Howmet Aerospace officials announced on Tuesday that they will expand their Morristown operations.
With this new expansion, Howmet Aerospace will create 217 additional jobs. This follows last year’s announcement from the company that it would invest $28 million in Morristown, creating 50 new jobs.
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Tennessee’s film industry is set to receive a significant economic boost as a hit television show announced it will be filming in the state.
“9-1-1: Nashville,” an ABC show, made the announcement on Monday.
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Summertown Metals announced on Wednesday that the company is expanding its operations in Tennessee.
The company’s expansion will be its first venture outside of Middle Tennessee.
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A Tennessee law requiring the 40-member Metro Nashville Council to be reduced to half its size was determined to be constitutional by the Tennessee Court of Appeals in a ruling released Tuesday.
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Governor Bill Lee on Tuesday signed legislation into law making it a felony offense to smuggle illegal immigrants for profit in Tennessee, adding to the laws criminalizing similar behavior in the Volunteer State.
Introduced as Senate Bill (SB) 392 by State Senator Brent Taylor (R-Memphis) and House Bill (HB) 322 by State Representative Chris Todd (R-Madison County), Taylor on Tuesday confirmed the governor signed the legislation into law with a post on the social media platform X.
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Governor Bill Lee signed a bill last week that gives tax benefits to nuclear energy companies.
House Bill (HB) 1133 amends the state tax code to make nuclear energy production facilities eligible for the same type of tax benefits as wind source companies.
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Tennessee Governor Bill Lee signed a bill on Tuesday to create a registry of “persistent domestic violence offenders” within the Tennessee Bureau of investigation (TBI) to be available for public inquiry on the internet, similar to the state’s sex offender registry already in use.
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The Tennessee Department of Education (TDOE) announced it received 38,160 applicants for the department’s Education Freedom Scholarship Program (ESFP).
This program will allow students that attend Tennessee public schools “to use state funds toward education expenses,” according to TDOE.
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Governor Bill Lee announced on Thursday that the state received more than 33,000 applications for Tennessee Education Freedom scholarships, with the interest in the universal school choice option dwarfing the 20,000 scholarships created by lawmakers earlier this year.
The governor revealed in a post to the social media platform X that the Tennessee Department of Education saw “more than 33,000 applications” for scholarships “within hours of the program’s successful launch.”
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Gov. Bill Lee signed a bill on Monday that will help Tennesseans protect their farmland and forestland for future generations.
Senate Bill (SB) 0207, also known as the Farmland Preservation Act, creates a permanent conservation fund to help landowners prevent their land from being developed.
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An international company announced last week that it is moving its operations from Chicago to rural Tennessee.
Troax Group will establish its first Aspen Guard manufacturing facility in Portland, a town of around 14,000 people.
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Families will be able to submit an eligible student application for Tennessee’s new Education Freedom Scholarship Program for the upcoming school year next month, the Tennessee Department of Education announced.
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Governor Bill Lee on Friday signed into law legislation that will require Tennessee school districts to adopt policies that prohibit student cell phone use in classrooms, with limited exceptions, after an amended version of the bill was passed unanimously in the State House and without opposition in the State Senate.
The legislation, initially proposed by State Senator Ferrell Haile (R-Gallatin) and State Representative Rebecca Alexander (R-Jonesborough) in February, would require school districts to implement policies forbidding the use of cell phones by students during class, unless teachers make specific arrangements for he devices to be used educationally.
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Governor Bill Lee on Monday said the executive order signed by President Donald Trump to return control over education back to state governments will empower them by dispensing with a Washington, D.C. bureaucracy that has “siphoned off” taxpayer funding through the Department of Education since its formation in 1979.
Lee made the case that Trump’s efforts to return control over schools and dismantle the Department of Education will allow Tennessee to become better stewards of tax dollars during an appearance on Newsmax TV’s “National Report.”
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Governor Bill Lee on Thursday confirmed his support for President Donald Trump’s executive order to dismantle the Department of Education. The Tennessee governor told reporters that the president’s plan would move control over education decisions from Washington, D.C., to Tennessee.
Lee was in attendance on Thursday as Trump signed his executive order titled “Improving Education Outcomes by Empowering Parents, States, and Communities. ” USA Today reporter Joey Garrison posted a photo of the governor sitting next to Secretary of Education Linda McMahon on the social media platform X.
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Legislation that would restrict bathrooms, changing rooms, and similar facilities to students based on their biological gender is headed toward the desk of Governor Bill Lee after it passed in the Tennessee General Assembly this week.
The Tennessee State House on Thursday passed House Bill (HB) 64 by State Representative Gino Bulso (R-Brentwood) with 74 votes in favor and just 18 against, while the Senate on the same day substituted Bulso’s legislation for the bill previously submitted as Senate Bill (SB) 472 by State Senator Janice Bowling (R-Tullahoma), with the chamber passing it with 25 votes in favor and four against.
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Governor Bill Lee on Monday led a letter by seven Republican governors that urged the U.S. Senate to take rapid actions to complete the confirmation of Jared Isaacman, whom President Donald Trump nominated to lead the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
“The global space race is accelerating, and America faces an urgent challenge in maintaining its leadership in space exploration, technological innovation, and national security – especially in the face of China’s rapidly advancing space program,” said Lee in a statement.
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McKenzie McClure, a biological woman who identifies as a transgender man named Kalvin, was found guilty by a Middle Tennessee jury last week of 24 felony counts of cyberstalking officials and employees at Christ Presbyterian Academy (CPA), the Nashville elementary school she once attended, and was alleged to have made vague threats to Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and Governor Bill Lee.
McClure was arrested last May after she filmed herself making obscene gestures at the CPA campus. During that time, security cameras captured her as she attempted to gain access to the school. McClure also called the school, leaving a “disconcerting” message for staff members.
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TennesseeCAN launched a new website on Wednesday as the Volunteer State enters a “new education era,” the nonprofit organization announced.
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Tennessee Governor Bill Lee delivered his seventh State of the State Address on Monday in the House Chamber of the Tennessee State Capitol where he laid out his $59.5 billion budget proposal for Fiscal Year 2025-2026.
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A statement released by the Tennessee Catholic Conference on Monday praised the Education Freedom Act, the school choice plan presented by Governor Bill Lee, endorsed by President Donald Trump, and passed by the General Assembly last month, creating 20,000 scholarships to help families choose alternative schools for their children.
The conference, the policy arm of the Catholic Diocese of Nashville, Memphis, and Knoxville, said it was celebrating the passing of the school choice plan, calling it “a significant step forward for advancing opportunities for all students across our state,” and “landmark legislation” that reflects the Tennessee’s commitment to giving children better education opportunities.
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Recovering journalist and Nashville-area public policy expert Clint Brewer said the Tennessee General Assembly’s passage of the Education Freedom Act of 2025 will go down as Governor Bill Lee’s “legacy issue” throughout his two terms of leading the Volunteer State.
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Tennessee Governor Bill Lee is traveling to Washington D.C. on Friday to meet with President Donald Trump and other school choice advocates at the White House for a roundtable discussion on school choice.
Friday’s roundtable discussion will close out the 15th annual National School Choice Week.
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Senator Marsha Blackburn said on Thursday that she was inspired to consider a gubernatorial campaign, which could lead to her departure from the U.S. Senate, by the promises by President Donald Trump to return enormous power from the federal government back to individual states.
The Tennessee Republican explained her thought process during an appearance on “The John Fredericks Show,” telling host John Fredericks, who publishes The Virginia Star, The Georgia Star, and The Pennsylvania Daily Star, that she was devoting serious thought into the implications of possibly leaving the Senate.
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The Tennessee State House of Representatives and the State Senate on Thursday passed the Education Freedom Act, the plan by Governor Bill Lee and Republican legislative leaders to create 20,000 scholarships, each worth about $7,000, to help Tennessee families who choose send their children to private schools.
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U.S. Representative Diana Harshbarger (R-TN-01) on Tuesday confirmed her interest in becoming Tennessee’s next governor, stating that she might consider a gubernatorial campaign if U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) should eventually decide against running to succeed Governor Bill Lee, who cannot seek a third term.
Harshbarger made the remarks during a Tuesday appearance on “The John Fredericks Show,” telling John Fredericks, the publisher of The Virginia Star, The Pennsylvania Star, and The Georgia Star News that she would be honored to be considered by voters for Tennessee’s governor, or among those considered to succeed Blackburn in the Senate.
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Polling released Thursday morning to The Tennessee Star shows Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) is the early favorite to secure the Tennessee Republican Party’s nomination for governor next year, with Blackburn securing more than 60 percent of the vote in a hypothetical primary race.
The polling was conducted by Fabrizio, Lee and Associates, the polling firm run by Tony Fabrizio and David Lee, which has polled for President Donald Trump and his presidential campaigns since 2016.
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Tennessee Governor Bill Lee unveiled his administration’s agenda on illegal immigration for state lawmakers to debate during next week’s special legislative session.
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U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) confirmed she is “strongly considering” launching a bid for Tennessee governor in 2026.
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Governor Bill Lee on Wednesday announced a special legislative session for the Tennessee General Assembly to pass the governor’s school choice initiative, the Education Freedom Act, as well as disaster relief for citizens in East Tennessee still recovering from Hurricane Helene, and to “consider public safety measures related to illegal immigration to ensure the state is prepared for federal policy implementation.”
Lee did not specify what public safety measures lawmakers would consider in the special session, which is set to convene January 27, but five bills related to illegal immigration have already been introduced to the General Assembly by Republican lawmakers.
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With Governor Bill Lee ineligible to seek a third term in 2026, Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs said this week that Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) is the only potential candidate whose candidacy would ensure he would not enter the race before later endorsing the senator should she decide to launch a campaign for governor.
During his Sunday appearance on “Tennessee This Week,” Jacobs said he was flattered to be included among potential gubernatorial candidates before stating that Blackburn is the only hypothetical candidate whose decision would stop him from entering the race.
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Tennessee Governor Bill Lee announced Tuesday that all flags over the state capitol and state buildings across the Volunteer State will be flown at full staff on January 20 when President-elect Donald Trump is sworn into office as the nation’s 47th president.
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The Tennessee General Assembly will convene for a special legislative session on Monday, January 27 to focus on passing the Education Freedom Act, a disaster relief package, and other measures related to immigration, Governor Bill Lee announced on Wednesday.
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Governor Bill Lee on Wednesday confirmed that, if requested, he will activate the Tennessee National Guard to assist President-elect Donald Trump and his incoming administration with the mass deportation of illegal immigrants.
During a press conference about his Tennessee Education Freedom plan to offer 20,000 partial scholarships to Tennessee families to promote school choice, Lee was asked whether would activate the National Guard to assist with mass deportations by a reporter who noted Lee was among signatories on a letter from Republican governors who pledged to assist the president-elect with his immigration agenda.
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The Tennessee Department of Corrections (TDOC) announced on Friday that the Volunteer State will resume executions by lethal injection more than two years after Governor Bill Lee announced a pause and reevaluation on the state’s method of lethal injection.
A press release by TDOC announced the state government will resume executions using the drug pentobarbital under a revised lethal injection protocol, with Commissioner Frank Strata stating, “I am confident the lethal injection process can proceed in compliance with departmental policy and state laws.”
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Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee is continuing his advocacy for school choice in a new television advertisement for the American Federation for Children.
The ad is airing across the state, the governor’s office said Monday.
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Governor Bill Lee of Tennessee was among the 26 governors who signed a letter confirming their support for the immigration proposals advanced by President-elect Donald Trump, including the mass deportation of illegal immigrants.
Lee confirmed his support in a post to the social media platform X, where he shared a joint letter issued by the Republican Governors Association (RGA), which Lee continues to lead through the end of this year.
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Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, Secretary of State Tre Hargett, and Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti met together on Monday to certify the results of the November 5 general election, which saw a record 3.08 million votes cast among Tennesseans.
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Governor Bill Lee on Tuesday shared details about the new school choice legislation filed in the Tennessee General Assembly, suggesting the path universal school choice begins by making 20,000 scholarships available to Tennessee students, including 10,000 reserved for families who could not typically afford a private or parochial school.
Lee shared a website for the Tennessee Education Freedom Act in a post to the social media platform X, where he also included a clip from his recent Fox News appearance, when he explained the Tennessee Education Freedom plan would eventually lead to universal school choice.
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Tennessee U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) sent a letter to Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator Deanne Criswell on Monday demanding accountability within the federal agency after it was reported that FEMA workers were advised to discriminate against Trump supporters who needed assistance after Hurricane Helene.
Earlier this month, The Daily Wire reported that a FEMA supervisor ordered workers to bypass the homes of Donald Trump’s supporters as they surveyed the damage caused by Hurricane Milton in Florida.
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Republican leadership in the Tennessee General Assembly filed new legislation on Wednesday, the Education Freedom Act of 2025, to support Governor Bill Lee’s universal school choice plan.
House Bill 1/Senate Bill 1 was filed by House Majority Leader William Lamberth (R-Portland) and Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson (R-Franklin).
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Governor Bill Lee’s Office announced Thursday that $100 million in state funds have been made available for 13 Tennessee counties impacted by Hurricane Helene.
Carter, Claiborne, Cocke, Grainger, Greene, Hamblen, Hawkins, Jefferson, Johnson, Sevier, Sullivan, Unicoi, and Washington counties are eligible to request immediate financial assistance through the new Helene Emergency Assistance Loans (HEAL) Program.
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Tennessee leaders from the state and federal level toured the Northeast Tennessee Disaster Relief Center at Bristol Motor Speedway and met with personnel from the Tennessee Department of Transportation to receive an update about the work being done to repair I-40 in Cocke County on Monday.
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All 11 members of the Tennessee congressional delegation sent a letter to President Joe Biden on Tuesday requesting the “swift approval” of Governor Bill Lee’s request for an updated major disaster declaration in the wake of flash flooding caused by the remnants of Hurricane Helene.
Lee initially requested federal assistance for Carter, Cocke, Greene, Hamblen, Hawkins, Johnson, Unicoi, and Washington counties following the flash flooding that devastated buildings and roads in East Tennessee on September 26 and September 27, which the president approved on Saturday.
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Tennessee U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) launched a new webpage on her official website this week dedicated to providing resource information for Tennesseans impacted by Hurricane Helene.
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Tennessee U.S. Representative Tim Burchett (R-TN-02) announced Monday that he is suspending all campaign fundraising activities and instead urging his supporters to direct their monetary donations to relief efforts benefiting those impacted by Hurricane Helene.
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Tennessee leaders from the state and federal level surveyed storm damage and met with local officials in areas of East Tennessee devastated by Tropical Storm Helene this weekend.
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The Never Trump political effort to unseat Representative Andy Ogles (R-TN-05) in the Tennessee Republican primary earlier this month failed. The incumbent ultimately trounced Metro Council Member Courtney Johnston with a 13-point victory.
Ogles sailed to victory despite Johnston boasting better campaign funding, the support of Never Trump political consultant and former Governor Bill Lee administration member Blake Harris, the benefit of anti-Trump political organization Conservatives with Character, and her campaign being treasured by seasoned fundraiser Kim Kaegi.
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Mary L. Wagner was officially sworn in as a Tennessee Supreme Court justice by Governor Bill Lee this week.
Lee appointed Wagner to serve on the Tennessee Supreme Court earlier this year after Justice Roger A. Page announced his retirement from the bench.
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Nashville’s Metro Council is on board and a new East Bank Development Authority will be created after Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee signed a bill creating the board in May.
The East Bank area is the land between Interstate 24, I-65 and the Cumberland River.
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