Tennessee Republicans are already advancing legislation aimed at addressing affordability ahead of the 2027 legislative session, following Governor-elect Marsha Blackburn’s pledge to make lowering the cost of living a priority for her incoming administration, according to The Tennessee Star’s lead reporter Tom Pappert.
Appearing Wednesday on The Michael Patrick Leahy Show, Pappert discussed two bills recently introduced in the Tennessee House of Representatives that would provide sales tax relief on certain groceries and expand the state’s annual sales tax holiday for computer purchases.
“Blackburn came out and said affordability is going to be a primary focus of her administration,” Pappert explained. “I think we should expect the Tennessee General Assembly to take Blackburn’s lead and run with it, and you’re already seeing this.”
Pappert pointed to House Bill (HB) 6, introduced by House Speaker Cameron Sexton (R-Crossville), which would exempt milk, eggs, and bread from Tennessee’s grocery sales tax.
“Right now, there’s a 4 percent sales tax on all groceries in the state of Tennessee,” Pappert said. “That would be reduced for these three items that just about every shopper in their right mind picks up once or twice a month at minimum.”
He also discussed HB 7, introduced by State Rep. Kevin Raper (R-Cleveland), which would increase the maximum computer purchase eligible for the state’s annual sales tax holiday from $1,500 to $2,500.
Pappert noted that the annual holiday allows Tennessee consumers to purchase qualifying items without paying sales tax, typically during the back-to-school shopping season.
“Thanks to artificial intelligence, super intelligence, and also a lot of other factors, computers are skyrocketing in prices,” Pappert said. “They’ve gone up 17 percent this year. They’re projected to continue going up next year.”
The two bills follow Blackburn’s October commentary in The Star, in which she outlined plans to make homeownership more accessible by addressing regulations and other costs associated with residential construction.
“That’s part of what makes it so expensive, right?” Pappert said of housing regulations. “We have to have everything up to a modern 21st century code that still manages to create houses that go viral on TikTok for falling apart when you go and rub up against them with your fingernail.”
Pappert said the early legislative activity could signal how Republicans intend to approach affordability under Blackburn’s administration.
“So I think this is going to be a major topic of discussion, and the fact that here we are about one week after the election with two bills already to talk about is a good sign that Tennessee is going to continue showing the rest of the Republicans throughout the country how to get results for their voters,” he said.
The discussion also turned to the political alignment expected among Blackburn, Sexton, and incoming Lieutenant Governor and Senate Republican Caucus Chairman Jack Johnson (R-Franklin).
Pappert said Tennessee has already become a national model for immigration enforcement through legislation passed by the General Assembly over the past two years.
“Tennessee has become the national model for immigration enforcement for the entire country, and that is directly because of a slate of immigration bills passed over the past two years by the Tennessee General Assembly,” Pappert said.
With another two years of the Trump administration ahead and Republicans maintaining their legislative majorities in Tennessee, Pappert said the state could see further cooperation between state and federal officials.
“But now you’re going to have another two years of the Trump administration with virtually the same majorities in the General Assembly, and a governor who supports the president wholeheartedly and his agenda completely,” Pappert said. “People are mourning Texas. Stop mourning Texas. Start celebrating Tennessee.”
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— Michael Patrick Leahy (@michaelpleahy) November 11, 2026
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Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network.
