Editing Tennessee General Assembly (section)

===Part-time legislature===
To keep the legislature a part-time body, it is limited to ninety "legislative days" per two-year term, plus up to fifteen days for organizational purposes at the start of each term. A legislative day is considered any day that the House or Senate formally meets in the chambers of each house. Legislators are paid a base salary of $24,316 along with a per diem expense of $284 per legislative day (2020).<ref>[https://www.ncsl.org/research/about-state-legislatures/2020-legislator-compensation.aspx 2020 Legislator Compensation], NCSL, retrieved June 6, 2021</ref> If the legislature remains in session longer than ninety legislative days, lawmakers cease to draw their expense money.

Legislators also receive an "office allowance" of $1,000 per month, ostensibly for the maintenance of an office area devoted to their legislative work in their homes or elsewhere within their district. Traditionally, it has been easier, politically speaking, to raise the per diem and office allowance than the salary.

The [[Speaker (politics)|speaker]] of each house is entitled to a salary triple that of other members. Under a law enacted in 2004, legislators will receive a raise equal to that given to state employees the previous year, if any.

The governor may also call "extraordinary sessions", limited to the topic or topics outlined in the call, and limited to another twenty days. Two-thirds of each house may also initiate such a call by petitioning for it.