NASHVILLE (AP) — Tennessee lawmakers are preparing to kick off the 111th General Assembly, ushering with it a new governor and a booming freshman class poised to tackle the state's most high-profile issues while also setting the budget.
The Tennessee House and Senate will meet Tuesday afternoon at the statehouse in Nashville to start a session that's scheduled to last several months.
The first day's item of business for the Republican-dominated General Assembly is to formally elect speakers for the House and Senate. The GOP caucuses for both bodies had previously decided their leaders before Tuesday, but still need to cast a formal vote inside the Capitol.
Republican Gov.-elect Bill Lee is scheduled to be inaugurated on Jan. 19. He replaces term-limited Republican Gov. Bill Haslam.