Senator Joey Hensley, MD

The 113th General Assembly has adjourned for 2024, and it was a very successful year. We have taken measures for Tennessee to be a better place to live, work and to raise a family. I will go over the laws passed this session over the next few weeks.

2024 Budget Highlights

This year lawmakers faced new budgeting challenges as state revenue collections slowed. Fortunately, years of consistent conservative budgeting from lawmakers enabled the state to be well-prepared to face declining revenues.

The 2024/2025 budget which is a total $52.6 billion dollars, which is $10 billion dollars less than last year, takes on no new debt and reflects lawmakers’ continuous efforts to cut taxes, maintain fiscal responsibility, protect public safety, prioritize education and invest in rural health.

This budget deposits $100 million to the state’s Rainy Day Fund, which serves as the state’s savings account to withstand economic downturns, bringing the fund to a historic level of $2.15 billion.

Tennessee continues to be among the most fiscally stable states in the nation with no state income tax and low tax burden overall.

Continuing focus

on education

$261 million for K-12 public education to go into the TISA education funding formula

$125 million to keep the state’s commitment to raise the starting salary for every Tennessee teacher to $50,000 by 2026.

$144 million recurring for 20,000 education freedom scholarships

$15 million for the Charter Schools Facility Fund

Prioritizing public safety

$17 million to add 60 new highway patrol troopers, supervisors and support staff

$6.4 million for military border deployment of Tennessee National Guard

$4.4 million for a legislative initiative to implement blended sentencing to address juvenile crime

$1.5 million to fund a legislative initiative to reduce recidivism of repeat misdemeanor offenders

$383,500 for a legislative initiative to collect data on number of illegal immigrants in Tennessee from law enforcement agencies

$15 million for grant pools for volunteer firefighters, rescue squads, and EMS

$4.45 million for Youth Villages Violence Prevention Program in Shelby County

13 new positions for the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation

Support for Tennessee hospitals and healthcare facilities

$80 million to strengthen rural health

$25 million for behavioral health

$97.7 million to support Tennessee’s hospitals

$12.3 million to support Tennessee nursing homes

Supporting most vulnerable citizens

$900,000 for DIDD residential pilot program to provide permanent housing for persons with disabilities

$1.4 million to increase personal needs allowance for long-term nursing home residents on TennCare from $50 - $70 per month

Increasing hourly rate for indigent defense

$2 million for four new Safe Baby Courts

$3 million for Crisis Pregnancy Center grants

Rural Communities

$36 million in non-recurring grants to help distressed counties and rural communities with economic development

Preserving Outdoor Heritage

$59 million for Tennessee State Parks capital projects

$51 million to the Heritage Preservation Fund to preserve land across this state

$20 million to expand blueways trail access through new recreational access points to Tennessee waterways

$10 million to improve water quality at rivers, lakes and streams across the state, making them safe for future generations to enjoy and the

$10 million to expedite the Bill Dance Signature Lakes initiative

$5 million to protect and enhance scenic beauty along our major highways

$3 million for Access 2030 to make Tennessee State Parks accessible to Tennesseans with disabilities

$1.5 million authorized for pay raises for District Attorneys and Public Defenders

Contact Senator Hensley at

425 5th Avenue North, Suite 746

Nashville TN 37243

615-741-3100

Toll Free 1-800-449-8366

ext. 13100

Fax 615-253-0231

855 Summertown Highway

Hohenwald TN 38462

Phone 931-796-2018

Cell Phone 931-212-8823

E-mail:

[email protected]