enhance our business climate," noted Chamber President Bradley Jackson. The event was headlined by visits from Governor Bill Lee, Lieutenant Governor Randy McNally, and House Speaker Cameron Sexton.

Mark the Calendar: Earlier this week, a number of key dates related to the 2023 legislative session were revealed.

Week of January 23- Senate reconvenes

January 30- House reconvenes

January 31- House bill filing deadline

January 31- Senate bill filing deadline

Early February- Governor Lee’s State of the State Address

Late March- Committee closures begin

Late March- Senate floor Wednesday sessions begin

House Committee Assignments

Senate Committee Assignments

Infrastructure Front and Center: Governor Bill Lee has announced the Build with Us initiative which proposes a funding plan of over $1.5 billion for congestion and maintenance improvements across the state, one of the largest infrastructure initiatives ever rolled out in Tennessee. The proposal funds both rural and urban projects and does not raise the gas tax, issue road debt, or reduce the current road and bridge maintenance budget.

Tennessee’s growth is far outpacing roadway capacity investments. This is becoming more prominent throughout Tennessee and not just in urban areas. $26 billion is needed over-and-above the 2017 IMPROVE Act to address both urban and rural congestion in Tennessee. This includes nearly $14 billion in the four major urban areas -- Nashville, Memphis, Chattanooga and Knoxville – and over $12 billion on Tennessee’s rural interstates (view congestion studies) commissioned for these urban areas. Learn more about Tennessee’s traffic congestion challenges.

Included in the proposal is a plan to raise the annual fee for electric vehicles from $100 annually to $300 annually. The Chamber is currently evaluating the proposal; electric vehicle manufacturers have noted the annual fee should align with average miles driven and gas tax revenue currently collected from gas- and diesel-powered vehicles covering their impact on roads.

The Tennessee Chamber overall supports significant investments in Tennessee’s infrastructure system to further foster our business climate and Tennesseans. We plan to release a statement detailing our formal position in the coming weeks.