TBA Law Blog


Posted by: Stacey Shrader Joslin on Apr 17, 2026

The Tennessee House and Senate have passed the state’s $58.3 billion budget for the 2026-27 fiscal year. As amended by lawmakers, the budget — HB2631/SB2690 — redirects $282.4 million from the governor’s original proposal to fund $276.4 million of their legislative priorities. Funding includes support for hospitals, addressing critical community needs and a summer meal program the governor had cut, according to the Times Free Press. Specific funding includes $34.5 million for the Department of Children’s Services (DCS) to help reduce caseload ratios, $10.7 million to enhance staff safety at DCS facilities for delinquent youth, $50 million for public safety initiatives in Memphis, $9 million to create the Tennessee Safe Initiative Task Force within the state Bureau of Investigations, $932,000 for digital forensics law enforcement training in East Tennessee, $500,000 for courthouse renovation grants, and a range of funding for programs providing education and re-entry support for incarcerated individuals. Chattanoogan.com has an expanded summary of programs funded in the budget.