The opening week of the 109th General Assembly was also marked by re-election of two of the state’s constitutional officers, the treasurer and comptroller of the treasury. The state’s constitution provides that the legislature selects the offices in a joint session of the Senate and House of Representatives during the organizational session of each General Assembly.
Elected and sworn in were David Lillard as State Treasurer and Justin Wilson as Comptroller, both who are serving their third term in these positions. The comptroller audits state agencies and county governments to ensure they are run well. The treasurer keeps track of the state’s coffers, its investments and its pension funds.
While the Treasurer and Comptroller serve two-year terms, the third constitutional officer, Tennessee’s Secretary of State, serves a four-year term. Secretary of State Tre Hargett is beginning his third year of that term after being elected by the General Assembly in 2013. The three constitutional officers serve on several key boards together, such as the State Building Commission, which maintains all state-owned public buildings; the Funding Board, which helps guide budgeting; and the Tennessee Housing Development Agency, which helps provide citizens with affordable housing.