The Tennessee House completed votes on several measures on April 16 while moving the annual appropriations bill. Key outcomes from the floor:
- Senate Bill 2690 (FY 2026–27 budget): Passed on third reading by constitutional majority (I 83, N 12). The budget totals $58.3 billion and funds health and social services, education, transportation, and targeted legislative initiatives including hospital buybacks.
- Senate Bill 2692 (bond bill): Passed (I's 95). The bill authorizes bonding for capital projects; this year the primary bond project discussed is the University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Medicine building.
- Senate Bill 259 (health records/parental access): The House concurred in Senate Amendment 2 clarifying parental access to minors’ medical, prescription and rehabilitation records and requiring notification in suicidal‑ideation cases. Recorded vote: Ayes 87, Nays 13.
- Senate Bill 1495 (opioid abatement funds): The House approved legislation to accept monetary settlements from opioid manufacturers into the state opioid abatement council (recorded I's 87, 0 nays in the tally announced on the floor).
- Senate Bill 1670 (armed forces statutory updates): Passed to add the U.S. Space Force in Tennessee statutory references so members of that service are treated equivalently in state law (recorded I 77, 11 nays).
- Senate Bill 1944 (community meetings by electronic participation): Passed; allows permissive, noticed community meetings with electronic participation for public viewing, provided no official decisions are made.
What didn’t pass on the floor: Multiple member amendments to the budget (see the budget story) were defeated or tabled, including proposals for a cold‑case unit at TBI, transfers from vouchers to farm grants, and redirections of charter facility funds to summer nutrition or public school facilities.
Procedural note: Several messages and conference committee appointments were announced on the floor. The House recessed and will reconvene Monday, April 20, 2026 for additional calendar business and committee meetings.
Source: Statements and recorded votes on the House floor, April 16, 2026.