Legislative: Overview of the Tennessee General Assembly

The Tennessee General Assembly meets in Nashville each year beginning at noon on the second Tuesday of January. Each General Assembly meets ninety (90) session days over a two-year period. Generally, legislative sessions last from mid-January through May of each year.
The bicameral Tennessee General Assembly consists of a thirty-three (33) member  Senate and a ninety-nine (99) member House of Representatives. The 106th General Assembly convened on January 13, 2009. The political makeup of the current Senate comprises 19 Republicans and 14 Democrats each elected to four-year terms. While Senate terms are for four years, approximately half of the senators run for office every two years delineated by odd and even-numbered districts. This is generally referred to as "staggered terms." The makeup of the current House of Representatives consists of 50 Republicans and 49 Democrats elected during even-numbered years to two-year terms.

Advocacy

For over fifty years, the Tennessee Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics has maintained relationships with legislators of the Tennessee General Assembly and policymakers within the executive branch. TNAAP's lobbying presence on "the Hill" assures that the interests of children and pediatricians are protected in vital areas such as exposure to tobacco, disease prevention, injury prevention, TennCare/Medicaid reform and school-related issues. We encourage you to reach out to your elected officials and be an advocate for change!

Do you want to know your state senator? Your state representative? Want to learn more about the Tennessee General Assembly and the types of bills being considered this year that impact children and pediatricians? Click here www.capitol.tn.gov to visit the revamped website of the Tennessee General Assembly.