During the Oct. 15, 2025 meeting the joint Government Operations Committee handled a multi‑item docket of emergency and permanent rules. Committee members took formal votes on numerous items; this summary lists each item the committee considered, the committee action and the outcome as recorded in the meeting transcript.

Votes and committee action (selected items from the transcript):

- Item 17: Department requested item be rolled to next month. Committee agreed to roll the item to next month (no formal roll-call shown). (Transcript: item rolled.)

- Item 24: Motion to stay the effective date of a rule repeal for 60 days (related to Alcoholic Beverage Commission and Department of Agriculture rulemaking). Motion carried; the rule was stayed for 60 days. Senate vote recorded as seven ayes; House indicated “ayes have it.”

- Board of Osteopathic Examination (emergency rule): Staff explained the rule aligns supervision, collaborative practice agreements and fees and is identical to a Board of Medical Examiners rule; committee gave a positive recommendation. Senate roll‑call recorded seven ayes; House gave a positive recommendation.

- Item 2: Department of Disability and Aging (tier 1 homes for the aged): Emergency rule to create a new category for homes serving no more than three people and set standards. Committee gave a positive recommendation; Senate roll‑call recorded seven ayes; House gave a positive recommendation.

- Item 3: State Board of Education (Charter schools emergency rule implementing Public Chapter 456): Positive recommendation (Senate 6 ayes, 1 no as recorded; House positive recommendation). See separate article for details.

- Item 4: Tennessee Public Charter School Commission (replication emergency rule per Public Chapter 275): Positive recommendation (Senate recorded 5 ayes, 1 no; House positive recommendation). See separate article for details.

- Item 5: Division of TennCare (emergency rules to cover FDA‑approved weight‑loss drugs and to remove a five‑prescription monthly cap): Positive recommendation (Senate recorded 4 ayes, 1 no; House positive recommendation). See separate article for details.

- Item 6: TennCare permanent rules (continuous eligibility for children and pregnant women; income standards updated; personal needs allowance increased to $70): Positive recommendation recorded in both chambers.

- Item 7: Tennessee Auctioneer Commission retrospective rule review (clarify civil penalty schedule and continuing education practices): Positive recommendation from both chambers.

- Contractor licensing rules (item 18 in packet): Rule changes to authorize executive director to approve certain applications between board meetings, update financial statement requirements and raise small commercial building contractor limit to $1,500,000: Positive recommendation from both chambers.

- Public Utility Commission practice-and-procedure updates (modernize filing procedures, add customer notice language, discovery improvements): Positive recommendation from both chambers.

- Department of Safety: Repeal of rule duplicative of statute (employee citizenship/residency eligibility for Tennessee Highway Patrol) — positive recommendation from both chambers.

- Health Facilities Commission: Rules to register and regulate temporary health care staffing agencies supplying nursing staff to long‑term care facilities — positive recommendation from both chambers.

- Board of Communication Disorders and Sciences: Extend period of effectiveness for provisional speech‑language pathologist licensure to align with ASHA — positive recommendation from both chambers.

- Board of Medical/Osteopathic licensure permanent rules (various items): Positive recommendations recorded in both chambers for rules establishing licensing pathways and temporary/foreign‑trained physician processes.

- Air Pollution Control Board: Incorporate by reference federal NESHAP standards and minor asbestos program updates; positive recommendation from both chambers.

- Bureau of Ethics and Campaign Finance rules update and Registry Board rules: Positive recommendations from both chambers.

Several items in the docket generated extended discussion (notably the charter funding rule, charter replication pathway and TennCare pharmacy coverage), while many agency rule packages were presented with little public comment and moved forward with positive recommendations. The transcript records roll‑call counts in the Senate for many items (typical counts were recorded as a number of ayes and occasional nos); the House repeatedly indicated a positive recommendation by voice vote.

What to watch next: Several emergency rules will be replaced by permanent rules after hearings noted in the transcript; the State Board of Education scheduled a permanent‑rule reading on Nov. 21, 2025. Committee members requested additional information in a few areas (for example, contractor board follow‑up questions in writing and TennCare utilization monitoring).