Legislature clears runway for emergency landing

House and Senate leaders join Gov. Bill Lee, center, for the State of the State address in February

With an eye toward recessing by the end of the week, the Tennessee General Assembly is wrapping up its business — temporarily, they promise — at a rate outpacing anything anyone on Capitol Hill can remember. 

Senate Finance Committee Chair Bo Watson said Tuesday that the legislature is in “uncharted water” as it seeks to pass a budget in just a few days, abbreviating a process that normally takes months. The House and Senate are trying to close up shop amid public health warnings about the dangers of mass gatherings during the ongoing spread of coronavirus.