As we enter a new year and reflect on 2019, I am reminded of all I am thankful for and all I am hopeful for in 2020.
The opportunity to serve you in the 7th District and to bring so many voices to the Tennessee State Capitol is a great honor. Thank you for the privilege and for the support you’ve shown me.
My colleagues and I returned to Nashville this month to convene for the second half of the 111th Tennessee General Assembly.
Passage of a conservative balanced budget that keeps taxes low, improves education, increases job growth, expands access to quality health care and enhances public safety will be our main priority again this year.
Tennessee is experiencing tremendous success and prosperity under Conservative leadership. Our state’s finances are the healthiest in Tennessee’s history. In fact, we were named the most financially stable state in the nation by U.S. News and World Report. We also have the lowest debt per capita of any state in the nation and zero road debt.
All of these factors have resulted in near historic low unemployment rates, robust job growth and rising income levels. In fact, statewide unemployment reached a new record low in 2019 at 3.2 percent.
While Tennessee is a model of good governance and a national leader in several important areas, there is always more work to be done. New challenges arise each day.
This year, my focus remains on helping Tennessee families and providing our children with a high-quality educational experience. As a father of three, I believe our children are our most precious gifts.
I don’t believe any child should be penalized because of the financial circumstances of their family. That is why I led the fight to fund the Katie Beckett Waiver program last year. This program invests $27.3 million to provide lifesaving medical services through TennCare for Tennessee children with significant disabilities and the highest medical needs, regardless of their parental income levels. We know children experience a higher quality of life when they can receive care at home, and this will help relieve financial burden on our families who desperately need this program to care for their children.
I was also a proud cosponsor of a pro-life measure designed to protect the unborn. The Heartbeat Bill prohibits abortions from the point a fetal heartbeat is detected except in certain medical emergencies. We live in a strong pro-life state, and I am committed to serving as a powerful voice for our unborn.
My Republican colleagues and I will also prioritize education again this year. In 2019, we made an $11.3 billion total investment as part of our current state budget. This includes $6.6 billion in K-12 funding. Approximately $71 million will fund teacher salaries across Tennessee, while $39.4 million will fully fund the state’s Basic Education Program to cover growth and inflation in the funding formula. The BEP formula will fund $35.6 million for an estimated 8,330 students and $33.7 million for approximately 7,802 students in Johnson City Schools.
To thank our teachers and to ensure they receive the raises they have earned, we passed a bill last year requiring local education agencies (LEA) to report to the Tennessee Department of Education how additional funds are used when LEAs receive an increase in funding for teacher salaries.
I will also continue to push for improved school and bus safety again in 2020. During the first half of the 111th General Assembly, I backed a $40 million investment to secure our Tennessee schools. This amount includes a new $30 million investment for school safety. A portion of those funds will help provide for new school resource officers in our local schools. Washington County Schools is slated to receive about $70,000 and Johnson will receive about $65,000.
We also strengthened penalties against reckless motorists who put our children’s safety at risk through the STOP Act. This initiative strengthens penalties against motorists who fail to stop upon approaching a school bus picking up or dropping off students. It also improves safety on board buses by permitting LEAs to purchase, install, and operate external video cameras for their buses.
We’re also increasing our local investment in higher education by committing an additional $3.4 million to the overall operating budget for East Tennessee State University. This includes an additional $750,000 in recurring dollars for the university’s College of Medicine.
These are exciting times, and our work in 2020 will continue to improve the lives of our citizens across all regions of this state. Together, we will ensure Tennessee remains the best place in the entire nation to live, work, raise a family, and retire. Thank you for your continued support!
Matthew Hill is the Chairman of the House Finance, Ways, & Means Appropriations Subcommittee and the Chairman of the Select Committee on Rules. He is also a member of the Calendar & Rules, Finance, Ways, & Means, Health and Insurance Committees, and the Facilities, Licensure, & Regulations, Finance, Ways, & Means, and Public Health Subcommittees. Hill resides in Jonesborough and represents Tennessee House District 7, which includes a portion of Washington County. He can be reached by email at: Rep.Matthew.Hill@capitol.tn.gov or by calling (615) 741-2251.