Governor delivers State of the State address
Gov. Bill Lee delivered his third State of the State address this week in a joint convention of the House and Senate at War Memorial Auditorium in Nashville. The governor’s speech focused on recent Republican accomplishments and shared legislative and budget priorities for the 2021 legislative session. Lee presented his $41.8 billion budget plan to members which included key investments in public education, economic recovery, health care, public safety, and an emphasis on business and rural Tennessee communities. His spending package includes a $341 million increase for K-12 education, $200 million to expand broadband to every Tennessean, $931 million for capital maintenance and improvements, $150 million for pandemic relief and Covid-19 vaccine support, $200 million to improve local infrastructure, and $135 million to expand transportation.
Tennessee marks 225 years of statehood this year, and to mark the occasion, Lee announced he would travel to all 95 counties beginning this summer.
The governor also provided an update of Tennessee’s Covid-19 response and continued economic recovery. Case counts have dropped significantly and hospitalizations for Covid have declined more than 60 percent in the past six weeks, Lee said.
The governor announced plans to make Tennessee a national leader in foster care and adoption. The proposed budget provides TennCare coverage assistance allowing adopted youth to retain their eligibility for physical, mental and behavioral health services until age 18 which reduces the financial burden on their adopted family.
Legislative priorities include:
- Legislation aimed at reducing crime, supporting families, and continued economic recovery
- Preparing students for successful life beyond the classroom
- Expanding broadband to most communities in Tennessee
- Legislation making Tennessee a national leader in foster care and adoption
Gov. Lee’s proposed budget for FY 2021-22 includes the following investments:
- $71 million to fully fund the Basic Education Plan
- $200 million for broadband expansion
- $120 million for teacher pay raises
- $50 million rainy-day fund deposit
- $150 million in COVID relief and support
- $931 million in capital maintenance and improvements
- $2 million for health care safety net
- $7 million in postpartum care for TennCare population
- $21 million for rural opportunity site grants
- $200 million in local infrastructure grants
- $30 million for state park improvements
- $8 million in tourism incentives
The full transcript of Lee’s speech and a video can be found here.
Teacher Discipline Act moves through K-12 Education
House Bill 16, also known as the “Teacher Discipline Act” began moving through committees this week. The House of Representatives unanimously approved the legislation 91-0 last June, however, the bill did not come to a vote in the Senate Chamber due to the pandemic. The legislation establishes a process for local school districts to enable teachers to remove a student who causes repeated disruptions.
Once the disruptive student is disciplined, principals could use their discretion to send them back into the classroom or permanently remove the child. The bill allows teachers to file an appeal with a schools’ director or local superintendent if they disagree with that decision.
House Bill 16 paves the way for local directors to work with school officials to address issues impacting a disruptive student’s ability to learn. To read more about House Bill 16, go here.
‘Keep Nine’ resolution urges Congress to make court packing unconstitutional
The Tennessee House of Representatives this week approved HJR0065, a resolution urging Congress to amend the U.S. Constitution to ensure the U.S. Supreme Court remains composed of nine members.
Republican Leaders joined a growing coalition of bipartisan leaders and former state attorney generals from across the nation seeking to preserve the independence of the judicial branch and prevent a radical makeover of the United States government by the Biden Administration.
The U.S. Supreme Court is the world’s greatest example of judicial independence and integrity and should remain free of political manipulation. The joint resolution encourages members of Congress to protect the legitimacy of the U.S. Supreme Court by passing a constitutional amendment that safeguards against partisan court packing.
Currently, the number of Supreme Court Justices is set by Congress. The Coalition to Preserve the Independence of the Supreme Court is leading the “Keep Nine Amendment” movement which is encouraging Congress to include language in the U.S. Constitution saying, “The Supreme Court of the United States shall be composed of nine justices.”
The Judiciary Act of 1869 changed the number of Supreme Court justices from six to nine. Congress last rejected an effort to expand the nation’s highest court in 1937 when President Franklin D. Roosevelt proposed adding eight new justices which would have expanded the court to 15 members.
House Bill 0141 creates more opportunities for animation and film in Tennessee
Local animators and film industry professionals on Monday visited legislators in Nashville to discuss the future of animation in Tennessee. Mike Nawrocki, creator of Veggie Tales and Dead Sea Squirrels, Tom Bancroft from Tom Bancroft Studio, and Steve Taylor with Big Idea Entertainment met with Majority Leader William Lamberth, R-Portland, Rep. Ryan Williams, R-Cookeville, and Rep. Debra Moody, R-Covington, along with representatives from the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development about House Bill 0141. This administration bill, carried by Williams, offers incentives for qualified animation or film productions to do business in Tennessee. It will create more opportunities for high-profile productions to be made in Tennessee. The Tennessee Film, Entertainment and Music Commission has incentivized 68 productions, recruiting 7,300 new full-time jobs totaling $655 million in economic output in the Volunteer State since 2007. House Bill 0141 has been assigned to the Finance, Ways, & Means Subcommittee.
For more about HB0141, visit here.