Serving Hohenwald, Lewis County Tennessee Since 1898
Serving Hohenwald, Lewis County Tennessee Since 1898
Sorted by date Results 26 - 50 of 87
Republicans protect students, employees against divisive concepts on campuses - The House of Representatives on Monday passed legislation that prohibits Tennessee’s public universities and colleges from taking adverse actions against students or employees for their viewpoints. House Bill 2670 aims to ensure diversity and inclusion efforts are not undermined by divisive concepts that seek to drive Tennesseans apart. It establishes that students nor employees may be discriminated against for r...
New K-12 education funding formula prioritizes students’ individual needs - Members of the General Assembly this week got their first look at Gov. Bill Lee’s proposal to modernize how the state provides money for Tennessee’s K-12 public schools. Lee and Education Commissioner Penny Schwinn officially unveiled the Tennessee Investment in Student Achievement (TISA) on Thursday, Feb. 24 to replace the state’s current Basic Education Program (BEP) created in 1992. The proposal, House Bill 2143, e...
The General Assembly adopts “I’ll Leave My Heart in Tennessee” as state song - Members of the House were treated to a performance of newly adopted state song “I’ll Leave My Heart in Tennessee” on Thursday, Feb. 17. The song was performed by the group Dailey & Vincent along with songwriter Karen Stanley, left. Lawmakers unanimously approved House Bill 1731 in February adding the song to the list of officially recognized state songs. The song was approved unanimously by the Senate on Monday. Hou...
General Assembly confirms new Tennessee Supreme Court Justice - Members of the General Assembly confirmed the appointment of Sarah K. Campbell to the Tennessee Supreme Court in a joint session in the House Chamber on Thursday. Campbell most recently served as Tennessee’s Associate Solicitor General and Special Assistant to the Attorney General. In that role, she represented the state before the Tennessee Supreme Court, the U.S. Supreme Court and the U.S. Courts of Appeals. She previously w...
Gov. Lee unveils 2022 legislative vision in State of the State address Tennessee: ‘America at its Best” - Gov. Bill Lee on Monday addressed a joint session of the General Assembly in the House Chamber in which he outlined his legislative priorities for 2022 and presented his budget proposal for the upcoming year. The governor’s fourth state of the state highlighted strategic investments in education, infrastructure, public safety, rural Tennessee and supporting families. He emphasized Tenne...
House Committees begin work-The pace picked on Capitol Hill this week as House members worked to finalize their legislative proposals before the Feb. 2 bill filing deadline. House committees began to meet as bills are being introduced and referred to their respective committees. Omicron COVID-19 and TANF updates heard in Health Committee - The House Health Committee met Wednesday in Nashville to hear reports on the state’s COVID-19 status and progress made toward Tennessee’s Temporary Ass...
The Real Christmas The following are excerpts from a Christmas speech I thought was worth sharing. ‘Christmas is a busy season. Streets and stores are filled with people making last-minute preparations. Travelers on the highways increase, airports are crowded—all communities seem to come to life with music, lights, and festive decorations. The legend of Santa Claus, the Christmas tree, the decorations of tinsel and mistletoe, and the giving of gifts all express to us the spirit of the day we...
As the 112th legislative session draws closer, here are new laws under gun rights. Permitless Carry / Stronger Penalties for Gun Theft – Public Chapter 108 allows law-abiding citizens in Tennessee who are at least 21 years old or are honorably discharged or active in the U.S. Armed Forces, National Guard or Reserves to carry a firearm without a permit in a place where they are lawfully present. Those who carry without a permit must have no felony convictions, orders of protection in effect, pend...
Greetings. This week I want to address highlights regarding the new election & voting laws for our state. Voting / Senior Citizens – Public Chapter 233 makes it easier for elderly residents who live in assisted living facilities to vote by allowing campus residents in assisted living to participate in a voter drive at a skilled nursing home. Strengthening Election Integrity – Public Chapter 306 strengthens election integrity and increases accountability for out-of-state donations made to sta...
On November 22, 2021 Governor Bill Lee signed Executive Order 93 “Operation Open Road” to address supply chain issues during the Holiday Season. Lee joined 14 other states in this initiative acting in curbing the crisis. As all are aware, manufactured goods from overseas are held up in our coastal ports causing supply shortages across the country, creating commercial burdens and empty retail shelves that helps us function our daily lives especially locally. While we continue to recover from the...
Happy Thanksgiving to all! NATIONAL THANKSGIVING PROCLAMATION The National Thanksgiving Proclamation was the first formal proclamation of Thanksgiving in the United States. President George Washington declared Thursday, November 26, 1789 as a day of public thanksgiving and prayer. “Whereas it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor, and whereas both Houses of C...
Greetings. Thanksgiving is almost here. The new 112th General Assembly will begin January 11th 2022. Since both the House and Senate are in a downtime, in continuing effort to keep constituents updated and informed throughout the year on our current laws passed from year’s recent house session, this week will address future unemployment benefits, apprenticeships and Agriculture. Unemployment Benefits – Public Chapter 560 puts more money in the pockets of persons who are unemployed while giv...
Essential Workers Act – Public Chapter 384 prohibits a local government from issuing an executive order, resolution or ordinance establishing categories or classes of essential and non-essential businesses for the purpose of requiring them to cease operations unless the fire marshal of a court deems them to be a public safety hazard. COVID-19 Recovery / F&E Taxes – Public Chapter 154 exempts COVID-19 relief payments received between March 1, 2020 and Dec. 31, 2021 from the state’s Franc...
State as a Model Employer / Individuals with Disabilities – Public Chapter 575 puts Tennessee on track to become a “State as a Model Employer” (SAME) for individuals with disabilities. The legislation ensures that state agencies and departments design and implement promising and emerging policies, practices and procedures that focus on recruitment, hiring, advancement and retention of qualified individuals with disabilities. Direct Support Professionals / Pay Increases – Public Chapter 576 inc...
Medical Laboratories Act – Public Chapter 495 allows Tennessee to utilize the federal standards that are used in 31 other states for those that work in private laboratories, as is already done in our state laboratories. The legislation will allow laboratories to process tests more quickly and effectively, and it will also reduce burdensome requirements in Tennessee that have caused some issues with recruiting personnel, especially from outside of the state. SAFE Act / Substance Abuse Recovery H...
Tennessee Medical Cannabis Commission –Public Chapter 577 creates a commission to serve as a nonpartisan, medically-focused entity to study federal and state laws regarding medical cannabis. The commission will make recommendations to the General Assembly on ways to implement an effective, patient-centered medical cannabis program in Tennessee upon the rescheduling of marijuana from the Schedule I list of federally controlled substances. It also adds to the list of current patients who are l...
Session Highlights 2021 Surplus Radios / First Responders / Distressed Counties – Public Chapter 527 allows for the transfer of surplus two-way radios, held by the Department of Safety, to distressed counties in Tennessee. Railroad Safety / First Responders – Public Chapter 178 requires the Department of Transportation to provide an annual report that identifies areas critically impacted by blocked highway-rail grade crossings. This legislation hopes to provide vital information on threats to th...
Federal Law Enforcement Officers / Personal Information – Public Chapter 253 protects federal law enforcement officers and their families by providing confidentiality regarding certain personal information. This law already exists for state law enforcement officers to protect them from criminals who would harass or harm them or their families in act of revenge for work done in the line of duty. Retired Law Enforcement Officers – Public Chapter 322 allows a retired law enforcement officers, aut...
Tennessee Medicaid Block Brant Waiver Amendment Agreement -- Senate Joint Resolution 25 approves federal government waiver amendment to improve the quality and access to health care in the state in a first in the nation block grant agreement. The negotiated flexibilities will allow the state to add new TennCare recipients, structure benefit packages, better control fraud, and more effectively manage pharmacy programs. Priorities for program innovation include maternal health coverage enhancements, serving additional needy populations, clearing...
Firing a Firearm from a Vehicle – Public Chapter 505 makes it reckless endangerment subject to a Class C felony to fire a firearm from within a motor vehicle, enhancing penalties for the crime. Criminal Justice Reform – Public Chapter 409 gives judges the discretion to provide treatment to an offender through a Recovery Court when the facts indicate it is the best correction option available. The legislation brings the cap for probation down from 10 years to a maximum of eight years, except for...
Drag racing – Public Chapter 573 stiffens the penalty for drag racing from a Class B misdemeanor to a Class A misdemeanor to deter drivers from engaging in this reckless behavior. Enhanced penalties for aggravated riots – Public Chapter 440 adds to the offense of aggravated rioting to include those who are compensated to participate in a riot or travel from outside the state to participate. Protecting Law Enforcement Informants – Public Chapter 586 states that if a district attorney general is r...
Rape of a Child by a Juvenile – Public Chapter 436 ensures that a juvenile convicted of conduct that would constitute rape, aggravated rape, rape of a child or aggravated rape of a child if committed by an adult would not be able to work or volunteer at a place that would cause the juvenile offender to be in close or frequent contact with children. Sexual Exploitation of Children – Public Chapter 371 provides that Tennessee’s aggravated sexual battery statute has explicit language making the defendant’s subjective purpose of sexual gratifi...
Session Highlights from 112th General Assembly Jim Coley Protection for Rape Survivors Act - Public Chapter 362 provides more transparency regarding the rape kit backlog process. It makes sure the handling procedure of rape kits is responsive, reliable and consistent. It requires the TBI to develop and implement an electronic system that tracks the location and status of each rape kit and gives victims access to the system through a tracking number. Victims must also be notified 60 days before...
Safe Home for Trafficked Children – Public Chapter 246 requires law enforcement officers to alert the Department of Children’s Services when they take a minor into custody on charges of prostitution so the child can appropriately be placed in a safe home. This legislation helps ensure the child can receive any professional assistance they may need and can be removed from a life dictated by abusive traffickers. Human Trafficking / Lifetime Ban on Commercial Driver’s License – Public Chapter...
Session Highlights from 112th General Assembly Confucius Institutes / Foreign Influence on Higher Education – Public Chapter 344 prohibits the establishment of Confucius Institutes which have ties to communist regimes and requires state institutions to disclose gifts received from and contracts initiated with a foreign source in excess of $10,000. Compensating College Athletes for their Name, Image, Likeness – Public Chapter 400 allows athletes at Tennessee universities to financially benefit fr...
