Serving Hohenwald, Lewis County Tennessee Since 1898
Serving Hohenwald, Lewis County Tennessee Since 1898
Sorted by date Results 51 - 75 of 189
7 Session of the 113th General Assembly In Tennessee, We Protect the 2nd Amendment From self-defense to recreational use, protecting the use of firearms in the 2nd Amendment is a Tennessee tradition. In the time I’ve served in the General Assembly, we have passed many laws to solidify our commitment to the 2nd Amendment. This year, we passed legislation I sponsored to protect firearm and ammunition manufacturers. This new law provides civil liability protection to firearm and ammunition m...
7 Session of the 113th General Assembly Condemning the invasion of Israel by Hamas The Tennessee General Assembly this week issued a proclamation condemning in the strongest possible terms the invasion of Israel by the terrorist group known as Hamas. The proclamation demonstrates that the people of Tennessee and their legislature stand united in their support for the state of Israel and against those who seek to destroy America’s strongest ally in the Middle East. As the proclamation s...
When Tennessee ushered in our current fiscal year on July 1, 2023, a slew of new Tennessee laws passed by the General Assembly went into effect. I was proud to pass new laws to care for children by improving adoption and foster care services, as well as strengthening resources to the Department of Children’s Services (DCS) and the Wilder Youth Development Center in Fayette County. A new law went into effect this year to protect prospective adoptive parents and expectant parents from illegal a...
Recognizing Breast Cancer Awareness Month Every October, our nation is painted in various shades of pink as we collectively observe National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. It is a time to come together to raise awareness about breast cancer, support those affected by it, and emphasize the importance of early detection and research. Beyond the ribbons and pink products, National Breast Cancer Awareness Month carries profound significance in the fight against this deadly disease. As the most...
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...
