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2020 Tennessee legislative session

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Some states made changes to 2020 state legislative sessions and legislative activity in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
For a full list of changes, visit: Changes to state legislative session dates in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020.
Tennessee: The Tennessee State Legislature suspended its session, effective March 19, 2020, until June 1, 2020. The legislature adjourned on June 19, 2020. A special session convened on August 10, 2020, and adjourned on August 12, 2020.
Tennessee General Assembly

Seal of Tennessee.png
General information
Type:   State legislature
Term limits:   None
Session start:   January 14, 2020
Website:   Official General Assembly Page
Leadership
Senate President:  
Randy McNally (R)
House Speaker:  Cameron Sexton (R)
Majority Leader:   Senate: Jack Johnson (R)
House: William Lamberth (R)
Minority Leader:   Senate: Jeff Yarbro (D)
House: Karen Camper (D)
Structure
Members:  33 (Senate), 99 (House)
Length of term:   4 years (Senate), 2 years (House)
Authority:   Art III, Tennessee Constitution
Salary:   $22,667/year + per diem
Elections
Last election:  November 6, 2018
Next election:  November 3, 2020
Redistricting:  Tennessee General Assembly has control
Meeting place:
TN State Capitol 2.JPG

In 2020, the Tennessee State Legislature was scheduled to convene on January 14 and adjourn on June 19.

Several state legislatures suspended their sessions or otherwise limited legislative activity in response to the coronavirus pandemic. The Tennessee State Legislature suspended its session, effective March 19, 2020, until June 1, 2020. The legislature adjourned on June 19, 2020. A special session convened on August 10, 2020, and adjourned on August 12, 2020.[1]

Republicans had a veto-proof supermajority this legislative session, just as they did in 2019. Following the 2018 election, Republicans had a 28-5 supermajority in the Senate and a 73-26 supermajority in the House. The party also controlled the governorship, creating a Republican state government trifecta.

At the beginning of the 2020 legislative session:
  • Republicans held a veto-proof supermajority in the Tennessee state House and state Senate.
  • Tennessee was one of 21 Republican state government trifectas.
  • Tennessee’s governor was Republican Bill Lee.

    • Black.png Click the links to read more about the 2020 state Senate and state House elections.
    Black.png Click the links to read more about the 2018 state Senate and state House elections.

    Partisan control in 2020

    See also: State government trifectas

    Tennessee was one of 21 Republican state government trifectas at the start of 2020 legislative sessions. A state government trifecta occurs when one political party holds the governor's office, a majority in the state Senate, and a majority in the state House. For more information about state government trifectas, click here.

    Tennessee was also one of 22 state legislatures where one party had a veto-proof supermajority in both chambers. Veto overrides occur when a legislature votes to reverse a veto issued by an executive such as a governor or the president. If one party has a majority in a state legislature that is large enough to override a gubernatorial veto without any votes from members of the minority party, it is called a veto-proof majority or, sometimes, a supermajority. To read more about veto-proof supermajorities in state legislatures, click here.

    The following tables show the partisan breakdown of the Tennessee State Legislature in the 2020 legislative session.

    Tennessee State Senate

    Party As of January 2020
         Democratic Party 5
         Republican Party 28
    Total 33

    Between 1992 and 2020, partisan control of the Tennessee State Senate shifted in favor of the Republican Party. As a result of the 1992 elections, Democrats held a 19-14 majority. Republicans flipped the chamber in 2004 and, by 2018, expanded their majority to 28-5. The table below shows the partisan history of the Tennessee State Senate following every general election from 1992 to 2018. All data from 2006 or earlier comes from Michael Dubin's Party Affiliations in the State Legislatures (McFarland Press, 2007). Data after 2006 was compiled by Ballotpedia staff.

    Tennessee State Senate election results: 1992-2018

    Year '92 '94 '96 '98 '00 '02 '04 '06 '08 '10 '12 '14 '16 '18
    Democrats 19 18 18 18 18 18 16 16 14 13 7 6 5 5
    Republicans 14 15 15 15 15 15 17 17 19 20 26 27 28 28

    There was little change in the partisan balance of the state Senate between 1992 and 2002. In the 2004 elections, Republicans gained two seats and took control of the chamber. The largest movement in partisan balance occurred as a result of the 2012 elections, when Republicans picked up six seats. By 2018, the Republican majority had expanded to 28-5.


    Tennessee House of Representatives

    Party As of January 2020
         Democratic Party 26
         Republican Party 73
    Total 99

    Between 1992 and 2020, partisan control of the Tennessee House of Representatives shifted in favor of the Republican Party. As a result of the 1992 elections, Democrats held a 63-36 majority. Republicans flipped the chamber in 2008 and, by 2018, expanded their majority to 73-26. The table below shows the partisan history of the Tennessee House of Representatives following every general election from 1992 to 2018. All data from 2006 or earlier comes from Michael Dubin's Party Affiliations in the State Legislatures (McFarland Press, 2007). Data after 2006 was compiled by Ballotpedia staff.

    Tennessee House of Representatives election results: 1992-2018

    Year '92 '94 '96 '98 '00 '02 '04 '06 '08 '10 '12 '14 '16 '18
    Democrats 63 59 61 59 57 54 53 53 49 34 27 26 25 26
    Republicans 36 40 38 40 42 45 46 46 50 64 71 73 74 73

    Republicans made small gains in most elections between 1996 and 2006. In the 2008 elections, Republicans gained four seats and took control of the chamber. The following election, in 2010, was the most significant shift in partisan control between 1992 and 2018. Republicans gained 14 seats in 2010 and followed up those gains with another seven seats picked up in the 2012 elections.


    Leadership in 2020

    Tennessee State Senate

    Tennessee House of Representatives

    Regular session

    The following widget shows up to 25 pieces of legislation in the 2020 legislative session that most recently passed both chambers of the legislature, were signed by the governor, or were approved by the legislature in a veto override. If no bills are displayed below, no legislation met these criteria in 2020. This information is provided by BillTrack50.

    Standing legislative committees

    See also: Standing committee and List of committees in Tennessee state government


    A standing committee of a state legislature is a committee that exists on a more-or-less permanent basis, from legislative session to session, that considers and refines legislative bills that fall under the committee's subject matter.

    At the beginning of the 2020 legislative session, there were 38 standing committees in Tennessee's state government, including 15 joint legislative committees, 9 state Senate committees, and 14 state House committees.

    Joint legislative committees


    Senate committees


    House committees


    Legislatively referred constitutional amendments

    In every state but Delaware, voter approval is required to enact a constitutional amendment. In each state, the legislature has a process for referring constitutional amendments before voters. In 18 states, initiated constitutional amendments can be put on the ballot through a signature petition drive. There are also many other types of statewide measures.

    The methods by which the Tennessee Constitution can be amended:

    See also: Section 3 of Article XI of the Tennessee Constitution and Laws governing ballot measures in Tennessee

    The Tennessee Constitution can be amended in two ways—through the legislative process, or a state constitutional convention.

    Legislature

    See also: Legislatively referred constitutional amendment

    In Tennessee, the state Legislature must pass a constitutional amendment during two successive legislative sessions with an election in between. During the first legislative session, a simple majority vote is required in both legislative chambers. During the second legislative session, a two-thirds vote is required in both legislative chambers. Amendments do not require the governor's signature to be referred to the ballot. In Tennessee, amendments must be placed on general election ballots in which there is also a gubernatorial election.

    The required legislative votes per session, assuming no vacancies, are listed below:

    Requirements to refer constitutional amendments in Tennessee
    Session Requirement Senate House
    First Simple majority vote 17 50
    Second Two-thirds vote 22 66

    Convention

    See also: Convention-referred constitutional amendment

    According to Section 3 of Article XI of the Tennessee Constitution, the state Legislature can vote to refer a constitutional convention question to voters. A simple majority vote is required in the Legislature.


    Historical partisan control

    The table below depicts the historical trifecta status of Tennessee.

    Tennessee Party Control: 1992-2024
    Five years of Democratic trifectas  •  Fourteen years of Republican trifectas
    Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.

    Year 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25
    Governor D D D R R R R R R R R D D D D D D D D R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R
    Senate D D D D R D D D D D D D D R R S S R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R
    House D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R

    See also

    Elections Tennessee State Government State Legislatures State Politics
    Ballotpedia Elections Badge-VOTE-no shadow-Square.jpg
    Tennessee State Flag-Close Up.jpg
    State Houses-Tile image.png
    State Courts-Tile image.png

    External links

    Footnotes

    1. ↑ Tennessee General Assembly, "Home page," accessed March 24, 2020
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