The Joint Government Operations Committee on Oct. 15, 2025, issued positive recommendations for a series of agency rules spanning health, education, licensing and environmental programs and voted to stay one rule for 60 days.

The committee approved emergency and permanent rules from state agencies including the Department of Health, Department of Safety and Homeland Security, the Department of Commerce and Insurance, TennCare, the Public Utility Commission, the Health Facilities Commission, the Board of Medical Examiners and others. By voice and roll-call, members in both the Senate and the House gave positive recommendations on the majority of items.

Notable procedural outcomes:

- Item 24: On a motion by Representative Hilton Haynes, the committee voted to stay the effective date of a rule repeal for 60 days at the department's request. The motion passed and the item was rolled to next month.

- Multiple items (emergency and permanent rules) from the Department of Health, Department of Disability and Aging, State Board of Education, Tennessee Public Charter School Commission, TennCare (emergency coverage of certain drugs and permanent eligibility updates), the Auctioneer Commission, the Board of Licensing Contractors, the Public Utility Commission, Department of Safety and Homeland Security, Health Facilities Commission, Board of Communication Disorders and Sciences, Board of Medical Examiners, Air Pollution Control Board, and the Bureau of Ethics and Campaign Finance received positive recommendations from both chambers or from the committee as recorded. Several of those votes were unanimous or near-unanimous in committee roll calls; a few recorded one or more no votes in the Senate.

The committee took votes by roll call in the Senate and by voice in the House as proceedings allowed. Where a roll call was read aloud, clerks recorded individual votes for the Senate; House action was recorded as "ayes have it" or by raised hands when requested. The committee clerk announced counts on multiple items as they were taken.

Members and agency staff generally cited statutory changes, administrative alignment and the results of prior public hearings (often noting there were no public comments) as reasons to move the rules forward.

Looking ahead: Items that received positive recommendations will move through the regular posting and filing process, and the item stayed for 60 days will return to the committee at or after the next scheduled meeting.