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HB 2318

General Assembly - As introduced, revises and clarifies procedures of the joint committee on ways and means, including authorizing the committee to issue notice that a hearing will not be held or to hold a hearing to review the application or acceptance of federal aid in an amount that is less than $25 million. - Amends TCA Section 4-4-116 and Chapter 512 of the Public Acts of 2025.

114th Regular Session (2025-2026) Introduced by John Gillespie

Bill streamlines Tennessee's Ways and Means Committee procedures by allowing hearings to be skipped or condensed for federal aid under $25 million.

Action Def. in s/c Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee to 3/18/2026
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Bill Summary · HB 2318

Legislative bill overview

HB 2318 modifies the procedural rules governing Tennessee's Joint Committee on Ways and Means, specifically streamlining how the committee handles federal aid applications and acceptance. The bill authorizes the committee to either skip hearings entirely or hold hearings for federal aid amounts under $25 million, whereas current procedures may require different treatment.

Why is this important

This change affects how quickly Tennessee can accept and deploy federal funding for state programs and projects. By allowing the committee to waive or streamline hearings for smaller federal aid packages, the state potentially reduces administrative delays—but also reduces legislative oversight opportunities on those decisions.

Potential points of contention

  • Accountability vs. efficiency trade-off: Waiving hearings reduces transparency and public input on some federal funding decisions, which some legislators may view as insufficient oversight regardless of dollar amount
  • $25 million threshold justification: The specific cutoff is arbitrary; some may argue this level still represents significant public money deserving full review, while others may contend it should be higher to reduce bureaucratic burden
  • Scope ambiguity: The bill's language about "revises and clarifies procedures" is vague without seeing the actual amendments to TCA Section 4-4-116, making it unclear what other procedural changes might be included

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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