Tennessee State Rep. Greg Martin
“Legislators file hundreds of bills every year for the General Assembly to consider. However, Tennessee’s Constitution only requires one to pass. That bill is a balanced budget. Here are some greater highlights I’d like to share from this year’s budget.” - Greg Martin
$59.8 Billion Balanced Budget
50% from state dollars - $29.7 billion
35% from federal funds - $20.8 billion
15% from other sources - $9.2 billion (bonds, tuition, fees from higher ed & state agencies)
Public Safety
$175 million for Public Safety Grants
$38 million to fund 116 new positions within the Highway Patrol
$30 million for Violent Crime Intervention Fund
$6 million to fund an additional 22 positions at the TBI
$5.4 million to improve campus safety at the University of Memphis
$500,000 to establish the UT Law Enforcement Innovation Center
$400,000 to support the East Tennessee Regional Forensic Facility and Training Program
Health and Social Services
$98 million from Shared Savings to enhance long-term care services and support older adults and people with disabilities.
$28 million from Shared Savings for Nursing Home Provider Stability
$24 million to meet unmet dental service needs and increase number of practicing dentists in Tennessee
$15 million for Behavioral Health infrastructure improvements, training and workforce support
$10 million for mental health infrastructure
$5 million to increase bed capacity at Middle TN Regional Mental Health Institute
$4 million to increase pediatric dental rates
$3 million to the Adult Healthcare Safety Net
$1.4 million to provide scholarships for the joint public-private partnership in the Medical School Early Acceptance Program between MTSU and Meharry Medical College
$1 million nonrecurring to Live Like Lou Foundation for ALS research
$1 million for Volunteers in Medicine
$500,000 to assist those living with epilepsy and their caregivers statewide
Education
$640 million new dollars for K-12
$198 million for one-time teacher bonuses
$244 million for TISA formula growth, including teacher pay raises
$63 million for K-12 infrastructure and facilities funding
$27 million for summer learning programs
$17 million for financial incentives for high-performing LEAs and Grade A Schools
$25 million for Fast Growth Funds for fast-growing districts
$20 million for Charter School Facilities Fund
$20 million for School Safety Grant Fund
$27 million for Summer Learning Camps and transportation
$146 million for Education Freedom Scholarships (the General Assembly previously appropriated $144 million in the 2024 legislative session)
Higher Education
A total of $264 million new dollars
Fully funded all LGIs, UT, Community Colleges and TCATs
Provided raises and insurance rate increases
Various capital improvements
Disaster Relief
$240 million for TEMA Disaster Relief Grants
$110 million for the Hurricane Helene Interest Payment Fund
$125 million for the Governor’s Response and Recovery Fund
$100 million from TennCare Shared Savings for Helene Emergency Assistance Loan Fund
$20 million to aid in the reconstruction of Hampton High School in Carter County
$2.3 million for grants to property owners whose property was damaged or destroyed in Hurricane Helene
Thriving Communities
The General Assembly created a $42.5 million grant pool with nonrecurring funds for important emergency and community services. The grants include:
$20 million for volunteer fire departments
$5 million for rescue squads
$5 million for emergency medical services
$5 million for senior centers
$5 million for local museum improvements
$2 million for courthouse restoration
$500,000 for Second Harvest Food Bank
Conservation and Agriculture
$62 million to ensure long-term water needs are met while protecting the ecological health of the Duck River
$52 million for 5 new Tennessee State Parks
$25 million to Farmland Conservation Fund
$20 million for the Agricultural Enterprise Fund and Agricultural Enhancement Fund, both of which are utilized to aid Tennesseans in creating and expanding agricultural, food and forestry businesses and make long-term strategic investments in rural communities
$12 million to establish the Alexander Institute for Environmental Education and the Sciences to offer environmental learning programming focused on land conservation, the environment and STEM education
$40 million for environmental cleanup, including creation of a comprehensive water resource management plan in the Duck River region
$6.2 million to address maintenance needs at Tennessee State Parks
$1.4 million investment in the Institute of American Civics (IAC), University of Tennessee
Energy
$50 million to create the Small Modular Reactor (SMR) Grant Fund to support Tennessee Valley Authority’s Clinch River Nuclear SMR project to position Tennessee as a leader in next-generation nuclear energy
$10 million further investment in the Nuclear Energy Fund to attract advanced nuclear technology companies
$2.6 million to develop the nation’s first regulatory framework for commercial nuclear fusion power
$10 million further investment in Governor’s Investment in Vocational Education (GIVE)
$20 million to support proposals from Tennessee universities and businesses applying for research funding
Infrastructure
$1 billion (In addition to $3.3 billion allocated in 2023) to TDOT to expedite existing road projects and fund new projects across rural and urban Tennessee
$60 million for maintenance projects at Tennessee’s commercial and general aviation airports
Children and Families
$41 million to support the Department of Children’s Services (DCS) with placement of children within the provider network
$11.8 million to reduce wait lists in the OPTIONS and Senior Nutrition programs
$10.9 million to expand programming at the Boys & Girls Club of Tennessee
$7.2 million to expand the WAGE$ Program and reduce turnover in Tennessee’s childcare workforce by increasing pay and rewarding greater education
$5.9 million to cover childcare for more working families through an expansion of the Smart Steps Child Care Program
Higher Education
A total of $264 million new dollars
Fully funded all LGIs, UT, Community Colleges and TCATs
Provided raises and insurance rate increases
Various capital improvements
Economic Opportunity
$45.8 million for Rural Development Grant Fund to enhance Tennessee’s rural and distressed communities through site development, community asset improvements, strategic planning and downtown revitalization
$25 million for FastTrack grants to recruit new business and support workforce development
$25 million to expand the RevV Program to connect private companies with Tennessee’s research institutions to drive research and development and job creation
$10 million for the Rural Grant Opportunity Fund to match funding for at-risk and distressed counties seeking state and federal grants
$10 million for the Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer Matching Funds to match federal funds assisting Tennessee startups in securing competitive research and development grants
$6.3 million to create a statewide Micro-Credentialing Program to develop short-term, targeted certifications that equip Tennesseans with high-demand skills identified by industry and state partners
$7 million to expand the Tennessee Youth Employment Program
$5 million to create TN Accelerates, a partnership between Tennessee Economic and Community Development and the Department of Labor and Workforce to create customized workforce training programs tailored to the specific needs of incoming and existing businesses
$5 million for incentive grants to strengthen Tennessee’s music and film industry