🏛️ What’s on the TN legislature’s docket?

🧑‍💼 Your Guide To Starting a Business in Nashville

Nashville’s business scene is booming, and this new year could be the perfect time to start your own venture. On today’s City Cast Nashville podcast, we’re joined by folks from the Nashville Entrepreneur Center, to break down which industries are thriving, how AI is reshaping local businesses, and why mentorship and community are at the heart of their work. [🎧 City Cast Nashville]

🚴 Limited Bike & Pedestrian Safety Improvements

An annual Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Commission report asks the city to accelerate sidewalk, greenway, and bike lane construction, which they report saw limited progress in 2025. The commission would like an explicit liaison in the mayor’s office for consultation on pedestrian and bike safety. [Nashville Scene]

• The report also recommends Metro reject six-lane East Bank Boulevard designs for a more people-centered street. [🎧 City Cast Nashville]

🏫 ESA Voucher Students Underperform Peers

Students who use Education Savings Account vouchers — the precursor to last year’s universal school voucher program — typically underperform their public school peers in academic achievement and growth. In Nashville, 80% of students participating in the program left high-performing public schools for private. [Tennessee Chalkbeat]

• The state is collecting very little data about students participating in the universal school voucher program. [🎧 City Cast Nashville]

🏛️ Tennessee Legislature Returns

The Tennessee General Assembly returns on Jan. 13. Like 2025’s legislative session, the Republican supermajority plans to focus on immigration, vouchers, and criminal justice. Other proposed bills would exempt groceries purchased with SNAP benefits from sales tax, and require school districts to provide free breakfast and lunch to students. [Nashville Banner]