AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 3, Chapter 1, relative to the general assembly.
Summary
HB0925 amends Tennessee law governing legislative expense and mileage allowances. Under current law, members of the General Assembly may receive reimbursement for travel and related expenses under specified conditions; this bill adds a new exception allowing those allowances for a Saturday or Sunday during a regular or special session when a legislator is arriving on that day to attend, or in anticipation of attending, a meeting that is germane to legislative business.
The practical effect is to expand eligibility for per diem-style travel reimbursement for lawmakers who travel on weekends in connection with session-related duties. The bill does not create a new benefit category so much as clarify and broaden when existing expense and mileage allowances may be claimed, and it would apply to members of the General Assembly and the state’s legislative reimbursement system.
Impact
HB0925 would amend Tennessee Code Annotated § 3-1-106 by adding a new subsection authorizing expense and mileage allowances for legislators traveling on Saturdays or Sundays during regular or special sessions when the travel is tied to attendance at, or preparation for attending, a meeting related to legislative business. This changes the rules for state-paid legislative travel reimbursements and could increase allowable claims by members who travel on weekends for session-related work. The act is set to take effect November 3, 2026.
Sentiment
The available voting history suggests limited support in committee, as the bill failed in the House Public Service Subcommittee by a vote of 1-5. No committee transcript is available, so there is no recorded floor or committee debate to indicate broader support or opposition beyond that vote. Overall, the bill appears to have faced skepticism at the subcommittee level.
Contention
The main point of contention is likely whether legislators should receive public reimbursement for weekend travel connected to session business, especially when the travel is described as being in anticipation of attending a germane meeting rather than for attendance at a specific official event. Opponents may view the change as an expansion of taxpayer-funded benefits for lawmakers, while supporters may argue it simply recognizes the practical realities of legislative travel during regular and special sessions. The 1-5 subcommittee vote indicates the measure did not persuade most members of that committee.