Votes at a glance: Finance, Ways and Means Committee advances a package of bills

The Finance, Ways and Means Committee met April 20 and advanced a slate of bills to Calendar and Rules. Below is a concise summary of each bill considered and the committee vote outcome.

Votes at a glance

- HB 1268 (Representative Scarborough): Adds two criminal judges to the 30th District. Committee vote: 22-0 to move to Calendar and Rules.

- HB 753 (Chairman Faison): Excludes federal low-income-housing tax credits from property valuation to preserve affordable-housing incentives. Committee vote: 19-3 to move to Calendar and Rules.

- HB 2309 (Chairlady Caringer): Increases required fines for vandalism at houses of worship to at least twice the property-damage/cleanup costs. Committee vote: 23-0 to move to Calendar and Rules.

- HB 1881 (Chairman Slater, as amended): Expands ESA (education savings account) school eligibility and income-restricted ESA access through two adopted amendments (018394, 018332). Committee vote: 14-7 (2 present, not voting) to move to Calendar and Rules.

- HB 1759 (Chairman Slater): Authorizes adult charter schools. Committee vote: 19-3 to move to Calendar and Rules.

- HB 1979 (Chairman White, Promising Futures Act): Child-care framework and affordability measures; amended to adjust funding source. Committee vote: 26-0 to move to Calendar and Rules.

- HB 902 (Representative Jones, as amended): Pilot for substance-abuse curriculum in three LEAs (grades 3–11), clarified funding and non-appropriations language. Committee vote: 26-0 to move to Calendar and Rules.

- HB 2358 (Chairman Hawk): Child-care reporting measure; committee vote: 25-0 to move to Calendar and Rules.

- HB 1690 (Chairman Hicks): Strengthens enforcement under Tennessee Financial Responsibility Law by increasing uninsured-motorist failure fees (first $25→$500; second $100→$1,000; subsequent to $1,500 within 3 years). Committee vote: 19-4 (2 present, not voting) to move to Calendar and Rules.

- HB 1720 (Chairman Hicks): Changes annexation/zoning rules and records certain covenants with register of deeds; committee vote: 25-0 to move to Calendar and Rules.

- HB 2038 (Chairman Hulsey): Declares gold and silver legal tender while prohibiting compulsion to accept precious-metal coins; technical amendment adopted; committee vote: 26-0 to move to Calendar and Rules.

- HB 2091 (Chairman Powers): Locks TWRA OHV permit rates for the North Cumberland WMA through July 1, 2030 while TWRA collects ridership and cost data; committee vote: 25-0 to move to Calendar and Rules.

Several measures included adopted amendments that altered eligibility, funding-source language or technical text; all advanced bills will be considered next by Calendar and Rules.