NFIB and the Tennessee Chamber of Commerce & Industry are leading a coalition of business organizations in releasing a new report highlighting the policies that have helped make Tennessee one of the top states in the nation for business.

The report, Tennessee’s Business-Focused Policy Record – A Look Back and Look Ahead, reviews policy decisions that strengthened Tennessee’s tax structure and modernized the state’s workers’ compensation, labor, unemployment, and civil justice systems.

“Small businesses need clear rules and predictable costs to succeed,” NFIB State Director Jim Brown said. “This report shows how Tennessee’s pro-growth policies help small employers create jobs, invest in their communities, and stay competitive.”

The coalition, called the Tennessee Business-Policy Alliance [link to coalition website], highlights tax reforms that reduced costs and paperwork for small businesses, including changes that exempted tens of thousands of small employers from filing certain state business taxes. It also points to workers’ compensation reforms that lowered rates, sped up claim resolution, and improved return-to-work outcomes.

The report credits labor and civil justice reforms with protecting businesses from a patchwork of local mandates and reducing exposure to costly and unnecessary lawsuits, giving employers more certainty when making hiring and investment decisions.

In addition to reviewing past successes, the report identifies opportunities to build on Tennessee’s strong foundation. It highlights the state’s workforce, diverse industries, central location, and ongoing innovation, while encouraging lawmakers to protect recent gains and continue reducing red tape and simplifying the tax code.

Other members of the coalition include the Tennessee Farm Bureau Federation, Greater Tennessee Associated Builders and Contractors, the Tennessee Bankers Association, the Tennessee Fuel & Convenience Store Association, the Tennessee Grocers & Convenience Store Association, and the Tennessee Retail Association.

Click here to read the full report.