State Senator Kerry Roberts Praises Governor Bill Lee’s State of the State Address

State Senator Kerry Roberts (R-Springfield) joined Tuesday’s edition of The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy to discuss Governor Bill Lee’s State of the State Address delivered the prior night.

Throughout Lee’s address to state lawmakers and Tennesseans, he was repeatedly interrupted by hecklers, who first became vocal as the governor announced his plans to expand school choice and public education funding in the Volunteer State.

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Gov. Lee Will Not Ask Tennessee Lawmakers to Pass Red Flag Law in 2024

Governor Bill Lee (R) confirmed to reporters on Monday that he does not intend to ask the Tennessee General Assembly to pass red flag legislation during the upcoming legislative session, effectively abandoning the push he began in April.

Lee told reporters he would not ask legislators to pass a bill he previously proposed that would allow for judges to sign orders for authorities to confiscate the firearms of a person deemed to be at risk, otherwise known as a red flag law.

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Governor Bill Lee Participates in Groundbreaking of Multi-Agency Law Enforcement Training Academy in Nashville

Tennessee Governor Bill Lee (R) participated in Wednesday’s official groundbreaking for the Multi-Agency Law Enforcement Training Academy (MALETA) in Nashville’s Cockrill Bend.

The $415 million site campus will have housing and dining facilities for cadets and in-service employees, local and state law enforcement training facilities, and a new administrative headquarters building for the Tennessee Department of Safety & Homeland Security and the Tennessee Department of Correction.

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Republicans Praise Bold Proposal Which Could Lead to State of Tennessee Rejecting All Federal Money from U.S. Department of Education, Democrats Whine Plan is ‘Misguided’

The creation of a new joint working group by Tennessee House Speaker Cameron Sexton (R-Crossville) and Lieutenant Governor Randy McNally (R-Oak Ridge) to study the impact federal funds have on education in the Volunteer State is eliciting a mixed response.

State Senator Jon Lundberg (R-Bristol) and State Representative Debra Moody (R-Covington) will lead the new group. The state senator welcomes the opportunity to discuss using federal money in education.

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Tennessee Governor Bill Lee Announces MTSU Aerospace Expansion to Shelbyville

Tennessee Governor Bill Lee (R) along with Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) President Sidney McPhee announced on Thursday that MTSU’s growing aerospace department will be moving from its current location at Murfreesboro Airport to a new state-of-the-art campus in Shelbyville.

Due to the rapidly expanding Aerospace industry, preparations for the new MTSU Aerospace-Shelbyville campus has been in the works since April. The press release says that the institution and the state have contributed a total of $62.2 million for the move.

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Williamson County GOP Issues Medical Rights Resolution Against Any Potential COVID-19 Mandates

The Williamson County GOP has issued a medical rights resolution refusing to “blindly submit” to any effort by the federal government to reinstate COVID-19 mandates and urging state lawmakers to do more to protect Tennesseans’ medical freedoms.

“We, as the Republicans of Williamson County, as Americans, as God-fearing Conservatives, will refuse to blindly submit, and we thank our State Legislators for the protections they have already enacted and beg them to do far more to protect our Medical Freedom and to prevent such a horrific overreach from ever happening again; and we ask for Governor Lee to task our state’s Attorney General to investigate violations of the Tennessee Constitution and other Covid-19 crimes,” the resolution reads.

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Tennessee Governor Bill Lee Launches Grant Program to Support Expecting Mothers and Families

Tennessee Governor Bill Lee (R) opened applications this week for the Tennessee Strong Families Grant Program to support expecting mothers and families.

According to the press release, the $20 million program aims to increase resources for moms, kids, and families while improving maternity healthcare access. It aids local nonprofit organizations across the state, including pregnancy centers.

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Idaho Attorney General Labrador Joins Coalition Supporting Tennessee’s Defense of its Adult Entertainment Act

On Monday, Idaho Attorney General Raul Labrador (R) joined a coalition of 18 states in support of a Tennessee law protecting minors from lewd and obscene behavior.

Tennessee Governor Bill Lee (R) signed the Tennessee Adult Entertainment Act (AEA) into law in March of this year which bans “adult cabaret performance” in public or in front of children in the state of Tennessee.

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Former TN Education Commissioner Penny Schwinn Fails Upward, Lands $367k per Year Job with University of Florida

Tennessee’s former commissioner of education, Dr. Penny Schwinn, has landed a new position with the University of Florida. Dr. Schwinn will join the school in a newly created position as vice president for PK-12 and Pre-Bachelors Programs.

According to an email from Cynthia Roldán Hernández, University of Florida’s director of Strategic Communications, this work will earn Schwinn an annual salary of $367,500, making her the second-highest-paid University of Florida vice president.

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Tennessee Governor Bill Lee and Ayers Foundation Launch Initiative for Rural Economic Growth

Tennessee Governor Bill Lee and the Ayers Foundation Trust announced this week the launch of a new collaborative statewide initiative to improve the economic prospects of rural Tennessee.

The initiative, called Come Home Tennessee, aims to reduce the number of economically distressed and at-risk counties in the state by providing the highly qualified graduates of the well-acclaimed Ayers Scholars Program and other Tennesseans with connections to regional employers and remote employment options that allow them to stay or return to their hometowns to live, work, and raise their families if they so choose.

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BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee Employees Fired for Refusing COVID-19 Vaccine File Federal Lawsuit

A group of BlueCross BlueShield employees whom the company terminated between October and November 2021 for refusing the COVID-19 vaccine filed a federal lawsuit this week against the company.

As previously reported by The Tennessee Star, In 2021 BlueCross BlueShield of Tennesee (BCBST) terminated 41 of its employees, many of whom worked remotely from home, after the company implemented a COVID-19 vaccine mandate.

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Tennessee Veteran Receives Medal of Honor in Washington D.C.

A Tennessee veteran became the 33rd Tennessean to receive the Medal of Honor, the highest honor the United States can bestow on a member of the military.

On Tuesday, President Joe Biden awarded the honor to 81-year-old former Army pilot Captain Larry Taylor who, while serving in the Vietnam War, risked his life by flying into intense enemy fire to save four members of a reconnaissance squad from an imminent enemy overtake.

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Alabama Attorney General Marshall Backs Tennessee in Protecting Children from Sexually Explicit Performances

Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall (R) joined an 18-state coalition last week in support of a Tennessee law that protects children from sexually explicit performances.

Tennessee Governor Bill Lee (R) signed the Tennessee Adult Entertainment Act into law in March of this year, which bans “adult cabaret performance” in public or front of children in the state.

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Tennessee Department of Education Releases Data from Summer Learning Camps

The Tennessee Department of Education released data on Wednesday for third-grade students who participated in state-sponsored summer learning camps and completed the required post-test.

Beginning this summer, third-grade students scoring “approaching” or “below” on the ELA portion of the spring TCAP assessment faced prevention unless they participated in the state-provided pathways to fourth-grade promotion. These include the TCAP retake opportunity, free summer camp, and tutoring in the upcoming school year. Third-grade students who choose to participate in summer school must show adequate growth – defined by the State Board of Education(SBE) as 4 percent – to be eligible for promotion. Participants must also meet a 90 percent attendance measure.

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Tennessee School Districts Celebrate TVAAS Results, But Supporting Data Remains Unavailable to Parents Until Mid-September

Tennessee school districts are touting their Tennessee Value-Added Assessment System(TVAAS) scores, even as the Tennessee Department of Education (TDOE) has yet to make those scores available for public inspection.

TVAAS measures student academic growth over the course of a school year. Since it focuses on growth over proficiency, TVAAS allows administrators to see what strategies truly impact student performance.

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Tennessee Star Files Records Request for Information on ‘Handwritten Words, Drawings, and Numbers’ Found on Covenant Killer’s Clothes

The Tennessee Star filed a public records request seeking information related to “handwritten words, drawings, and numbers” found on the clothing of Audrey Elizabeth Hale, the Covenant School killer, at the time of the mass shootings.

Michael Patrick Leahy, Tennessee citizen and CEO of Star News Digital Media, Inc., parent company of The Tennessee Star, filed the records request Thursday morning with the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department. MNPD officials sent an automatic reply acknowledging receipt of the request.

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Tennessee Department of Education Provides Update on Implementation of New Student Funding Formula

The Tennessee Department of Education (TDOE) updated the State Board of Education (SBE) last week on the state’s progress in implementing its new school funding formula – Tennessee Investment in Student Success (TISA). Tennessee is moving from a systems-based funding formula to a student-based funding formula with TISA.

The new system uses a formula that starts with a base amount for each student and then adds money for various factors. Those components include poverty, district size, English learners, and special education needs. This year, the base allocation per student is $6,860 per student.

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Changes Coming to Tennessee’s Model Teacher Prep Program

A program designed to remove financial barriers for potential teachers to enter the profession is undergoing modification. As a result, some prospective teachers may find themselves financially unable to participate. 

The new changes potentially put the program at odds with its original goals. Compounding the issue is a lack of transparency by both the Tennessee Department of Education (TDOE) and the Tennessee Grow Your Own Center. 

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TEA Fights Payroll Deduction Law, Possibly Puts Pending Teacher Raises at Risk

Three of Tennessee’s teacher associations have filed a lawsuit against Tennessee over a new law prohibiting payroll deductions for labor association dues. The law, scheduled to go into effect on July 1, includes provisions for increased educator pay.

Governor Bill Lee and Interim Education Commissioner Sam Pearcey are named in the lawsuit. TEA is asking for a restraining order and temporary and permanent injunctions on the payroll dues deduction ban.

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Tennessee Education Commissioner Penny Schwinn’s Term in Office Officially Concludes

June 1st officially marked the end of Penny Schwinn’s tenure as the top education official in Tennessee. Schwinn submitted her resignation on May 1st but gave the state 30 days’ notice before making it official.

Long-time Tennessee Department of Education (TDOE) employee Sam Pearcy will assume the reins for the next 30 days. At that time, Governor Bill Lee’s appointed successor, Lizzette Gonzalez Reynolds, officially begins her term.

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State Freedom Caucus Network Expresses Support for Tennessee Legislators Rejecting Governor’s Special Called Session

Representatives from the State Freedom Caucus Network issued a statement of support Wednesday for the Tennessee House members who publicly rejected Governor Bill Lee’s call for a special session to pass gun control and red flag laws.

Earlier Wednesday, Tennessee State Representatives Bryan Richey (R-Maryville) issued an open letter to the governor, signed on to by Representatives Ed Butler (R-Rickman) and Todd Warner (R-Chapel Hill), urging the abandonment of the special session scheduled for August 21.

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Hero Metro Officers Who Killed Covenant School Shooter to Receive National Award

Metro Nashville Police Officers Rex Englebert and Michael Collazo will receive the National Award of Valor at the National Association of School Resource Officers (NASRO) School Safety Conference next month. NASRO annually presents its National Award of Valor to five individuals “for acts of courage and valor above and beyond what would normally be expected.”

NASRO admired how the officers “ended the tragic shooting at The Covenant School March 27 by confronting and firing at the shooter, fatally wounding them within 14 minutes of the first report of the incident.”

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Commentary: Advice for the New Tennessee Commissioner of Education

I have some advice for Tennessee’s new Commissioner of Education, Lizzette Gonzales-Reynolds. Please know that you will never be everyone’s cup of tea. And that statement of fact is true for all of us. 

However, everyone is worthy of respect. In an Age of Irreverence, it is worth remembering that simple truth. We are all created in the image of God. It doesn’t mean you have to accept others’ beliefs, or even agree with them. However, it is a good starting point for human interaction.

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Tennessee Department of Education Names Steering Committee to Advise on Implementation of New School Funding Formula

The Tennessee Department of Education (TDOE) released on Wednesday the names of appointees to the newly created Tennesseans Investing in Student Achievement (TISA) steering committee.

The state is transitioning to a new public school funding model. The newly created committee will advise on the implementation of the new, student-based K-12 education funding formula, which goes into effect for the 2023-24 school year.

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Commentary: Bill Lee’s Red Flag Law Proposal Helps the Progressive Movement Nationally

by John Harris   Governor Bill Lee called on the Tennessee Legislature to pass a “Red Flag” law on April 11, 2023 just shortly after three Tennessee Democrat House members made a similar call on the House floor and led a disruptive gun control rally with a bullhorn directly from the front podium on the House floor.  The Democrat House members’ gun control rally brought national attention, unfavorable attention, to Tennessee and the Tennessee House of Representatives. Governor Lee has willfully joined the Democrats in an open call for gun control.  He has intentionally called for a “Red Flag” law although he referred to it as a “temporary mental health order of protection” because perhaps, as Senator Jack Johnson is recently recorded as stating, “Red Flag” laws have to be “rebranded” in order to pass (or did Sen. Johnson mean to say ‘in order to mislead the voters’?). Following Governor Lee’s call for a Red Flag law, Democrat House Member Justin Jones (who is one of those who was expelled from the House for his disruption of House proceedings and then almost immediately reinstated) has been making national news by continuing to call for gun control at the same time that Governor Lee is doing…

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Tennessee Education Commissioner Penny Schwinn Resigns, Governor Lee Names Lizzette Gonzales Reynolds as New Top Educator

Commissioner of Education Penny Schwinn is leaving the Tennessee Department of Education (TDOE) effective June 1, online education policy magazine The74, reported Monday. The outlet reports that Schwinn has grown tired of distracting culture war battles over the way race and gender are taught in the state’s classrooms. In response, Governor Lee is returning to familiar ground for her replacement.

Lee named Lizzette Gonzales Reynolds as the news Education Commissioner, who, like Schwinn, is a former Texas Deputy Commissioner of Education.

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Commentary: Governor Bill Lee Calls for Unconstitutional Red Flag in the Last Days of Legislative Session

On April 19, 2023, reports are suddenly surfacing that Governor Bill Lee has released a 13 page bill that would substantially change Tennessee’s criminal code and mental health codes to implement a “Red Flag” law. The proposed amendment which was released this afternoon does not indicate which bills are being amended, who the sponsors are, when the bill would be heard in a committee or give anyone outside of government the opportunity to review, comment on or oppose the legislation. (The entire amendment is on the TFA’s news post)    It is the typical move of a tyrant. 

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Commentary: Does the Legislature Have Constitutional Authority to Pass Governor Lee’s Call for a Red Flag Law?

On April 11, 2023, Governor Bill Lee called for the Tennessee Legislature to respond to the public’s emotional response to the Covenant School murders by enacting a law to make sure mentally ill people do not have access to firearms. He did not use the term “Red Flag” but that is the correct label for the kind of law that Governor Lee described as a “new protective order”.

Tennessee’s Legislature has a super majority of Republicans. Many of those Republicans have campaigned as strong Second Amendment supporters and continue to claim that they are. Many of them have told their constituents that they would never support a “Red Flag” law. Some may have answered candidate surveys or signed pledges assuring the voters that they would never support a “Red Flag” law in Tennessee. Now Republican Governor Lee calls on them to violate those promises and assurances and to pass a “Red Flag” law.

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Governor’s Office Opposes ‘True Constitutional Carry’ Bill that Allegedly Passed in 2021

A bill currently before the state legislature, being referred to as “true constitutional carry,” is actively being opposed by representatives of Governor Bill Lee’s office, even though his constitutional carry legislation was supposedly passed into law in 2021.

In February 2020, Lee held a press conference in the old supreme court chambers in the state capitol, surrounded by more than 40 members of the Tennessee General Assembly, to announce that he would be introducing legislation supporting the God-given and constitutionally-protected Second Amendment rights of Tennesseans with a Constitutional Carry bill.

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White House Condemns Tennessee Governor Bill Lee for Signing Bills That Ban Drag Shows, Sex-Change Operations for Minors in the State

The White House condemned Tennessee Governor Bill Lee for signing two pieces of legislation this week that regulate drag shows and ban minors from getting sex-change operations. 

On Thursday, Lee signed SB3/HB9, which outlaws drag shows in public spaces and restricts them to age-appropriate venues, and SB1/HB1, which prohibits minors from receiving puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and transgender surgeries.

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