Advancing Tennessee Through Policy

Tax

Through the Tennessee Chamber Tax Committee, we actively engage in a broad range of tax policy issues affecting business, including franchise & excise, sales & use, business taxes, and property taxes. The Chamber also works to strengthen Tennessee’s economic development programs and frequently advances legislation that improves our tax climate, supports business expansion, and enhances our state’s competitiveness for new investment and job growth.

The Chamber continues to support legislation that modernizes Tennessee’s tax code and reinforces our position as one of the most business-friendly states in the nation, including measures that ensure companies can fully deduct research and development investments when filing state excise taxes.

Legal Climate & Business Mandates

We will advance legislation to prevent the misinterpretation of statutes and the targeting of law-abiding businesses, while opposing attempts to raise caps on damages and broaden the scope of business liability in litigation. In support of these efforts, the Chamber intends to take the lead in bringing transparency to third party litigation funding, clarifying the definition of public nuisance, and restraining local suits against businesses. 

Businesses need the freedom to innovate, create, and operate with limited government interaction. Excessive mandates and cumbersome regulations and bureaucracy work against these aims and hamper the growth of jobs, profits, and prosperity for Tennessee. The Chamber will oppose unnecessary mandates that pose an economic threat to businesses.

Infrastructure & Growth

While some may call for slowing economic growth as a solution, the Chamber will oppose such efforts and instead promote a more constructive path—one that invests in infrastructure to address the challenges that accompany our success. Recognizing these challenges, the Chamber launched its Infrastructure Advisory Council in 2025 to convene experts and stakeholders around innovative solutions to the state’s most pressing infrastructure needs. 

In 2026, the Chamber will continue this work by leading efforts to modernize Tennessee’s solid waste management system, ensuring it remains cost-effective and regionally coordinated. We will advocate for policies that expand disposal and recycling capacity, promote intergovernmental collaboration, and support long-term sustainability— foundations essential to continued economic development.

Healthcare

As healthcare affordability and accessibility remain top concerns for employers and employees alike, we are committed to ensuring that the voice of the business community is represented in key policy discussions. The Chamber will advocate for approaches that promote sustainability and flexibility in the healthcare marketplace, recognizing the importance of avoiding policies that shift disproportionate costs or administrative burdens onto employers. We will pursue opportunities to manage employer healthcare costs while supporting innovative care models and collaborative public-private partnerships that improve outcomes for patients and businesses across the state. 

Additionally, we will ensure that business is actively involved in conversations surrounding rural health, particularly as the state advances the Rural Health Transformation program, while working with policymakers, higher education, and workforce partners to strengthen the pipeline of high-skill healthcare talent needed to support Tennessee’s growing industry.

Environment & Energy

In 2026, the Chamber will continue to advocate for environmental laws and regulations that are fair, science-based, and economically practical, ensuring that compliance efforts protect both our environment and our competitiveness. 

We will also continue to advocate for policies that strengthen Tennessee’s energy infrastructure, promote investment in generation and transmission capacity, and support the responsible integration of emerging energy technologies. Energy is the lifeblood of manufacturing, logistics, and nearly every sector of the state’s economy. As demand grows and the national energy landscape evolves, Tennessee must prioritize a diverse and resilient energy portfolio—one that ensures stable baseload power, embraces innovation, and maintains competitive energy costs for businesses and consumers alike.

Labor Laws

Tennessee businesses are fortunate to have a strong unemployment trust fund and workers’ compensation program. We will continue to support policies that reduce fraud, protect the integrity of the trust fund, keep workers’ compensation rates low, and encourage workers to return to the workforce as soon as possible without increasing burdens on employers. 

Supporting a state-managed TOSHA program with minimal Federal OSHA overreach is imperative. Keeping workers and workplaces safe is invaluable for our members, and a strong relationship with TOSHA helps maintain that safety.

Technology & Data

The Chamber will strongly oppose heavy-handed or premature regulation that could make Tennessee less attractive to companies seeking to integrate AI into their operations. Instead, we will advocate for a balanced, innovation-friendly framework that encourages experimentation while targeting truly harmful or illicit uses—such as fraud, data misuse, or the creation of deceptive content. By keeping the state’s regulatory approach focused, practical, and forward-looking, Tennessee can position itself as a national leader in responsible AI adoption, attracting high value investment, talent, and entrepreneurship in this rapidly developing field.