Four key issues to watch in upcoming Tennessee legislative session
The 2025 Tennessee legislative session kicks off at noon Tuesday, Jan. 14. (Mark Humphrey/AP photo file)
NASHVILLE — The 2025 Tennessee legislative session kicks off at noon Tuesday, Jan. 14.
Legislators will convene at the State Capitol for the 114th Assembly of the State of Tennessee, which will take place throughout the course of the next two years. Each year, the session typically concludes in March or April, depending on the ease with which bills are passed.
The Tennessee Legislature is dominated by a supermajority, with Republicans holding 75 of 99 seats in the House and 27 of the 33 seats in the Senate.
However, Shelby County’s delegation is dominated by Democrats, who hold nine of the county’s 13 House seats and three of the five in the Senate.
Education, reproductive rights, immigration and tough-on-crime legislation were in the spotlight at last year’s session. Some of the more prominent bills passed included legislation allowing eligible public school teachers to carry firearms on campus, as well as a bill that removes a magistrate’s consideration of a defendant’s ability to pay from the initial bail process.
Many of the same topics will likely reemerge this year alongside new legislation focused on bail bond reform, grocery taxes, school vouchers and more.
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Tennessee State Government Tennessee General Assembly Politics Legislation Subscriber OnlyAre you enjoying your subscription?
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Benjamin Smith
Benjamin Smith reports on state politics for The Daily Memphian. Ben studied journalism at The University of Alabama and wrote for magazines in Alexander City, Alabama. Ben currently lives in Nashville and enjoys music, basketball and reading.
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