Tennessee Ends 2022 with Continued Low Unemployment
Tennessee ended 2022 with continued low unemployment across the state. The seasonally adjusted rate for December came in at 3.5%, which was unchanged from November. For the entirety of 2022, the statewide unemployment rate reached a low of 3.2% and never went above 3.5%. In a year-to-year comparison, the statewide unemployment rate is down 0.1 […]
Tennessee Promotes “Healthy Communities, Healthy Babies” for National Birth Defects Awareness Month
The Tennessee Department of Health is recognizing National Birth Defects Awareness Month in January 2023 to encourage healthy choices and habits for prospective parents to help lower their risk of having babies born with birth defects. Birth defects are structural changes that can affect almost any part of the body. In Tennessee, more than 3,000 […]
Gov. Lee Unveils Transportation Plan for Rural and Urban Tennessee
Tennessee Governor Bill Lee presented his administration’s strategic infrastructure plan to accommodate Tennessee’s record growth, address traffic congestion and meet transportation needs across rural and urban communities. In the coming weeks, the Lee administration will introduce the Transportation Modernization Act of 2023. Tennesseans are invited to view the full presentation here. “As Tennessee continues to experience tremendous […]
TennCare to Restart Renewals
Congress passed legislation which will end the Medicaid continuous enrollment requirement related to the COVID-19 pandemic on April 1, 2023. At that time TennCare will be required to reverify the eligibility status of everyone receiving TennCare or CoverKids benefits. One of TennCare’s top priorities during this process is to make sure all eligible members do […]
VITAL POLICY – Gardenhire Files Bill to Expand School Vouchers in Tennessee, Legal Claims of ESA Opponents Exhausted
After a lengthy court battle, Education Savings Accounts (ESAs), commonly called school vouchers, are available to parents in two Tennessee counties under a pilot program narrowly approved by the legislature in 2019. ESAs provide low and middle-income families with vouchers so they can move their children to private schools. Multiple Tennessee senate members aim to […]
Study Examines Increased Reliance on Temporary Staff in Long-Term Care Facilities
A new study by the Tennessee Comptroller’s Office of Research and Education Accountability examines the use of temporary nursing staff by nursing home and assisted care facilities. The use of temporary staffing agencies has sharply increased over the last few years due to worsening staffing shortages resulting from the effects of the pandemic. In 2019, […]
TennCare to Restart Renewals
Today, Congress passed legislation which will end the Medicaid continuous enrollment requirement related to the COVID-19 pandemic on April 1, 2023. At that time TennCare will be required to reverify the eligibility status of everyone receiving TennCare or CoverKids benefits. One of TennCare’s top priorities during this process is to make sure all eligible members […]
Gov. Lee Applauds Repeal of Federal Military COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate
Tennessee Governor Bill Lee released the following statement on the repeal of the federal government’s overreaching COVID-19 vaccine mandate on members of the U.S. Armed Forces. The measure was included in the bipartisan National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which passed Congress and now heads to the president’s desk to be signed into law. “For months, […]
Comptroller’s Office Studies Driver Education in Schools
The Tennessee Comptroller’s Office of Research and Education Accountability (OREA) has completed a review of driver education in Tennessee, including issues of availability and affordability, particularly for students in Title I high schools. The study was conducted at the request of the General Assembly. While past studies vary in their conclusions about the effectiveness of […]
Tennessee’s Jobless Number Holds Steady Ahead of the Holidays
The November statewide unemployment rate in Tennessee held steady heading into the holiday season, according to the Department of Labor and Workforce Development (TDLWD). The seasonally adjusted jobless number for November 2022 remained unchanged at 3.5%. In a year-to-year comparison, the statewide unemployment rate is down 0.1 of a percentage point. Tennessee has recorded unemployment […]
Tennessee to Receive $13 Million from Settlement with Electronic Cigarette Manufacturer JUUL Labs, Inc.
Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti filed a Complaint and Assurance of Voluntary Compliance relating to Tennessee’s settlement with electronic cigarette maker JUUL Labs, Inc. The settlement is the culmination of a two-year, bipartisan, 34-state investigation into JUUL’s marketing and sales practices. The total settlement payout will be $434.9 million, with Tennessee receiving approximately $13 million. […]
VITAL POLICY – Gentry vs. Speaker of the House, A Citizen’s Quest to Exercise Constitutional Rights and Improve Tennessee Government
John Gentry is asking the Speaker of the Tennessee House of Representatives to schedule a time for him to orally “address” the house of representatives for a period of fifteen minutes at a time mutually agreed upon when a quorum is present. His aim is to persuade state legislators to make corrections to a system […]
The Tennessee Division of Consumer Affairs Offers Consumer Protection Tips When Considering Over-the-Counter Hearing Aids
The Food and Drug Administration rules now allow the sale of over-the-counter (“OTC”) hearing aids. Consumers over the age of 18 may buy hearing aids directly from store shelves and online at lower prices. Finding the right OTC hearing aid may require consumers to try more than one device before finding the perfect fit, and […]
Participants in State’s Families First/TANF Program to Receive a One-Time Additional Payment of $500
The Tennessee Department of Human Services (TDHS) is providing extra support to thousands of families who receive monthly cash assistance through the state’s Families First program. Households with a case in the Families First Program as of December 1, 2022, will receive a one-time additional payment of $500 on their existing Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards. This […]
State Veterinarian Urges Biosecurity to Prevent Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza
The Tennessee State Veterinarian is issuing an alert for domesticated bird owners who also engage in bird hunting. Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) is prevalent in wild birds and is endangering backyard and commercial flocks in Tennessee. “HPAI detections among domesticated birds and wild birds have been on the rise.” Tennessee State Veterinarian Dr. Samantha […]
House GOP reelects Jeremy Faison as caucus chairman
Members of the Tennessee House Republican Caucus unanimously reelected State Rep. Jeremy Faison, R-Cosby, as caucus chairman for the 113th General Assembly during a biennial organizational meeting held in Buchanan, Tenn. on Nov.22. Faison, who will serve his third term as caucus chair, was instrumental in successfully guiding Republican members to victory in several competitive races on Nov. […]
