Tennessee House Speaker Files Bill to Exempt Milk, Eggs, Bread From Grocery Tax
The proposal would cut an estimated $800 million in annual state revenue and has no fiscal note, lawmakers said.
- On Monday, Tennessee House Speaker Cameron Sexton introduced legislation to remove the 4% state sales tax on bread, milk, and eggs. If passed by the General Assembly and signed by the governor, the measure would take effect on July 1, 2027.
- This narrowly tailored tax cut follows years of Democratic efforts to eliminate the food sales tax on all groceries. Republicans currently hold a 68-31 supermajority in the state House, positioning the party to lead upcoming budget negotiations.
- According to legislative fiscal officials, eliminating all sales tax on groceries would cost about $1.2 billion in state and local revenue. Sexton's specific proposal does not yet include a fiscal note detailing the revenue impact.
- State officials project revenues to increase by 3.5% to 4.5% following last year's $1.2 billion surplus. However, the state must cover around $170 million in shared costs for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, following federal legislation.
- The Senate Republican caucus will meet Tuesday to select new leadership to preside over the body when the session begins. Lawmakers convene for the 2027 legislative session in January, where they will work with Governor-elect Marsha Blackburn.
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Affordability Pitch by Tennessee Republicans Includes Sales Tax Exemption for Groceries, Greater Savings for Computers During Tax Holiday
Republicans in the Tennessee State House have already submitted bills for the January 2027 legislative session to address affordability, including legislation that would exempt key groceries from state sales taxes and a bill to add more expensive computers to the state's annual sales tax holiday. Tennessee State House Speaker Cameron Sexton (R-Crossville) submitted House Bill (HB) 6 last Thursday, while both House Majority Leader William Lambert…
(LPL) – Tennessee residents could pay less for some supermarket commodities if a proposal put forward by the president of the state House of Representatives, Cameron Sexton, that seeks to eliminate the state tax on sales of milk, eggs and bread. The initiative, registered as the HB 6 bill, [...]
First Bill Proposing Tennessee Grocery Tax Exemptions Filed For 2027 Session
With Cost-Of-Living Concerns Remaining A High Priority For Constituents Across The State, Republican Leadership Has Promised To Make The Issue Central To This Upcoming Legislative Session After Failing To Address The Grocery Tax During The 2026 Session. To That End, The First Bill On The Topic Has Been Filed By House Speaker Cameron Sexton, Though It Would Only Affect A Few Select Goods.
Tennessee on pace for another surplus in 2026-27, as House Speaker proposes narrow grocery tax cut
Tennessee’s revenue officials predict the state is on pace for another billion-dollar surplus, giving state lawmakers and Gov.-elect Marsha Blackburn more room to navigate budget negotiations. The estimates were given as part of the department’s presentation to the State Funding Board, which will make an official recommendation on the bottom-line financial numbers lawmakers and the […]
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