Tennessee Democrats Unveil 8-Point 2025 Agenda to ‘Rebuild the Middle Class’

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) – Tennessee Democrats unveiled their eight-point legislative agenda for 2025. The plan outlines legislation they call “A Commitment to Rebuilding Tennessee’s Middle Class.”

TN Democrats said their agenda focuses on improving roads, schools, jobs and making health care affordable.

“The commitment to rebuilding Tennessee’s middle class prioritizes measures that lower costs for families, raise wages and invest in essential public services like public schools, health care and transportation, while also defending the rights and well-being of working Tennesseans ” – TN Democrats said.

The agenda includes:

Repeal the Tennessee grocery sales tax. Tennessee is one of the few states where this occurs still taxes groceries.
Health insurance for all working families. Expanding Medicaid will give every working family access to health care, strengthen rural hospitals and create 43,000 jobs.
Raise the minimum wage. The minimum wage is $7.25 an hour.
Universal Kindergarten for four-year-olds. Transforming the state’s voluntary preschool program into universal access for four-year-olds would reduce preschool costs for families and children increase parents’ income who re-enter the labor market.
School meals for every student. Providing free school meals to all pupils ensures that all children are fed and ready to learn. It also reduces the cost of school meals for public school parents.
Strengthen workers’ rights. Democrats will work to repeal anti-labor laws that cut unemployment benefits and restrict unions.
Reduce traffic congestion. New investments in highways and regional public transport.
Keep your community safe and prevent gun violence. Investing in shared economic prosperity to reduce crime and gun violence.

TN Dems said their agenda is a direct response to Tennessee’s frustration with falling behind other states in many categories, including economic prosperity, health care, public safety and transportation infrastructure.

“We see families having to work multiple jobs to make ends meet, parents struggling to afford health care and groceries, and the Legislature failing to care for public schools,” said House Democratic Caucus Chairman John Ray Clemmons (with Nashville State). “It’s time to turn things around. This program is about cutting costs, increasing revenues, and giving every Tennessean a fair chance to achieve the American Dream.

The agenda is intended to serve as a “legislative framework” for the 2025 session, TN Democrats said.