Governor Lee Signs Legislation Tossing Gym Tax
This week, the Governor signed legislation that tosses the amusement tax on small gyms. House Bill 1138 eliminates the amusement tax on small gyms, fitness studios, and similar entities across Tennessee. It levels the playing field for these facilities so they can compete against their larger counterparts, which obtained an exemption from this burdensome regulation […]
House Republicans Continue To Lead On Criminal Justice Reform
Earlier this week, Republican lawmakers advanced House Bill 839 to ensure accountability and also support rehabilitation efforts for those with a strong desire to work towards prosperity. This measure creates a statewide payment plan for individuals who submit proof of their inability to pay fines, taxes, or court costs on citations and have had their […]
Republican Lawmakers Create Balance Within Community Oversight Boards
This week, House Republicans strengthened House Bill 658 by adopting a recent Conference Committee amendment that gives community oversight boards subpoena power through their local legislative body. As amended, the local legislative body must vote in support of a community oversight board’s subpoena request. Additionally, the subpoena may not be issued in the form of […]
Republican Lawmakers Pass Legislation To Protect Tennessee’s Elections From Fraud
Legislation to protect Tennessee’s elections from fraud and abuse passed the House of Representatives with strong support this week. House Bill 1079 requires a person or organization that plans to conduct a registration drive attempting to collect 100 or more voter registration forms and pays individuals to collect the voter registration forms to register with […]
House Supports Resolution Calling For New Ad Hoc Task Force On Education
This week, House lawmakers supported a Joint Resolution that creates a new Ad Hoc Task Force on Education. This House-led initiative — in partnership with the Governor and the Senate Speaker — will focus on untying the hands of our educators, students, and schools in efforts to solidify Tennessee’s future. Under House Joint Resolution 394, […]
House Republicans Successfully Guide Charter School Commission Bill Through House
This week, House Republicans passed House Bill 940 in the Tennessee House of Representatives. This initiative – which is part of the Governor’s legislative agenda this year – establishes a 9-member independent charter commission to ensure that all Tennessee charter schools can best serve the state’s student population that relies on these institutions to achieve […]
Tennessee’s Historic Low Unemployment Holds Steady In March
Tennessee’s statewide unemployment rate for March 2019 remains at the historic low of 3.2 percent according to the latest statistics released by the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development (TDLWD). March is the second consecutive month the state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate sits at the all-time low. When compared to March 2018, unemployment in […]
State Representative Andrew Farmer Successfully Guides Governor’s Fentanyl Bill Through House
State Representative Andrew Farmer (R-Sevierville) has successfully guided House Bill 942 through the Tennessee House of Representatives. The measure — which is part of the Governor’s legislative package this year — builds upon Tennessee’s efforts to address the opioid crisis by increasing penalties against fentanyl dealers and those who traffic any derivative or analogue of this deadly, synthetic […]
Tennessee State Museum Quilt Exhibition Features More Than 40 quilts from Across the State, Including Two from Jefferson County
The Tennessee State Museum’s current exhibition, Between the Layers: Art and Story in Tennessee Quilts – its first new show since its grand opening last fall – features close to 40 quilts selected from the Museum’s vast collection that highlight Tennessee’s quilt artistry across more than two centuries and all three grand divisions of the […]
Comptroller Releases Report on Tennessee’s Educator Preparation Providers
The Tennessee Comptroller’s Office has released a new report that examines Tennessee’s Educator Preparation Providers. Educator Preparation Providers (EPPs) are institutions of higher education or other organizations that recruit, train, and produce licensed teachers. The report was requested by House Speaker Pro Tempore Bill Dunn and Senator Dolores Gresham. The report describes the steps EPPs […]
Interstate Construction Halted for Easter Holiday
The Tennessee Department of Transportation will suspend all interstate construction work this Easter weekend in anticipation of increased holiday travel. TDOT crews and contractors will stop all road construction work that requires lane closures beginning Thursday, April 18 at 6:00 p.m. through Monday, April 22 at 6:00 a.m. This will provide maximum roadway capacity to […]
SFMO Offers Fire Safety Tips for Manufactured Homebuyers
Tennessee’s reputation as a destination for families is driving the demand for new homes across the Volunteer State and manufactured homes are an affordable option for many. As part of ensuring fire safety in new and used manufactured homes, the Tennessee State Fire Marshal’s Office (SFMO) works with manufacturers, retailers, installers, and consumers to ensure […]
Division of Consumer Affairs Offers Tax Filing Tips Ahead of April 15 Deadline
With Tax Day (April 15, 2019) less than two weeks away, the Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance’s (TDCI) Division of Consumer Affairs and the Tennessee State Board of Accountancy is offering Tennesseans the following tips to help navigate the income tax filing process, make the most of their income tax refund and avoid fraudulent […]
Tennessee Facing Challenges in Keeping Children in Foster Care in Families
Although Tennessee’s efforts to prevent children from entering into its custody and to achieve permanency through adoption for those who cannot return to their families have been successful, it has work to do to assure children are placed in foster care and kinship families, according to “Keeping Kids in Families: Trends in U.S. Foster Care […]
TDCI Warns Consumers of Nationwide Social Security, Homeland Security Scams
The Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance (TDCI) is advising Tennessee consumers to be wary of callers purporting to represent the Social Security Administration (SSA) or the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in light of recent warnings from both agencies about nationwide telephone impersonation scams. Both agencies separately said they are currently investigating reports of individuals fraudulently claiming […]
Unemployment Rates Drop In Every County Across Tennessee
The unemployment rate for each of Tennessee’s counties improved in February according to new information released Thursday by the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development (TDLWD). Eighty of Tennessee’s 95 counties have an unemployment rate less than 5 percent, a marked improvement from January’s jobless numbers. “It is encouraging when unemployment rates drop in […]
