Serving Hohenwald, Lewis County Tennessee Since 1898
Serving Hohenwald, Lewis County Tennessee Since 1898
Sorted by date Results 101 - 125 of 185
The 112th General Assembly has adjourned for 2022, and it was a very successful year. We have taken measures for Tennessee to be a better place to live, work and to raise a family. I will go over the laws passed this session over the next few weeks. Cutting taxes for farmers – The General Assembly approved legislation that provides tax relief to farmers. It allows farmers to avoid paying sales tax on items and services used for agriculture production, including building materials, repair services, and labor, among other expenses. The tax r...
The 112th General Assembly has adjourned for 2022, and it was a very successful year. We have taken measures for Tennessee to be a better place to live, work and to raise a family. I will go over the laws passed this session over the next few weeks. Removing roadblocks to obtain a Commercial Driver License - To help alleviate the shortage of truck drivers in Tennessee, a new law expands eligibility for Commercial Drivers Licenses (CDLs) and creates a program within the Department of Safety to enable qualifying incarcerated individuals who will...
The 112th General Assembly has adjourned for 2022, and it was a very successful year. We have taken measures for Tennessee to be a better place to live, work and to raise a family. I will go over the laws passed this session over the next few weeks. Increasing transparency and accountability to campaign finance – To provide more sunshine to campaign operations, a new law will require state candidates to report all expenditures regardless of the amount and all contributions over $100. It allows for unitemized contributions up to $100; h...
The 112th General Assembly has adjourned for 2022, and it was a very successful year. We have taken measures for Tennessee to be a better place to live, work and to raise a family. I will go over the laws passed this session over the next few weeks. Cracking down on mail-order abortions — A new law creates criminal and civil penalties for anyone who provides abortion-inducing drugs through telemedicine and subsequently supplies those drugs via courier, delivery or mail service. Abortions via mai...
The 112th General Assembly has adjourned for 2022, and it was a very successful year. We have taken measures for Tennessee to be a better place to live, work and to raise a family. I will go over the laws passed this session over the next few weeks. Cracking down on drive-by shootings — To impose stricter penalties on criminals who engage in drive-by shootings, a new law requires that a person convicted of aggravated assault that involved the use or display of a deadly weapon be punished one c...
6 Budget Overview This year’s no-debt budget highlights lawmakers’ continuous efforts to cut taxes for Tennesseans, maintain fiscal responsibility, ensure public safety and prioritize education. It invests $52.58 billion in the state of Tennessee for the 2022/2023 fiscal year, with total legislative initiatives making up $84.1 million recurring and $570.8 million in non-recurring expenditures. To maintain fiscal responsibility, lawmakers are making a $250 million investment in the state’s Rai...
Campaign ethics reform passes first hurdle to increase accountability for political organizations As Senate committees continue to finalize their business for the 112th General Assembly, the Judiciary Committee approved legislation to enhance protections for victims of human trafficking and abuse. Important legislation to shine light on political organizations advanced in the Senate State and Local Government Committee this week, and Senators continued to present their proposals for budget...
Senate passes legislation to combat indoctrination in higher education The Senate this week passed legislation that protects students and employees at public universities from being forced to believe or embrace divisive concepts. Senate Bill 2290 stipulates that students or employees at public higher education institutions must not be penalized, discriminated against, or adversely treated due to the student’s or employee’s refusal to endorse divisive concepts. The bill also prohibits public uni...
Truth in Sentencing legislation gets committee approval The Judiciary Committee this week passed a “truth in sentencing” bill that requires a person convicted of certain offenses to serve 100% of the sentence imposed before becoming eligible for release. Senate Bill 2248 applies to 14 violent crimes, including aggravated assault, vehicular homicide, attempted first degree murder where the victim suffers great bodily injury and aggravated robbery, to name a few. Under the bill, there will be no...
Bill aims to expand access to broadband internet in rural Legislation aimed at expanding access to broadband internet in rural communities advanced through the Commerce and Labor Committee this week. Building on successful legislation passed in 2017, Senate Bill 2034 would allow rural electric and community services cooperatives to provide broadband services outside their service area to people who do not purchase electricity from the cooperative. Existing law makes such allowances for...
Gov. Lee, Commissioner Schwinn Unveil Tennessee Investment in Student Achievement Act Tennessee Governor Bill Lee and Tennessee Department of Education Commissioner Penny Schwinn on Thursday released the details of the Tennessee Investment in Student Achievement (TISA) Act (SB2396) that would transition Tennessee’s K-12 public schools to a student-based funding approach. Starting in the 2023-24 school year, the TISA would invest an estimated $9 billion in education funding for the state, i...
(NASHVILLE, Tenn.), February 17, 2022 – The Education Committee this week passed legislation requiring public schools to post online a list of the materials in their libraries. Proposed by Gov. Bill Lee, the Age-Appropriate Materials Act of 2022 (Senate Bill 2407) now goes to the full Senate for consideration. This bill simply sets forth a framework for all of our public school libraries to use to make sure parents and other stakeholders, including teachers and school board members, have a w...
Commerce and Labor Committee passes “New Markets Development Act” The Commerce and Labor Committee unanimously approved legislation that would create a tax credit program to encourage economic growth in rural and low-income areas. The bill will be reviewed by the Senate Finance, Ways and Means Committee next. The program created by the “New Markets Development Act” would fund small businesses located in Tennessee through insurance premium tax credits. Variations of the program have been impleme...
The State Senate this week unanimously passed legislation that ends the practice of surprise or unexpected medical billing in Tennessee, also called balanced billing. Balanced billing occurs when providers bill a patient for the difference between the amount they charge and the amount the patient’s insurance covers. The amount that insurers pay providers is almost always less than the providers’ “retail price.” Some providers will bill the patient for the difference or balance, thus it’s ca...
General Assembly starts 2022 legislative session with Redistricting The Tennessee State Senate on Jan. 20 voted in favor of new Senate and Congressional redistricting maps for Tennessee. The votes followed a lengthy and transparent process of gathering and considering input from stakeholders throughout the state. The new Senate map balances the federal mandate of “one person, one vote” with the state constitutional mandate not to split counties. In the new Senate map, there are just nine county...
New Year rings in enactment of several important new laws December 22, 2021 -- It is just days before we usher in 2021. January 1 often marks a time of new beginnings. This is true in state government as well, with several significant new laws set to take effect then. These include three bills I sponsored dealing with school discipline, access to chiropractic care for TennCare patients, and election integrity. I also co-sponsored several other bills. Among them, are two bills that will take effe...
The Essence of Christmas is Captured in the Spirit of Giving Christmas is a most joyful time of year. It means gatherings with friends, beautiful lights, holiday food, and spending time with loved ones. It is a marvelous time of celebration. But most of all, it is the season during which Christians everywhere give thanks to God for the gift of His Son. The story of Christmas is as relevant today as it was over 2,000 years ago. It is the story of a family desperately searching for a place to...
The U.S. Supreme Court is considering one of the most important decisions on abortion made in decades – what does that mean for Tennessee? U.S. Supreme Court justices are preparing to make one of the most important decisions the nation’s high court has made in decades in the Mississippi Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization case. The landmark case could decide whether states can protect the lives of unborn babies before viability. Technically, the court is hearing three abortion cases...
Two significant federal court decisions are delivered this week regarding the Biden Administration’s unconstitutional COVID-19 vaccine mandates There were two significant federal court rulings this week regarding the unconstitutional COVID-19 vaccination mandates issued by the Biden Administration earlier this fall. The first ruling came out of the U.S. District Court’s Eastern Division of Kentucky to enjoin vaccination requirements for federal contractors and subcontractors in three sta...
Tennessee continues efforts to combat human trafficking For the past decade, the Tennessee General Assembly has worked diligently to combat human trafficking. This includes enactment of the new laws passed this year to provide greater protections for crime victims and support to help them recover. This past week, Shared Hope International released their latest report. Shared Hope International is a premier organization which is dedicated to bringing an end to sex trafficking through a...
Senator Hensley encourages citizens to shop local as November 27th marks Small Business Saturday Thanksgiving is truly a special holiday. Although it did not become official until declared by President Abraham Lincoln in 1863, Americans have been celebrating this holiday for 232 years. It has evolved over the years to include family reunions, football and parades, but the heart of the holiday still remains acknowledgement to God for his bountiful blessings on our lives and the precious gift of...
General Assembly stands up to condemn Biden Administration’s federal overreach during Special Session on COVID-19 issues The Tennessee General Assembly adjourned the Third Extraordinary (Special) Session of the 2021 legislative year on October 30 after tackling a number of important issues regarding state and federal response to COVID-19. Last week we looked at the comprehensive legislation addressing mask, vaccine and quarantine mandates. In the second part of this two-part series, we will l...
General Assembly meets to consider legislation regarding vaccine and mask mandates and other matters related to COVID-19 State lawmakers returned to Capitol Hill this past week for the Third Extraordinary Session of the 112th General Assembly to consider legislation regarding vaccines and mask mandates, and other matters relative to COVID-19. As you may remember, the First Extraordinary Session held in January addressed COVID-19 learning losses by focusing on intensive education interventions...
General Assembly passes transformational legislation cementing Tennessee’s place as a leader in electric vehicle production A special session of the Tennessee General Assembly closed on Wednesday after lawmakers approved legislation addressing funding and oversight of Ford Motor Company’s historic $5.6 billion investment at the state’s Megasite in West Tennessee. Ford and SK Innovation are set to build a 3,600-acre mega campus called “Blue Oval City” where production of next generation all-elect...
Governor Bill Lee announced last week that he is tackling one of the most important issues affecting education in Tennessee - our state’s funding formula for K-12 schools. The current formula is complex and confusing. It leaves few people who understand how it works and many to disagree on how it should work. One thing that everyone can agree on is that it is very important to students, teachers, parents and schools in our district and statewide. Created in 1992, the Basic Education Program (...
