TN Attorney General’s Office Files Petition to Withdraw Federal Vaccine Mandate for Healthcare Workers
Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti joined a coalition of 21 states in filing a Petition for Rulemaking, requesting that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) repeal the unlawful federal vaccine mandate for healthcare workers and withdraw related guidance. “Evidence continues to mount that the ongoing […]
Tennessee Continues Low Unemployment Rate in October
Tennessee continues to experience low unemployment, despite a slight uptick in October’s monthly rate, according to the Department of Labor and Workforce Development. The seasonally adjusted number for the month increased by just 0.1 of a percentage point to 3.5%. The state has had unemployment rates at or below 3.5% since January 2022. In a […]
40 Attorneys General Announce Historic Google Settlement over Location Tracking
Attorney General Skrmetti today announced that Tennessee, along with 39 other attorneys general, has reached a $391.5 million multistate settlement with Google over its location tracking practices relating to Google Account settings. This is the largest multistate Attorney General privacy settlement in the history of the United States. Tennessee will receive $14,560,086.13 from the settlement. […]
Antibiotic Awareness Week
The Tennessee Department of Health is recognizing the critical importance of antibiotics to public health during Antibiotic Awareness Week, Nov. 18 to Nov. 24, 2022, and encouraging Tennesseans to avoid overuse of the infection-fighting drugs. “Antibiotics fight bacteria to stop serious infections and save lives,” said TDH Commissioner Dr. Morgan McDonald, MD, FACP, FAAP. “If you […]
Comptroller’s Office Releases First Review of Literacy Success Act
The Tennessee Comptroller’s Office of Research and Education Accountability (OREA) has completed its first annual review of the implementation of the Tennessee Literacy Success Act (LSA). Passed during the General Assembly’s 2021 Special Session on Education, the LSA seeks to ensure that students in early grades are on track to become proficient readers by the […]
Gov. Lee Launches School Safety Toolkit for Tennessee Families
Tennessee Governor Bill Lee launched the new School Safety Toolkit for Tennessee Families, a practical resource to help parents prepare and engage in their child’s school safety plan. This follows Executive Order 97, which directed state agencies to equip and engage parents, increase transparency and collaborate with local law enforcement and school districts. “As we continue our […]
Unemployment Drops Below 5% in Every Tennessee County
September Marks the Second Consecutive Month Jobless Rates Decrease in all 95 Counties NASHVILLE – Every county in Tennessee recorded unemployment rates below 5% in September, according to the latest data from the Department of Labor and Workforce Development (TDLWD). September also marked the second consecutive month that rates decreased in each of the state’s 95 […]
Gov. Lee Launches $100 Million Violent Crime Intervention Fund for Local Law Enforcement
Tennessee Governor Bill Lee launched the $100 million Violent Crime Intervention Fund and invited local law enforcement agencies to apply for grants that will be used to strengthen public safety in communities across Tennessee. “As Americans face rising crime nationwide, Tennessee is equipping law enforcement with the tools needed to keep every community safe,” said […]
AG Skrmetti Leads Thirteen State Coalition Demanding U.S. Department of Justice Respect Free Speech Rights of Critics of Irreversible Pediatric Transgender Procedures
Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti is leading a coalition of state attorneys general demanding U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland respect the First Amendment rights of people who criticize irreversible transgender treatments for minors. The thirteen attorneys general write in response to a letter to Garland from several medical organizations which called for investigations and prosecution of those who criticize […]
Tennessee Higher Education Commission Outlines New Goals and Launches a Momentum-Building Year for College Enrollment
The Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC) today announced the launch of a momentum-building year to renew and articulate the value of education in Tennessee and to increase enrollment in education and training beyond high school. In May, THEC released the inaugural state college-going status report, College Going and the Class of 2021. The report showed that […]
Tennessee Begins Summer P-EBT Distribution
The Tennessee Department of Human Services announces the distribution of Summer Pandemic Electronic Benefit Program (P-EBT) beginning this week. Summer P-EBT The distribution of P-EBT benefits covering summer 2022 has begun. Eligibility for P-EBT is based on National School Lunch Program qualification consistent with the 2021-2022 school year. P-EBT benefits will be available to children […]
Gov. Lee, TN Legislative Leadership Announce Additional Step to Support TBI and Accelerate Testing
Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, Lieutenant Governor Randy McNally and Speaker Cameron Sexton announced a decisive step to accelerate the hiring process for 25 additional forensic lab positions at the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI).Taking this action ahead of the regular budget process will expedite the TBI’s efforts to expand testing capacity and reduce the turnaround […]
Tennessee, Montana Lead State Coalition Against Banks, Credit Card Companies Tracking and Monitoring Firearm Purchases
Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti along with Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen is leading a coalition of 24 states alerting the Chief Executive Officers of three major credit card companies that the recent creation of a Merchant Category Code for the processing of firearms purchases from gun stores is potentially a violation of consumer protection and […]
Gov. Lee Authorizes Tennessee National Guard to Support Hurricane Relief Efforts in Florida
Maj. Gen. Jeff Holmes, Tennessee’s Adjutant General, announced today that Tennessee Governor Bill Lee authorized the deployment of roughly 1,200 Soldiers and Airmen from the Tennessee National Guard to support response and recovery efforts for Hurricane Ian, which is expected to make landfall in Florida on Thursday. “As Florida braces for the impact of Hurricane Ian, […]
AG Skrmetti Leads State AG Response to U.S. Department of Education’s Proposed Regulations; Redefinition of “Sex”
Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti today objected to the U.S. Department of Education’s (the Department) proposed Title IX regulations in a formal comment letter joined by nineteen other state attorneys general. Title IX of the Education Amendment protects people from discrimination based on sex and applies to schools, local and state educational agencies, and other institutions […]
Tennessee’s Unemployment Rate Inches Up Slightly in August
After three consecutive months of steady, near record low unemployment across the state, Tennessee’s jobless rate inched up slightly in August, according to the Department of Labor and Workforce Development. The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for the month is 3.4%, up just 0.1 of a percentage point from July’s rate of 3.3%. The all-time low […]
