Legislature Delivers Wins for Rural Tennessee, Public Safety, Education
By State Senator Page Walley
April 24, 2026 – Our 114th General Assembly adjourned on Thursday, April 23 following a productive 2026 legislative session. The legislature enacted policies that enhance public safety, drive health care reform, expand educational opportunity and reinforce Tennessee’s economic strength.
On the Senate floor last Thursday, Lt. Governor Randy McNally was presented with the first-ever Tri-Star General Award, honoring an extraordinary 48-year career of public service in the Tennessee General Assembly as he prepares to retire later this year. Gov. Bill Lee and House Speaker Cameron Sexton joined Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson on the Senate floor to mark the occasion, alongside McNally’s family, in a moment that reflected both gratitude and deep respect.
Thursday marked his final legislative day of the regular session of the 114th General Assembly serving as Lt. Governor and Senate Speaker—a role in which he has provided decades of steady leadership and principled guidance. McNally leaves behind a lasting legacy defined not only by his commitment to public service, but by the relationships he built along the way. Colleagues on both sides of the aisle offered heartfelt tributes, reflecting on his mentorship, genuine friendship, and trademark sense of humor.
2026 Legislative Session Highlights
Over the next several weeks, I will be sharing many of the bills that became law and what I believe are legislative achievements from this session.
We continued our strong record of fiscal discipline, keeping taxes low while ensuring state government operates with the greatest efficiency for the people it serves.
This year’s zero-debt $58.3 billion balanced budget advances priorities with smart, targeted investments that secure Tennessee’s future and strengthen its well-earned reputation as a state where families thrive and businesses succeed.
The session delivered a strong slate of wins, including enhanced penalties for domestic violence and human trafficking, school safety grants, regulatory freedom legislation, campus free speech protections, parental rights expansions and support for law enforcement and first responders. We also advanced critical infrastructure projects, workforce development initiatives and stronger protections for vulnerable adults and children.
Healthy Tennessee Families
Recognizing the unique challenges facing rural communities, the legislature directed significant resources toward rural health care. Tennessee’s 2026 session also took a targeted, system-focused approach to health care competition and regulatory reforms.
These legislative efforts include:
● Quicker access to new FDA-approved medications HB 2136/ SB 2556)
● Fair Rx Act, major pharmacy reform that reduces conflicts of interest and increases transparency in drug pricing (HB 1959 / SB 2040)
● Created a new pathway for internationally trained physicians to practice in Tennessee, helping address provider shortages, particularly in rural communities (HB 2571 / SB 2366)
● Directed $205 million to utilize Shared Savings for health care initiatives, including funding Rural Health Transformation Resiliency Grants
● $230 million to TennCare to cover increasing costs associated with medical inflation, including higher prescription drug prices and Medicare payments and increased services
● Eliminated Certificate of Need (CON) for acute care hospitals, emergency rooms and cardiac catheterization labs (HB 819/ SB 1369)
● Terminated Certificates of Public Advantage (COPA) (HB 2278/ SB2414)
● Expanded step therapy to all cancer patients (HB 1956/ SB 2081)
● Protected medical freedom through the SHIELD Act by ensuring providers are not penalized for treating patients who decline vaccinations (HB 2243/ SB 2070)
● Created a 3-year pilot program to financially support family caregivers of Alzheimer’s patients (HB 1443/ SB 1777)
Safer Communities
The General Assembly enacted new laws to strengthen public safety, along with first-in-the-nation legislation to expand enforcement of illegal immigration.
● Banned kratom also known as “gas station heroin” (HB 1649/ SB 1656)
● Created a presumption against releasing defendants if they are charged with offenses involving a firearm that result in death or bodily injury (HB 33 / SB 218 )
● Ensured victims of domestic violence and other crimes can use a substitute address to keep their home address hidden from their abusers (HB 1552/ SB 1640)
● Limited third-party groups from posting bail for criminal defendants (HB 1450/ SB 1708)
● Passed the Memphis Safe Task Force Accountability Act, which improves transparency and preserves the integrity of judicial rulings (HB 1484/ SB 1467)
● Established a Class D felony offense for coercive suicide (HB 1951/ SB 1815)
● Strengthened accountability for the Shelby County judicial system (HB 483/ HB 443)
● Expanded self-defense protections to include victims of human trafficking (HB 1354/ SB 1225)
● Added aggravating circumstances for prosecutors to pursue the death penalty for child rapists (HB 1454/ SB 1659)
● Required sex offenders to notify campgrounds of their status (HB 1922/SB 1930)
Education
Lawmakers signaled significant support for K-12 education, including raising the minimum starting teacher salary to $50,000 and expanding the voucher program. The budget adds $339 million in new recurring dollars for K-12 education, bringing the total base Tennessee Investment in Achievement (TISA) budget to $7.1 billion and the overall public education budget to more than $9.4 billion for 2026-27.
● Expanded the voucher program to 35,000 scholarships (HB 2532/ SB 2247)
● Limited unnecessary screen time in elementary classrooms (HB 2393/SB2310)
● Loss of driving privileges for chronic absenteeism (HB 2146/ SB 2201)
● Closed truancy gaps to keep students on track (HB 1823/ SB 1968)
● Held virtual schools accountable to protect students (HB 2420/SB 2441)
● Authorized intervention of Memphis-Shelby County Schools to improve outcomes (HB 662/ SB714)
● Protected free speech on college campuses (HB 1476/SB 1741)
● Ensured students can study the historical influence of Biblical values in America. (HB 1822/SB 1828)
● Strengthened instruction on America’s founding principles (HB 1857/SB 1960)
Infrastructure, Economic Opportunity & Rural Investment
The General Assembly appropriated more than $890 million new dollars for infrastructure, transportation and economic development
● Established a statewide framework for Tennessee’s eight Tourism Development Zones (TDZ) to keep them open, clean and thriving (HB 2366 / SB 2157)
● Created the Subterranean Transportation Infrastructure Coordination Authority to oversee key aspects of underground transit development, including the Music City Loop (HB 2450 / SB 2205)
● Updated governance framework for major Tennessee airports (HB 2507/SB 2473)
● Strengthened Tennessee’s recycling marketplace focused on public-private coordination and economic development (HB 2518/SB 1793)
● Created a public-private partnership initiative to increase access to affordable housing for working families (HB 2509/ SB 2410)
● $400 million for new and existing transportation projects, bringing TDOTs total General Fund allocations to $5 billion
● $81.2 million to support aviation infrastructure
● $25 million to the Tennessee Entertainment Commission for continued support for Tennessee’s music and film industries
● $25 million for Nuclear Industry Initiative Grants
● $20 million for upkeep and infrastructure of shortline railroads
It was my great honor to serve you as our senator during this session. You will be seeing me throughout the district this summer continuing to work for our families and communities. I’m looking forward to hearing from you about your thoughts as we will soon begin the process of gearing up for the 115th General Assembly in January. We will have a new governor and several new members of the legislature. Please know that you can contact me anytime at sen.page.walley@capitol.tn.gov or 615-741-2368. Thank you.
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