27 Tennessee Main Street Communities to Benefit from “IDEA Initiative”
The Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development is partnering with the United States Department of Agriculture and the Appalachian Regional Commission to launch the “IDEA Initiative” that will assist Tennessee Main Street designated programs in setting achievable, effective and sustainable development objectives. There are currently 27 Main Street communities across Tennessee. “We are pleased […]
Tennessee Joins National ‘Geek the Library’ Campaign to Support Library Funding
Residents of Tennessee may soon add a new verb to their vocabulary – ‘geek.’ Public libraries across the state – more than 170 so far – are participating in Geek the Library, a national campaign to raise awareness about the importance of properly funding libraries. The campaign highlights what people are passionate about and how […]
Federal Extensions of Unemployment Benefits Set to Expire at Close of 2013
The Tennessee Department of Labor & Workforce Development is alerting more than 18,000 Tennesseans currently receiving federally extended unemployment insurance that those payments will soon end. The federal legislation that extended Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC) expires at the end of 2013 in the absence of congressional action. “We don’t want people who are presently receiving […]
Fraud Awareness Week Casts Spotlight on White Collar Crime
Organizations lose an estimated 5 percent of their annual revenues to fraud, according to a 2012 study by the ACFE. To help shine a spotlight on this global problem, the Tennessee Treasury Department is participating in International Fraud Awareness Week, Nov. 3-9, 2013, as an official supporter to promote anti-fraud awareness and prevention. During Fraud […]
Audit Exposes Problems at the Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
The Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (DIDD) must remedy serious problems in its service recipient safety practices, service delivery system, and information system implementation efforts, according to a report released today by the Comptroller’s office. The department provides services directly to recipients or indirectly through contracts with community providers in a variety of settings, […]
Audit of Tennessee Community Services Agency Finds Nearly $30,000 in Fraud in Federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Program
A report released today by the Comptroller’s office details how the Tennessee Community Services Agency (TNCSA) management failed to detect and prevent clients from falsifying work activity documentation to receive their cash benefits. The Comptroller’s Division of State Audit found that clients fraudulently received $29,543 in benefits based on falsified documentation. The Temporary Assistance for […]
State Treasurer Lillard Earns National Recognition From His Peers
Tennessee State Treasurer David H. Lillard, Jr. received the prestigious Jesse M. Unruh Award this week at the National Association of State Treasurers (NAST) Annual Conference in Asheville, North Carolina. The award is given each year to a state treasurer who has demonstrated outstanding service to the association, the profession and his or her state. […]
Audit Catches TWRA Misuse of Funds
The Tennessee Comptroller of Treasury recently conducted a performance audit of activities and selected programs of the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency. The Comptroller of Treasury had several alarming findings. Among the findings, they found the agency did not maintain proper controls over state credit cards. In addition, TWRA did not report lost or stolen equipment […]
State Investigating Mandated Fire Department Funding
The State of Tennessee is investigating mandated public funding for all Fire Departments across the State. Locally, Jefferson County contributes $55,000 to County Departments and municipalities also contribute funding to those departments located inside the City limits. The current level of funding may not be enough to meet the State mandate, should the legislature decide […]
Comprehensive Immigration Reform: Pro-Growth and Pro-Agriculture
Earlier this year, the U.S. Senate passed a commonsense immigration reform measure in a strongly bipartisan fashion. This was an important step in the right direction – especially for producers, farm workers and rural communities. The historic legislation passed by the Senate provides a pathway to earned citizenship for the 11 million people who are […]
Tennessee Receives Top Grade for Financial Literacy
Tennessee’s efforts to teach financial literacy skills to young people have earned the state a top grade among the 50 states. The Center for Financial Literacy at Champlain College recently ranked every state on its efforts to provide financial literacy education to high school students. Tennessee was one of only seven states that received an […]
CHILDREN’S CABINET AWARDS COMPUTERS ACROSS THE STATE
The Governor’s Children’s Cabinet co-chaired by Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam and First Lady Crissy Haslam has awarded 137 children’s computers to public libraries and family childcare programs across Tennessee. The AWE Early Literacy Stations feature more than 60 educational software titles spanning seven curricular areas all focused on supporting early learning in children. These educational […]
Annual Sales Tax Holiday To Take Place August 2nd – August 4th
Members of the Tennessee House of Representatives are reminding citizens across the state this week that Tennessee’s 9th annual sales tax holiday is scheduled for Friday, August 2ndthrough Sunday, August 4th. During the three day tax holiday, shoppers can save almost 10 percent on tax free clothing, school and art supplies, and computer purchases. The […]
Governor Haslam and TDVA Announce Online Pre-Registration Resource for Burial in State Veterans Cemeteries
Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam and Department of Veterans Affairs Commissioner Many-Bears Grinder announced an innovative new online pre-registration form which will allow veterans and their families to be pre-approved for burial in the state veterans cemeteries. Traditionally, funeral directors contact the nearest state veterans cemetery when they receive a request to bury the remains of […]
Representative Faison Announces Key Economic Health Award
Fitch Ratings, one of the country’s top bond agencies, has officially named Tennessee the lowest debt state in the nation. The news, which was officially released by Fitch earlier this week, is based on an analysis of total debt ratios in all 50 states. The calculation is measured by combining each state’s total debt and […]
Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett to Lead Association
The National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS), currently holding its annual summer conference in Anchorage, Alaska, today inducted its new slate of national officers for the 2013-2014 cycle. Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett will serve as president of the professional organization for state officials through July 2014, marking the first time in more than […]
