Serving Hohenwald, Lewis County Tennessee Since 1898
Serving Hohenwald, Lewis County Tennessee Since 1898
Sorted by date Results 51 - 75 of 85
Session Highlights Special Session / Tennessee Literacy Success Act – Public Chapter 3 targets literacy skills to get students on track in the early grades, so they can become proficient readers by 3rd grade. It calls for LEAs and public charter schools to use foundational literacy skills instruction with a phonics-based approach for early reading instruction and establishes a reading screener to identify when a student needs help before third grade, so they won’t fall behind. This includes hel...
Session Highlights BUDGET Appropriations Bill – Public Chapter 454 provides appropriations for the no-debt, structurally-balanced $42.6 billion budget, which will fund state government for the 2021-2022 fiscal year. It continues lawmakers’ efforts to take care of the state’s most vulnerable citizens, ensure public safety, keep promises to state employees and maintain fiscal discipline. It prioritizes education, health care and job development, including a record investment in broadband. It in...
House Republicans pass historic criminal justice reform The Tennessee House of Representatives approved two major criminal justice reform bills this past week in Nashville. Both are proposals from Gov. Bill Lee’s legislative package and are part of his efforts to reform criminal justice in Tennessee. The bills reflect changes recommended by the Tennessee Criminal Justice Reinvestment Task Force. House Bill 784 provides by alternatives to incarceration expanding Tennessee’s successful Rec...
The General Assembly approves $42.6 billion budget The House and Senate of the 112th General Assembly on Thursday successfully approved a no-debt $42.6 billion budget that provides strategic investments in education, health care, public safety and economic development initiatives. As a result of careful spending decisions and governing by conservative principles, Republicans were able to return to many pre-pandemic priorities with the 2021-22 fiscal year budget. The spending plan makes key...
House Republicans make Covid relief tax deductible for business Tennessee businesses will be eligible to receive more pandemic assistance through a bill that will exempt relief funds from state taxes. Republican leaders on April 5th successfully guided unanimous passage of House Bill 776 which exempts Covid-19 relief payments received between March 1, 2020 and Dec. 31, 2021 from the state’s excise taxes. This legislation provides an excise tax deduction for Tennessee business and entities t...
Gov. Lee’s budget amendment includes tax holidays, investments in mental health, education and economic development The state budget is the central focus in the last remaining weeks of the first session of the 112th General Assembly as committees begin to complete their business for year. Gov. Bill Lee this week announced his amendment to the proposed 2021-22 fiscal year budget which includes $580 million in available funds. These funds will be invested in strategic long-term projects that f...
House Republicans make Covid relief tax deductible for business Tennessee businesses will be eligible to receive more pandemic assistance through a bill that will exempt relief funds from state taxes. Republican leaders on April 5th successfully guided unanimous passage of House Bill 776 which exempts Covid-19 relief payments received between March 1, 2020 and Dec. 31, 2021 from the state’s excise taxes. This legislation provides an excise tax deduction for Tennessee business and entities t...
House Republicans propose to protect consumer privacy Republican leaders this week announced a proposal that protects Tennesseans’ right to privacy and returns control of personal information back to consumers. The Tennessee Information Protection Act requires large technology companies to fully disclose to consumers what information is being collected about them through their online activities. When consumers interact on websites, social media, or apps they leave behind personal information tha...
In house committees this past week, the Truth and sentencing reform advances. House Bill 1047 requires any person convicted of violent or sexual offenses that historically target women and children to serve their full sentencing term as assigned by a jury or judge. While the legislation does not remove judicial discretion, it ensures that parole or probation are not options for those found guilty of crimes that fall into these categories of offenses. If passed, it strengthens protections for...
Gov. Bill Lee delivered his third State of the State address this week in a joint convention of the House and Senate at War Memorial Auditorium in Nashville. The governor’s speech focused on recent Republican accomplishments and shared legislative and budget priorities for the 2021 legislative session. Lee presented his $41.8 billion budget plan to members which included key investments in public education, economic recovery, health care, public safety, and an emphasis on business and rural T...
New law allows local governments to prohibit smoking on playgrounds -- The General Assembly passed Public Chapter 529 this year allowing local governments to prohibit smoking on any playground in which they own or operate. The legislation must be taken by a two-thirds vote of the local governing body. Under the bill, “playground” means an indoor or outdoor facility that is intended for recreation of children, while smoking refers to the burning of a tobacco product, hemp product, or any oth...
New law allows local governments to prohibit smoking on playgrounds – The General Assembly passed Public Chapter 529 this year allowing local governments to prohibit smoking on any playground in which they own or operate. The legislation must be taken by a two-thirds vote of the local governing body. Under the bill, “playground” means an indoor or outdoor facility that is intended for recreation of children, while smoking refers to the burning of a tobacco product, hemp product, or any other...
3th General Assembly passes major pro-life legislation banning abortion when a fetal heartbeat is detected -- Major pro-life legislation, which includes a prohibition on abortions where a fetal heartbeat exists, was approved before the close of the 2020 legislative session. The comprehensive life-affirming bill, which was part of Governor Bill Lee’s legislative priorities, seeks to protect the life of the unborn. Public Chapter 764 includes a layered structure that prohibits abortion after t...
New law gives more flexibility to directors of schools regarding student discipline – The General Assembly passed a bill this year giving directors of schools in Tennessee more flexibility regarding discipline of students and the utilization of alternative schools. Attendance in an alternative school or program is mandatory for students in grades 7-12 who are suspended or expelled for more than 10 days if there is space and staff available, unless the student commits a zero tolerance offense. P...
Legislation encourages school districts to provide students with a wide variety of career-based experiences - State lawmakers approved a new law this year encouraging Tennessee school districts to provide their students with a wide variety of career-based experiences to help them make informed decisions about future careers. Public Chapter 527 calls for more on-the-job training for students, as well as opportunities to build professional relationships and learn about workplace expectations....
Commission created to study impact of COVID-19, natural disasters on students - On the morning of March 3, 2020 devastating tornadoes wreaked havoc on Middle Tennessee. Schools were destroyed, homes leveled, and 24 lives were lost. Only two days later the COVID-19 pandemic made its way to the state as the first case was reported. These circumstances caused schools across the state to be closed for the remainder of the school year beginning in mid-March. Public Chapter 734 passed this year examin...
Legislation to extend CoverKids Program passes General Assembly - An extension of CoverKids (Public Chapter 582), Tennessee’s children’s health insurance program (CHIP) was approved this year, extending the program to June 30, 2025. CoverKids provides coverage to uninsured Tennessee children who are not eligible for the Tennessee’s Medicaid program. Similar to Medicaid, the program is financed and administered by both the federal and state government. The new legislation covers about 40,00...
Legislation expands access to dental care – A bill to help nonprofit dental clinics provide free care to more Tennesseans in need passed during the 2020 legislative session. Public Chapter 724 expands the maximum number of dental hygienists a dentist can oversee at a nonprofit provider of free mobile clinics from three to ten. This legislation will allow organizations, like Mission of Mercy and Remote Area Medical Clinics which provide free dental services from volunteer dentists and h...
New law encourages alternative pain treatments to opioids – Legislation encouraging the use of more alternative pain treatments rather than opioids was approved during the 2020 session. Public Chapter 573 amends the state’s opioid reform legislation to include medical devices like pain pumps, spinal cord stimulators, occupational therapy and non-opioid medicinal drugs as non-opioid based alternative therapies for chronic pain. A 2019 law called for alternative pain treatment for chi...
Legislation encourages lower health care costs through Association Health Plans – Legislation which aims to lower premiums and overall health care costs for small businesses through Association Health Plans (AHP) was approved this year. The new law, Public Chapter 515, aligns Tennessee’s AHP laws with new federal rules put into place by President Trump’s administration to help small businesses purchase affordable, high quality health insurance as a result of increased flexibility. AHPs allow...
HEALTH Budget – The 2020-2021 budget increased funding for health care, with highlights including: • An additional $9.2 million in non-recurring funds for the adult health care safety net and $3 million in recurring funds; • A combined $26.5 million to strengthen the safety network for both mental health and health care services; • Approximately $19 million to support the health care network, $7.5 million to support the children’s behavioral and mental health services, and $3 million to expand...
General Assembly Reconvenes for 61st Extraordinary Session This week, the General Assembly reconvened in Nashville for the 61st Extraordinary Session in Tennessee history. As part of this historic special session, four new committees were created so that every House member had the opportunity to work on the three issues that comprised Governor Lee’s call for the session. These panels focused on setting new standards to address the possibility of frivolous lawsuits related to the Covid-19 p...
Tennessee General Assembly passes legislation to mitigate effects of COVID-19 in one of the toughest budget years in state history The second session of the 111th Tennessee General Assembly adjourned on June 19, 2020 to become a part of Tennessee history. The session began with the introduction of a spending plan by Governor Lee who laid out a bold vision for Tennessee. It focused on significant improvements in mental health, early childhood literacy, teacher pay raises, criminal justice...
“Separation of Church and State” The phrase “Separation of Church and State” is a popular phrase that is often quoted when discussing religion and government or debating whether to allow prayer and Biblical teachings in public schools. So where does the popular phrase originate from? Is it stated in the First Amendment, or is it elsewhere in the U.S. Constitution? The answer is NO! In fact, the phrase is not found in any of our founding documents. The First Amendment simply states: “Congre...
Nathan Bedford Forrest…. “The Rest of the Story.” The last few years, there have been a lot of controversies over General Nathan Bedford Forrest, a Civil War hero for the South. Most Southerners view him as a hero, but there are several that view him as a racist and murderer. The latter has been protesting the last few weeks at the Capitol in Nashville, and they are demanding that his bust be removed from the second floor of the Capitol. In fact, Governor Lee has requested the Capitol Commission...
