{"county":null,"description":"The Tennessee House of Representatives is the lower chamber of the state legislature, with 99 members elected from single-member districts to two-year terms. Representatives pass state laws, originate revenue bills, approve the state budget, and \u2014 together with the Senate \u2014 confirm gubernatorial appointments and propose constitutional amendments. Candidates must be at least 21 years old, U.S. citizens, Tennessee residents for at least three years, and district residents for at least one year.","district":"065","districtgroup":"state_house","id":314,"key":"state_house_065","lastchangeby":null,"name":null,"next_election":null,"notes":null,"officegroup":"tn_house","partisan":1,"party":null,"qualities":"- **Integrity** \u2014 Acts in the interest of constituents and the public good rather than for personal gain, and remains independent of undue influence from donors, lobbyists, and party leadership.\n- **Understanding of the constituency** \u2014 Grasps both the economic-development needs of the district and the day-to-day concerns of individual residents \u2014 safety, healthcare, education, infrastructure.\n- **Persuasion** \u2014 Engages, listens to, and persuades both fellow legislators and constituents. Can change minds and explain votes honestly.\n- **Legislative craft** \u2014 Reads, drafts, and amends statute with care. Understands how specific bill language translates to outcomes, and knows the body of law being modified.\n- **Coalition-building** \u2014 Finds common ground across partisan and factional lines, brokers compromises that hold, and forms working majorities even when consensus is hard to reach.","quantity":1,"source":null,"state":"tn","term_end":null,"term_start":null,"term_years":2,"terms":[{"current":0,"description":"","electiondate":"2022-11-08","name":"Sam Whitson","person":{"biography":"## Education\n- University of Oklahoma, Master of Public Administration\n- Middle Tennessee State University, B.S.\n\n## Family\n- Married, wife Pam, two children, five grandchildren\n\n## Career\n- Colonel, U.S. Army, Retired\n\n## Committees\n- Chair, [Transportation Subcommittee](https://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/CommitteeInfo/HouseComm.aspx?ga=113&committeeKey=895010)\n- Member, [Council on Pensions](https://capitol.tn.gov/joint/committees/pension-ins.html)\n- Member, [Finance, Ways, and Means Committee](https://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/CommitteeInfo/HouseComm.aspx?ga=113&committeeKey=850000)\n- Member, [Health Committee](https://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/CommitteeInfo/HouseComm.aspx?ga=113&committeeKey=860000)\n- Member, [Transportation Committee](https://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/CommitteeInfo/HouseComm.aspx?ga=113&committeeKey=895000)\n\n## Community Involvement\n- Board Member, Tennessee Historical Society\n- Advisory Board Member, Tennessee History for Kids\n- Chairman City of Franklin Battlefield Preservation Commission\n- Member, Franklin Noon Rotary\n\n## Honors & Awards\n- American Legion Post 5 Senator Douglas Henry Memorial Award\n- TN District Attorney\u2019s Conference Public Safety Advocate Award\n- NFIB 2022 Guardian of Small Business Award\n\n## External Links\n[https://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/legislatorinfo/member.aspx?district=H65](https://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/legislatorinfo/member.aspx?district=H65)","firstname":"Sam","lastname":"Whitson","token":"p2kOS6nt9P"},"term_end":"2024-12-31","term_start":"2023-01-01"}],"title":"State Representative District 65","type":"legislative","url":"https://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/legislatorinfo/member.aspx?district=H65","whenchanged":"2026-06-19 17:40:13"}