Unfinished Business?

Good afternoon, everyone. A critical look at TN's Certificate of Need (CON) laws... Metro Council preview… Williamson County residents want a representative on the NES board...And much more!

The Battle for Nashville's Soul Join us Thursday, March 26th for a discussion with developer and advocate Chris Remke as we dig into the city's actions around zoning and property taxes. (Buy Ticket)

Like what we do? Forward us to a friend

Opinion: Finish Repealing Tennessee’s CON Laws

From Jeff Mazzella

The Tennessee General Assembly has convened for its 2026 session, and lawmakers once again face critical decisions impacting healthcare, the state’s economic future and the well-being of its communities. Few issues sit more squarely at the intersection of those priorities than healthcare access. Specifically, repealing Tennessee’s burdensome Certificate of Need (CON) laws.

The progress made in recent years on reforming the state’s CON laws is promising, but unfinished. Accordingly, this session presents an opportunity to complete the job.

In fact, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee emphasized this in his final State of the State address on February 2^nd. While emphasizing the need for increased healthcare access across the Volunteer State, Governor Lee cited repealing harmful CON laws as a key objective for the General Assembly in 2026, noting that doing so “will mean more providers in rural counties, shorter wait times, and care closer to home.”

That’s because CON laws reduce access to affordable, high-quality care, limit patient choice, and grant government control over decisions that should rest with patients and providers. While lawmakers in the last session generated important momentum on the issue, Tennessee’s remaining CON requirements continue to block investment, stifle competition and slow the expansion of healthcare services across our state.

At their core, CON laws require healthcare providers to ask government permission before building new facilities or expanding services. That process places enormous power in the hands of unelected bureaucrats and gives incumbent providers the ability to object to new competitors. Predictably, those incumbents often fight to preserve their market position, even when communities clearly need more healthcare options.

✰ ✰ ✰

✹ DOES NASHVILLE WANT YOU TO STAY?

The Zoning Phantom Leadeth the Taxman Zoning, land use, and property tax disputes have animated political discussions in Nashville since Mayor Freddie O'Connell first took office in September 2023.

Through his Substack, Built to Think, and organization, Save Our Nashville Neighborhoods, Chris Remke has emerged as the city’s most potent critic of the Metro agenda. He's effectively drawn attention to everything from Nashville’s inflated growth projections to the smoke-and-mirrors assurances given to homeowners about how upzoning would affect them, and most recently, the betrayal of local businesses now saddled with unwieldy tax bills.

Join us Thursday evening, March 26th, for a wide-ranging discussion on what Metro is trying to achieve and where they've gone wrong.

Buy Ticket

This event is for the benefit of The Pamphleteer, Nashville, and priced with that in mind. Bard-level subscribers receive free admittance.

✰ ✰ ✰

🏛 Quick Council Preview On top of introducing the mayor’s new daycare initiatives and final votes on the fate of future future businesses on Buchanan Street and upzoning in Goodlettsville, here are a few more interesting items on tonight’s Metro Council agenda.

> NES Accountability A majority of the council are sponsoring a new resolution to increase transparency at Nashville Electric Service. The legislation requests that NES and the board “submit existing and future contracts, agreements, and related documents to the Metropolitan Clerk to promote transparency and public access.”

The resolution encourages public accountability in the wake of NES’ response to Winter Storm Fern. The request is not groundbreaking; many departments, boards, and commissions are required to file similar paperwork with the clerk.

Last meeting, the resolution urging the Metro Electric Power Board to fire NES CEO Teresa Broyles-Aplin was deferred until June 2nd.

> Water & Sewer Credit The council will hold its final vote on a bill that would authorize a one-time bill credit to water and sewer users in response to the ice storm. If passed, residents could receive up to a $25 credit.

> Vandy Hires MNPD Sponsors are introducing a bill to formalize a memorandum of understanding between Vanderbilt University and Metro Nashville Police Department. In addition to campus security, the university has been using MNPD for law enforcement services. The legislation codifies reimbursement agreements between the entities.

> Home Businesses Councilmember Sean Parker wants to rewrite the regulations on home businesses. The changes introduced in the bill would loosen up some limitations by allowing up to 12 on-site customers per day, expanding business types, and removing size/equipment caps. That said, it also adds a permitting and enforcement process that increases oversight and administrative requirements.

✰ ✰ ✰

✹ METRO COUNCIL WATCH

Who bankrolls your councilmember? We analyzed every donation to every council member to show you whether they're funded by their constituents or someone else. Higher grades go to those who raise more money locally. (Take a Look)

✰ ✰ ✰

HEADLINES

⚡️ Williamson County residents ask for a seat on the NES Board. Following Winter Storm Fern, the Brentwood City Commission passed a resolution requesting the Metro Council to include a resident of Williamson County on the board overseeing NES. (TN Star)
☎️ Council announces new Emergency Preparedness Working Group. This morning, members of the Metro Council Public Health and Safety Committee announced the new group that is dedicated to strengthening communication, coordination, and readiness among members of the Metropolitan Council during emergencies. (Metro Nashville)
🗳 The race to replace State Representative Caleb Hemmer (D-Nashville) is on. Four Democrats will compete in the primary: Oracle executive Rick Ewing, attorney & small business owner Angie Lawless, former TN Highway Patrol officer Mark Proctor, and nonprofit executive Beth West. The winner will face Bill Hancock, who is the only Republican in the race. (SOS)
🧳 Where are people moving to in Tennessee? Knox County tops the list as the fastest-growing county in TN, followed by Rutherford, Washington, and Montgomery counties. (Tennessean)