Serving Hohenwald, Lewis County Tennessee Since 1898
Serving Hohenwald, Lewis County Tennessee Since 1898
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Joint Working Group on Federal Education Funding Last week, the Tennessee State Senate and speakers announced the creation of a new Joint Working Group on Federal Education Funding and I was appointed to serve on it. The working group will study the impact federal education funding has in and out of the classroom. That includes the restrictions, mandates, and additional regulations required by the Federal Department of Education, and whether the state can provide similar services without taking...
It was the Constitution that made the War of Independence a Revolution Celebrating Constitution Day Our nation celebrated a very important birthday on September 17. On this date 231 years ago, 39 delegates of the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia signed the greatest protection of life, liberty and property the world has ever seen – the U.S. Constitution. It is altogether appropriate that we stop and reflect on this amazing document and what it means to us as Americans. That is why I s...
The 113th General Assembly has adjourned for 2023, 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 some of the laws passed this session. Adding “In God We Trust” to the state seal - The General Assembly approved a measure to add “In God We Trust” to the Tennessee state seal. The new law asks the governor, who is the keeper of the seal, to direct the Secretary of State to redesign the state seal. O...
The 113th General Assembly has adjourned for 2023, 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 some of the laws passed this session. Protecting senior citizens from stalkers - This new law expands aggravated stalking offenses to include anyone who stalks a person 65 years of age or older and is at least 15 years younger than the victim. The change increases the punishment from a Class A misdemean...
The 113th General Assembly has concluded Governor Lee’s extraordinary session on public safety and accomplished the business he called on the General Assembly to address. In the special session, the legislature continued efforts to prioritize investments in mental health and school safety and approved the majority of the governor’s legislative package. The new laws passed aim to enhance public safety by encouraging responsible gun ownership, speeding up the background check process for pur...
The 113th General Assembly has adjourned for 2023, 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 some of the laws passed this session. Supporting firefighters suffering from PTSD - The Senate unanimously approved a new law that seeks to reduce stigma and provide support for firefighters following a post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) diagnosis. The James ‘Dustin’ Samples Act allows a fir...
The 113th General Assembly has adjourned for 2023, 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 some of the laws passed this session. Certifying Presidential Primary Ballots - This law requires candidates for president on the primary ballot to be certified by the State Party Chair, rather than the Secretary of State who was the previous certifying authority. The law requires the state coordinator of elections to certify to the county election...
The 113th General Assembly has adjourned for 2023, 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 some of the laws passed this session. Ensuring smart, financially responsible investment – This year, the General Assembly passed legislation to ensure that the state is only investing taxpayer funds into financially responsible companies. The new law specifically prohibits the Tennessee Treasurer from...
The 113th General Assembly has adjourned for 2023, 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 some of the laws passed this session. Extending COVID-19 liability protections indefinitely – The General Assembly made permanent certain laws passed during the COVID-19 pandemic to protect citizens from government overreach and provide businesses and health care providers with liability protections f...
7 Session of the 113th General Assembly The 113th General Assembly has adjourned for 2023, 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 some of the laws passed this session. Do-Not-Text law - The General Assembly passed legislation to allow Tennessee consumers to block unwanted text messages. The law merges text message solicitations to the state’s Do Not Call Registry, and extends the same p...
7 Session of the 113th General Assembly The 113th General Assembly has adjourned for 2023, 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. Increasing penalties for strangulation - To crack down on crime and abuse, lawmakers approved a new law to increase penalties for strangulation charges. It clarifies that if a victim loses consciousness as a result of...
The 113th General Assembly has adjourned for 2023, 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. Strengthening Tennessee’s laws protecting mothers and the unborn – Tennessee law makers reaffirmed their commitment to protecting pregnant women and the unborn by passing a law that clarifies that doctors should protect the life of a mother when a nonviable pregnancy end...
7 Session of the 113th General Assembly The 113th General Assembly has adjourned for 2023, 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. Transportation Modernization Act - The General Assembly passed major legislation to modernize Tennessee’s infrastructure and address traffic congestion, prolonged project delivery timelines, and the deteriorating revenue stream f...
The 113th General Assembly has adjourned for 2023, 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. Enhancing the appeals process for capital offenses - When defendants are convicted of a capital offense, they are awarded a request for collateral review, which is a judicial re-examination of evidence that is handled by the original trial court. These requests are the defendants’ right, but they often come late i...
5th General Assembly The 113th General Assembly has adjourned for 2023, 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. Addressing the teacher shortage – The Senate passed several bills to alleviate the shortage of teachers at schools throughout Tennessee. Senate Bill 1221, would grant a temporary teacher license to student teachers in c...
The 113th General Assembly has taken measures for Tennessee to be a better place to live, work and to raise a family. State lawmakers work to help storm victims – Severe storms ripped across Tennessee, leaving destruction and devastation in their wake. Numerous tornadoes touched down across the state, impacting many citizens. Tragically, 15 Tennesseans lost their lives. Governor Lee has requested an emergency declaration which was supported by lawmakers serving the affected Cannon, Hardeman, H...
One week after the deadly attack on the Covenant School in Nashville, Republican lawmakers and Governor Bill Lee announced additional actions to strengthen safety at public and private schools across Tennessee. These measures include enhanced legislation and more than $200 million to place an armed security guard at every Tennessee public school, boost physical security at public and private schools, and provide additional mental health resources for Tennesseans. School security has been a...
Senate suspends business in recognition of Covenant School attack, commits to focus on school safety Like all Tennesseans, the Senate is mourning the horrific and senseless attack on Covenant School, a private Christian school in Nashville, that stole the lives of three children and three adults. In recognition of the victims of the horrific attack, the Senate conducted no business in its Monday floor session. The Reverend Russell Hall of Mt. Olive Church of God in Cleveland, Tennessee led the...
Legislation advances to strengthen 2nd Amendment protections Judiciary Committee advances legislation to expand permit less carry law The Senate Judiciary Committee voted to strengthen 2nd Amendment rights of Tennesseans this week and approved Senate Bill 1503 to lower the age to legally carry a handgun without a permit in the state from 21 to 18. The measure also lowers the age from 21 to 18 to obtain an enhanced or lifetime enhanced handgun carry permit. The legislation is part of an effort...
Senate focuses on improving outcomes for Tennessee children Updating Tennessee’s 2021 Literacy Success Act to strengthen student outcomes The Education Committee this week passed a bill that would update Tennessee’s Literacy Success Act law to allow for additional information to be considered when making 3rd grade retention decisions and provide more resources to help students as they learn to read. The law was first passed in 2021 to improve literacy rates in the state and get students on tra...
Major tax cuts proposed for Tennessee businesses and families The Tennessee Works Tax Reform Act of 2023 is advancing in the Senate and cleared the Senate Revenue Subcommittee with a positive recommendation on Tuesday. This legislation proposes a number of changes to Tennessee’s tax code to lower the tax burden on businesses, boost Tennessee’s economic competitiveness, promote entrepreneurship and small business formation, and provide targeted relief to families. This is one of Governor Bil...
Senate Transportation Committee passes legislation to address traffic congestion across the state Legislation to modernize Tennessee’s infrastructure and address traffic congestion, prolonged project delivery timelines, and the deteriorating revenue stream for road funding advanced in the Senate Transportation and Safety Committee this week. Senate Bill 273, dubbed the Transportation Modernization Act of 2023, is one of Governor Lee’s key legislative proposals this year, and seeks to add...
Legislation advances to crack down on TikTok use at Tennessee College Campuses The Senate Education Committee unanimously approved legislation to prohibit the Chinese-owned social media platforms TikTok and WeChat from being accessed on Tennessee public higher education institutions’ internet networks. These platforms pose serious national security risks to the United States. National security experts have warned that TikTok has the potential to allow the Chinese Communist Party to spy on A...
Conserving Tennessee’s natural resources The Senate is in full swing. Lawmakers are passing legislation on the Senate floor and advancing many bills through committees to ensure Tennessee remains a great place to live, work and raise a family. This week, Senate committees completed their first of five weeks of budget hearings and heard budget proposals from 18 different state departments and agencies. One of Gov. Lee’s legislative priorities to conserve Tennessee’s natural resources and envir...
Gov. Lee announces 2023 priorities in State of the State Address This week was highlighted by Governor Bill Lee delivering his fifth State of the State Address on Monday evening in a joint session of the General Assembly. In the speech titled ‘Tennessee: Leading the Nation,’ the Governor presented his $55.6 billion budget proposal and legislative priorities for 2023. Tennessee’s strong fiscal stewardship places the state in one of the strongest budgetary positions in history and allows for i...
