Tennessee House opens session, passes consent calendar and withdraws several bills from committee

NASHVILLE — The Tennessee House of Representatives convened on Jan. 21, 2026, with ceremonial prayer and a series of recognitions before moving through routine legislative business that included passage of the consent calendar, several unanimous withdrawals of bills from committee and new scheduling for an alcohol omnibus calendar.

Representative Dennis Powers introduced Kevin Walden as the chaplain of the day; Walden, a retired U.S. Air Force servicemember and long‑time director of veterans affairs in Campbell County, opened the session with a prayer. Representative Powers said Walden had secured "over $282,000,000" in benefits for Campbell County veterans and their families. Walden closed his remarks, "And on behalf of all Tennessee, thank you for making right decisions for Tennessee, and may God continue to bless you," and the chamber responded, "Amen."

After routine roll call and member recognitions, the House considered its consent calendar on third and final consideration. The clerk reported a recorded count given in the transcript as "It's 96, no days." Following that announcement, the Speaker declared that the consent calendar had received the constitutionally required majority and passed. The consent calendar moves a slate of bills and resolutions forward without separate debate on each item.

Members then handled unfinished business. A series of motions were made to withdraw specific house bills from committee and bring them to the floor for consideration. The transcript records the following withdrawal motions and outcomes as read on the floor: a motion to withdraw (identified in the record as HAR 779) was ordered; Representative Martin of Carroll moved to withdraw HB 1655 from committee (ordered without objection); Chairman Clemens moved to withdraw HB 1469 from committee (ordered without objection); Representative Renaud moved to withdraw HB 1693 from committee (the motion drew an objection and was not ordered); Representative McCallman moved to withdraw HB 378 (ordered without objection); the Speaker pro tem moved to withdraw HB 1549 (ordered without objection); Representative Parkinson moved to withdraw HB 738 (ordered without objection). The transcript indicates most withdrawals were agreed to without objection, while HB 1693 encountered an objection on the floor.

On scheduling, the Clerk announced the finance subcommittee meeting that had been scheduled for that morning was canceled and that those bills will be heard next week. The House Departments and Agency Subcommittee will set a special alcohol calendar to be heard Feb. 17 and will consider the annual "liquor by the drink" omnibus bill on that same calendar; the deadline for amendments to that omnibus bill is the close of business on Friday, Feb. 13.

Leader Cochran moved that the House stand in recess until 9 a.m. on Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026; the motion was ordered and the House recessed.

The session featured multiple ceremonial remembrances and constituent recognitions during the opening minutes, including tributes to Peggy Ann Atkins, Tommy Brown and others noted by members; these occurred prior to the day's procedural business. No floor debate on bills' substantive policy content is recorded in the transcript for this session.