Tennessee lawmakers on Tuesday approved a $100 million state disaster fund intended to provide assistance to local governments and individuals when Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) aid falls short, Fox 43, reports. The bill, SB2232/HB2543, now heads to Gov. Bill Lee’s desk. The measure would establish the Governor’s Response and Recovery Fund. The fund, administered by the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency, would provide grants and low- or no-interest loans for eligible recovery costs. Bill sponsor Rep. Tim Hicks, R-Gray, said the fund is intended to address smaller-scale disasters that do not meet Federal Emergency Management Agency thresholds. The legislation also outlines eligibility requirements for local governments and individuals, including proof of need and residency. Lawmakers raised questions about whether the funding will be sufficient and debated provisions such as the lawful residency requirement for aid, but the bill ultimately passed with broad support in both chambers. The governor proposed the fund in March.

The state Department of Revenue on Monday extended the deadlines for franchise and excise tax filing to May 22 for businesses located in counties that were designated federal disaster areas as a result of January’s winter storm Fern. Those include Davidson, Williamson, Wilson, Cheatham and more. Those affected will have additional time to file returns and make payments that were due beginning with Jan. 22. Due dates after May 22 will not be altered or extended. Read more in a press release or official notice from the department.

Carter County continues to receive state and federal funding to support ongoing recovery efforts following Hurricane Helene, the Elizabethton Star reports. The county expects to receive $675,100 this week from the State Helene Interest Payment Fund, part of a grant program designed to offset interest costs on bonds issued for road and bridge repairs. The county previously received $398,557 to cover administrative costs related to the bond. Last week, the county also received its third reimbursement from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) through the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency, bringing total FEMA reimbursements to $1,726,286. Officials said the funds have primarily supported engineering work and temporary bridge installations in the Poga community. As recovery efforts continue, future reimbursement requests are expected to focus more on permanent road repairs.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has expanded public assistance eligibility for impacts from Winter Storm Fern to more than 20 additional counties, including Shelby County, the Commercial Appeal reports. The program provides grant funding to eligible applicants to support emergency response, debris removal and the repair or restoration of damaged public infrastructure. U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Memphis, called the funding “essential” to help the county recover from the storm’s effects, which he said caused “extensive damages,” in a Feb. 9 letter to Gov. Bill Lee.

Between March 2 and April 30, Davidson County General Sessions Court will operate a Winter Storm Support Docket for tenants who cannot pay rent due to complications from January’s ice storm. The Nashville Banner reports that the docket will help individuals apply for community-based rent assistance to prevent evictions and remain in their homes. Tenants facing eviction who are defendants in detainer actions will appear on the regular docket, at which point the court may determine eligibility for the support docket. Tenants facing evictions for non-monetary reasons are not eligible.

The Nashville Electric Service (NES) announced expanded financial assistance for customers affected by the recent ice storm. According to WSMV, the utility donated $1 million to NeedLink Nashville. Customers can apply for assistance online at NeedLink.org, by mail or by calling 615-269-6835. Applications can also be submitted in person on Mondays or Tuesdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. CST at NeedLink’s office inside Westminster Presbyterian Church, 3900 West End Ave, Nashville 37205. “Leveraging an existing partnership, the program provides temporary bill assistance to customers in need. An application is required to receive the financial aid, and NeedLink manages both the application process and the distribution of funds,” NES said in a statement.

Gov. Bill Lee is proposing a statewide fund to help fill gaps left by cuts to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). On Thursday, the Tennessee Senate approved $100 million for the “Governor’s Response and Recovery Fund,” along with ongoing funding to establish a four-person staff. According to Chattanooga Times Free Press, the fund would assist smaller communities that have difficulty qualifying for federal disaster declarations. The Senate approved SB2232 by a vote of 29-1. Sen. Jeff Yarbro, D-Nashville, said the state is right to plan ahead but cautioned that $100 million, though significant in a tightening budget, could be quickly depleted if FEMA reduces funding. Sen. Ken Yager, R-Kingston, a sponsor of the bill, said the revamped fund would provide a pathway for local governments and individuals to seek state assistance when federal aid is unavailable or insufficient.

U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Memphis, has asked Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee to request additional assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) specifically for Shelby County, the Commercial Appeal reports. Cohen said the funding is “essential” to help the county recover from a winter storm that swept through the region last month and caused “extensive damages.” In January, President Donald Trump approved an emergency declaration for Tennessee and FEMA released $3.75 million to reimburse the state. Earlier this month, the president also approved an expedited major disaster declaration for 23 counties in the state. Cohen is seeking an additional request for public assistance funding for Shelby County, citing updated damage estimates of nearly $7 million.

After Winter Storm Fern left more than 300,000 Tennesseans without power and caused widespread damage, President Donald Trump approved a major disaster declaration on Feb. 6 — but only for public assistance, not yet for individuals. FEMA is still reviewing whether uninsured or underinsured residents will qualify for federal aid, and there is no timeline for a decision. The storm killed 29 people, caused prolonged outages in Nashville and led to significant infrastructure repairs, prompting state officials to urge residents to document damages and file insurance claims. So far, 15 counties have been approved for full public assistance and eight more for emergency protective measures. The Tennessee Lookout has the story.

Gov. Bill Lee announced Friday that President Donald Trump approved his request for a major disaster declaration in Middle and West Tennessee counties following Winter Storm Fern. The declaration makes Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) public assistance available to eligible government entities and certain nonprofit organizations in 15 counties (Cheatham, Chester, Clay, Davidson, Hardin, Henderson, Hickman, Lewis, Macon, McNairy, Perry, Sumner, Trousdale, Wayne, and Williamson) to support response and recovery efforts. This is in addition to eight counties (Decatur, Dickson, Hardeman, Lawrence, Maury, Robertson, Rutherford, and Wilson) earlier approved for the same assistance. “As Tennesseans begin the recovery process following Winter Storm Fern, I’m grateful to President Trump for granting our major disaster declaration request,” Lee said in a press release.