Tim Wright and Don Lindsey from the American Automobile Association (AAA) and Kendall Poole from the Governor’s Highway Safety Office updated the Senate Transportation Committee this week with good news regarding the safety status of Tennessee’s roads.  Traffic fatalities have gone down by 33 percent from 2003 to 2013. A major contributing factor in reducing highway deaths is that 84.8 … Read More

Results from the premier National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) test shows Tennessee is the fastest improving state in the nation, far outpacing its counterparts in success from 2011 to 2013.  NAEP is the gold standard report card given to 4th and 8th grade students across the nation every other year under the federal No Child Left Behind Law. “We … Read More

In committee action this week, the Senate Judiciary Committee approved a resolution calling for election of Tennessee’s attorney general.   Senate Joint Resolution 123 would amend the state’s Constitution to allow a popular election every four years. Tennessee is the only state in the nation that allows the State Supreme Court to select the attorney general.  Forty-three states select their attorney … Read More

Tennessee has been named the “2013 State of the Year,” according to Business Facilities magazine, a national economic development publication.   Tennessee’s top five economic development projects created a total of 6,900 jobs, $3.2 billion in capital investment and included seven expansions and three new recruitments. The magazine picked the state after evaluating the top five projects for the number … Read More

Senators approve Education and Consumer Bills as they start new legislative year  (NASHVILLE, Tenn.), January 16, 2014 — The 2014 session of the 108th General Assembly began on Tuesday, January 14 with a vast array of issues on tap this year including the state budget, education, jobs, public safety, the courts, and drug abuse.  State Senators got right down to … Read More

From the Associated Press FRANKLIN, Tenn. (AP) – A potential Republican presidential candidate is headlining Tennessee state Sen. Jack Johnson’s annual summer barbeque in Franklin. U.S. Sen. Rand Paul, of Bowling Green, Ky., is scheduled to attend the fundraiser at the Factory in Franklin on July 28. Several hundred people have attended the event in years past. Tickets are $50. … Read More

Key issues approved 1.)  BUDGET — Food Tax Relief and Hall Tax Relief / Ban Income Tax 2.)  JOBS —  Workers’ Comp / LEAP / Cont. Unemployment Comp Reform / Trusts 3.)  COURTS / AG — Founding Fathers’ Court Reform / AG 4.)  CRIME — Gang Crimes / Human Trafficking Package / Prescription Drug Laws 5.)  PUBLIC SAFETY / DUI … Read More

NASHVILLE, Tenn. —  The State Legislature passed a state budget and several key bills including unemployment compensation reform, education reform, school safety and prescription drug abuse before adjourning the 2013 legislative session to become a part of Tennessee history.  The action came after three and a half months of legislative deliberations and is one of the earliest adjournments in 23 … Read More

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Legislation that aims to help keep students safe at school won final approval this week which empowers a local director of schools, in conjunction with the school principal, to hire retired law enforcement officers to provide security.   The legislation, sponsored by Senator Frank Niceley (R-Strawberry Plains), also allows a teacher to possess a gun at school if they … Read More

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – State Senators approved legislation this week before adjourning the 2013 legislative session that continues the work done on unemployment compensation reform last year.   Before passage of the 2012 law, Tennessee did not have an efficient system in place to verify a claimant’s efforts of seeking employment while on unemployment benefits.  As a result of that new law, the … Read More