Tennessee lawmaker proposes grocery tax exemption for milk, eggs and bread. Here’s what to know

What This Story Is About

• Tennessee House Speaker Cameron Sexton is proposing a bill to exempt milk, eggs and bread from the state’s grocery tax.

Why It Matters

• Tennessee currently charges a 4% state tax on groceries. The proposal would apply to the three items, not all food purchases.

What Happens Next

• The bill has been introduced for consideration during the legislative session beginning in January.

Catch Up

• Tennessee grocery tax elimination debate: How lawmakers plan to pay for it

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) - Tennessee House Speaker Cameron Sexton is proposing to remove the state’s grocery tax on milk, eggs and bread.

House Bill 6 would exempt retail sales of those items from the food sales tax.

Current grocery tax and what would change

Tennessee currently charges a 4% state tax on groceries. Under the proposal, shoppers would save 40 cents in state tax for every $10 spent on qualifying items.

When could this change?

Lawmakers are expected to consider the bill when they return for the legislative session in January. It would need to pass the legislature and become law before shoppers would see a change.

Nashville grocery tax cut: How much you can save starting

The proposal follows a separate local grocery tax cut in Davidson County that took effect November 1. That reduction lowered Metro’s share of the tax on food while the state’s 4% grocery tax remained in place.

Lawmakers previously debated eliminating the state grocery tax, with disagreement over how to replace the revenue it generates.