Gov. Bill Lee's State of the Union

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 Tennessee communities. His spending package includes a $341 million increase for K-12 education, $200 million to expand broadband to every Tennessean, $931 million for capital maintenance and improvements, $150 million for pandemic relief and Covid-19 vaccine support,$200 million to improve local infrastructure, and $135 million to expand transportation. Tennessee marks 225 years of statehood this year, and to mark the occasion, Lee announced he would travel to all 95 counties beginning this summer.

The governor also provided an update of Tennessee’s Covid-19 response and continued economic recovery. Case counts have dropped significantly and hospitalizations for Covid-19 have declined more than 60 percent in the past six weeks, Lee said. The governor announced plans to make Tennessee a national leader in foster care and adoption. The proposed budget provides TennCare coverage assistance allowing adopted youth to retain their eligibility for physical, mental and behavioral health services until age 18 which reduces the financial burden on their adopted family.

Also, House Bill 16, also known as the “Teacher Discipline Act” began moving through committees this week. The House of Representatives unanimously approved the legislation 91-0 last June, however, the bill did not come to a vote in the Senate Chamber due to the pandemic. The legislation establishes a process for local school districts to enable teachers to remove a student who causes repeated disruptions. Once the disruptive student is disciplined, principals could use their discretion to send them back into the classroom or permanently remove the child. The bill allows teachers to file an appeal with a schools’ director or local superintendent if they disagree with that decision. House Bill 16 paves the way for local directors to work with school officials to address issues impacting a disruptive student’s ability to learn.

The Tennessee House of Representatives this week approved HJR0065, a resolution urging Congress to amend the U.S. Constitution to ensure the U.S. Supreme Court remains composed of nine members. Republican Leaders joined a growing coalition of bipartisan leaders and former state attorney generals from across the nation seeking to preserve the independence of the judicial branch and prevent a radical makeover of the United States government by the Biden Administration. The U.S. Supreme Court is the world’s greatest example of judicial independence and integrity and should remain free of political manipulation. The joint resolution encourages members of Congress to protect the legitimacy of the U.S. Supreme Court by passing a constitutional amendment that safeguards against partisan court packing. Currently, the number of Supreme Court Justices is set by Congress. The Coalition to Preserve the Independence of the Supreme Court is leading the “Keep Nine Amendment” movement which is encouraging Congress to include language in the U.S. Constitution saying, “The Supreme Court of the United States shall be composed of nine justices.” The Judiciary Act of 1869 changed the number of Supreme Court justices from six to nine. Congress last rejected an effort to expand the nation’s highest court in 1937 when President Franklin D. Roosevelt proposed adding eight new justices which would have expanded the court to 15 members.

As always, I am truly humbled and honored to be your voice on Capitol Hill. If there is ever any issue I can assist with, please reach out to my office by calling 615-741-2190 or emailing me at [email protected].