The General Assembly approves $42.6 billion budget Provides significant investments in education, health care, and economic development The House and Senate of the 112th General Assembly on Thursday successfully approved a no-debt $42.6 billion budget that provides strategic investments in education, health care, public safety and economic development initiatives. As a result of careful spending decisions and…

House Republicans pass historic criminal justice reform The Tennessee House of Representatives approved two major criminal justice reform bills this week in Nashville.  Both are proposals from Gov. Bill Lee’s legislative package and are part of his efforts to reform criminal justice in Tennessee. The bills reflect changes recommended by the Tennessee Criminal Justice Reinvestment…

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – State Rep. Tim Hicks, R-Gray, officially passed his first bill as a member of the Tennessee General Assembly and the House Republican Caucus. House Bill 764 passed unanimously on Thursday, March 25. House Bill 764 updates an outdated 1939 statute dealing with the State Soil Conservation Board and Soil Conservation Districts. The bill changes the…

Legislation strengthens state’s TANF program to assist families in achieving self-sufficiency and build a thriving Tennessee House Bill 142, legislation strengthening and improving the state’s Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program, advanced through the Government Operations Committee on Monday. The bill was recommended by a group appointed to study possible changes to the program, which…