Here are the key Tennessee lawmakers and players to watch in 2025 as the legislature meets
Key voices are beginning to emerge as Tennessee lawmakers prepare to return for the 2025 legislative session where school vouchers, hurricane Helene relief, a possible grocery tax cut, and budget choices will likely prove key issues.
Here are key groups to watch as the legislature returns on Jan. 14:
Senate Finance Chair Bo Watson
Sen. Bo Watson, who chairs the powerful Finance, Ways and Means committee will steer budget negotiations for the upper chamber in a year the state will likely look to tighten its purse strings. The Hixson Republican will also be the veteran finance chair for the General Assembly, after House Rep. Patsy Hazlewood, R-Signal Mountain, the lower chamber's finance chair, lost her seat last year. A new House finance chair will be named early next year.