Republicans Work To Increase Transparency Within The Education System
Republican leaders supported legislation that will help increase transparency within the education system this year. House Bill 946 requires a Local Education Agency (LEA) to report to the Department of Education how additional funds were used for each year an LEA receives an increase in funding for salaries and wages. We are committed to increasing […]
Republican-Led Initiative To Expand Access To Vocational & Technical Training Passes House
The House of Representatives has passed House Bill 949, also known as the GIVE Act, to expand access to vocational and technical training for Tennessee students by a 92-0 vote. One of Governor Lee’s first initiatives, this $25 million investment is a two-pronged approach that utilizes regional partnerships to develop work-based learning and apprenticeship opportunities. […]
The House Passes Legislation To Improve School Bus Safety
Legislation protecting students from unlawful drivers in Tennessee was also approved earlier this year. House Bill 268 provides an option for local education agencies (LEA) and school systems to install, operate, and maintain external cameras on school buses for the purpose of recording vehicles that fail to stop upon approaching a school bus. Additionally, House […]
Republican Initiative To Secure Our Tennessee Schools Becomes Law
Republican lawmakers passed an initiative this year that will help secure our Tennessee schools and provide additional safety resources to protect Tennessee’s future leaders. The initiative proposes a $30 million investment for the school safety grant fund and additional changes to existing law to prioritize the distribution of these grants to help secure school resource […]
General Assembly Approves Charter School Commission Bill
Members of the General Assembly have approved an initiative creating a new charter school commission. House Bill 940 – 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 […]
Tennessee Education Savings Account Pilot Program Approved
Members of the House also approved the Tennessee Education Savings Account Pilot Program this year. A small part of a much larger plan to build upon our recent improvements in education, House Bill 939 gives some of our poorest children a fighting chance at a high-quality education. The pilot is capped at 15,000 students and […]
House Continues Tax Cuts For Hardworking Tennessee Citizens
The House continued reducing taxes for hardworking Tennesseans and their families this year by slashing more than $35.2 million dollars as part of the Fiscal Year 2019-2020 budget. As part of these cuts, lawmakers overwhelmingly supported House Bill 1262, which repeals the professional privilege tax on accountants, architects, athlete agents, audiologists, chiropractors, dentists, engineers, landscape […]
Legislation Tossing Gym Tax Becomes Law
Governor Lee has officially signed legislation that tosses the $6 million 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 […]
Sergeant Baker Act Passes The General Assembly
This year, the General Assembly also approved House Bill 258, known as the Sergeant Baker Act. This initiative removes the intermediate appeal to the court of criminal appeals in death penalty cases and provides for automatic direct review by the Tennessee Supreme Court for convictions for which a death sentence is imposed. Additionally, House Bill […]
General Assembly Enhances Agriculture Education In Tennessee
Republican leaders supported legislation enhancing agriculture education in Tennessee. House Bill 945 – which is part of Governor Lee’s legislative agenda this year – establishes the Agriculture Education & Youth Participation Task Force. The goal of the 11-person task force is to encourage and promote agricultural education opportunities so our students are better prepared for […]
Republican Lawmakers Create Balance Within Community Oversight Boards
In 2019, House Republicans passed House Bill 658, which creates balance within community oversight boards across Tennessee. The legislation balances both the interests of our citizens to voice their opinion while also protecting the fundamental rights of officers and their families from malicious or politically focused persecution. As amended, community oversight boards can obtain subpoena […]
Republicans Continue To Protect Sanctity Of Life
This year, Republican lawmakers continued their commitment to protecting the sanctity of life and fighting for our unborn children. In early March, House Republicans approved the Heartbeat Bill. This measure prohibits abortions after a fetal heartbeat is detected but makes an exception if the life of the mother is in jeopardy. Weeks later, House Bill […]
Announcement of Maximum Effective Rate of Interest on Home Loans
The Federal National Mortgage Association has discontinued its free market auction system for commitments to purchase conventional home mortgages. Therefore, the Commissioner of Financial Institutions hereby announces that the maximum effective rate of interest per annum for home loans as set by the General Assembly in 1987, Public Chapter 291, for the month of June, 2019 is 6.93 […]
Tennessee WIC Program Launches Electronic Benefit Transfer Card System
The Tennessee Women, Infants and Children or WIC Program has transitioned to an electronic benefit transfer system from a paper-based method of issuing benefits. Tennessee families participating in WIC now use their TNWIC cards instead of paper vouchers to purchase WIC-approved foods. TNWIC is now available in all 95 counties of Tennessee. “We are so […]
Gov. Bill Lee Lauds General Assembly in Working Together to Pass Conservative Reforms
Thursday, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee marked the close of the 2019 legislative session, a session which included the unanimous passage of his budget as well as the passage of his full agenda as outlined during his State of the State address in March. “In March, I presented our budget and a series of priorities which […]
AG Slatery Joins 17 State Coalition Supporting EPA Plan to Ease Burden on Farmers, Landowners
Nashville- Attorney General Herbert H. Slatery III joined a 17-state coalition this week to support farmers and landowners by urging the Trump administration to adopt its proposed replacement of the Obama-era, Waters of the United States rule. The coalition, in comments filed late Monday, argued the Trump administration’s proposal would restore reasonable, predictable lines between […]
