Brandon Gibson, the rumored frontrunner to succeed Attorney General Slatery, Governor Bill Lee’s Chief Operating Officer for the state of Tennessee, refused to comment when The Tennessee Star asked her to comment on the pending firings of many National Guardsmen due to their refusal to comply with a COVID-19 vaccine mandate.
The Star reached out to Gibson on Monday morning.
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In the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling Friday that overturned Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey, Tennessee Attorney General Herbert H. Slatery III announced his office has asked the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals to lift the district court’s injunction and allow the state’s heartbeat law to go into effect as soon as possible.
The attorney general’s request to allow the state’s law banning abortion once a fetal heartbeat can be detected – generally at six weeks’ gestation – is a temporary measure until, in 30 days, the state’s 2019 Human Life Protection Act, a law that bans most abortions at any time, except those to save the life of the mother, can be enforced.
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AFSCME Local 1733 endorsed Democratic candidate JB Smiley, Jr. on Monday to be the next Tennessee governor.
The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) is the largest trade union of public employees in the United States. The group “believes that every person working to sustain their community deserves respect.”
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Butch Eley, who has been Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Finance and Administration (F&A) since 2020, has now been appointed Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Transportation.
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Advanced Call Center Technologies (ACT) announced Monday it will establish new operations in Bristol and Kingsport, creating 650 new jobs in Sullivan County. ACT’s expansion in the region will create 350 new jobs at its Kingsport facility and 300 jobs in Bristol, according to a press release by the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development (TNECD).
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Commissioner Bob Rolfe announced his departure Tuesday from the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development (TNECD) in order to enter the private sector, according to a press release by the department.
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Monday morning on The Tennessee Star Report, host Leahy welcomed Southeastern Legal Foundation’s Director of Litigation Braden Boucek to the newsmaker line to explain how the educational savings account works and updates on pending litigation that proves the state is not interested in letting parents control their children’s education.
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Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee signed an appropriations bill that includes $500 million toward a new Tennessee Titans stadium on Wednesday.
The bill is part of a $52.8 billion budget for the state. The $500 million in bonds for the domed stadium will require $55 million in annual payments.
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Ariens Company officials announced Thursday that the company will invest $38 million to locate its new manufacturing and warehouse facility in Tennessee, according to a press release by the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development (TDEC).
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Sixteen Republican governors, with Tennessee Governor Bill Lee not among them, sent the Biden administration and the SEC a letter on Tuesday telling them to back off a proposed “climate change” disclosure regulation.
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Tennessee Governor Bill Lee led 18 other GOP Governors in a letter to President Joe Biden to call for federal action on the ongoing baby formula shortage.
The group produced examples of specific actions Biden could take in order to ease the burden on families across the country.
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Tennessee lawmakers are speaking out on social media after a school shooting in Uvalde, Texas unfolded on Tuesday that has since left 22, including the gunman, dead.
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Tuesday morning on The Tennessee Star Report, host Leahy welcomed new official guest host Aaron Gulbransen in-studio to have a discussion questioning the governor’s power to rubber-stamp an attorney general for the state of Tennessee.
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Five Star Food Service, Inc. officials announced Wednesday in a press release that the company will expand its headquarters operations in Hamilton County.
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A new funding formula for public education in Tennessee was signed into law by Gov. Bill Lee on Monday.
Lee said “it’s long overdue that we make this change” before being joined by legislative leaders and Department of Education Commissioner Penny Schwinn on the stage of Franklin High School, where Lee attended.
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State sales tax funding for a new baseball stadium in Chattanooga was passed in the last week of Tennessee’s legislative session.
House Bill 2609 was approved 79-11 by the House and 28-0 in the Senate. It would allow the Chattanooga Lookouts to move to a new stadium in the city and retain a sales tax deal where the Lookouts keep the first 5.5% of the state’s 7% sales tax for sales at the stadium and would extend the deal to apply to non-baseball events at the stadium.
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A newly proposed Pennsylvania law would require drunk drivers who cause deadly accidents to pay support to the children of those they killed.
State Rep. Anthony DeLuca (D-Pittsburgh) is currently seeking cosponsors in the House of Representatives for the legislation.
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Governor Bill Lee has appointed Billy Worsham to chair the Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities’ (DIDD) Statewide Planning and Policy Council (SPPC) for the next two years, according to a press release by the department.
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Tennessee Governor Bill Lee marked the close of the 2022 legislative session Friday, which included the passage of his $52.8 billion budget and full agenda as outlined during his State of the State address in February.
“Tennessee is America at Its Best, and we’ve made strategic investments to cut taxes, strengthen infrastructure and invest in education at every level to prepare our state for future growth,” Governor Lee said in a statement. “I thank Leader Johnson and Leader Lamberth for carrying key legislation, and commend the General Assembly for passing measures that will benefit Tennesseans and continue our state’s reputation for conservative fiscal management.”
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Tennessee’s Senate passed a bill on Thursday that could require more reporting requirements for political action committees (PAC), candidates and some nonprofits.
An amended Senate Bill 1005 could require any PAC registering after July 1 to include a name and address from an ID for its officers if it becomes law.
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The adage is that no one loves a warrior until the enemy is at the gates. We are the land of the free for one reason only: We are also the home of the brave. We need more people willing to stand up and bravely speak out on issues. However, it is not always about being right, it is about doing what is right. On that front, we need more warriors not afraid to do what is right and what is necessary.
Ronald Reagan, a man known for his wit, preferred humor to attack politics. Journalist H.W. Brands wrote: “Even those who disliked his policies had difficulty disliking him.” Brands also called Reagan the Republican Party’s “last hero, their last real vote-getter.”
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Tennessee Governor Bill Lee joined lawmakers at the state and federal level, as well as other prominent figures, in signing a letter asking Yale Law School to discipline a “vitriolic mob” that derailed a bipartisan panel on free speech at the campus in March.
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On Thursday, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee announced efforts to recruit out of state law enforcement to the Tennessee Highway Patrol have “netted early results as the administration focuses on proven crime prevention methods and addressing law enforcement staff shortages.”
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On Friday, the Division of TennCare expanded health care benefits for pregnant and postpartum TennCare members, according to the department.
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A bill that will change the funding mechanism for Tennessee’s public schools passed the Legislature on the final day of session on Thursday.
Senate Bill 2396, known as the Tennessee Investment in Student Achievement, could set up a new formula for Tennessee’s schools to be funded beginning in the 2023-24 fiscal year.
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Ultimate Linings, LLC officials announced Tuesday the company will relocate its chemical manufacturing facility from Bedford, Texas, to Lebanon, Tennessee, according to a press release by the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development (TNECD).
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Tennessee Governor Bill Lee announced appointments to three judicial positions across the state on Monday, according to a press release by Lee’s office.
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Permobil, Inc. officials announced the company expects to invest $15.5 million to expand its manufacturing operations at the company’s North American headquarters in Middle Tennessee, according to a press release by the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development (TNECD).
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On Thursday, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee announced in a press release his proposal for a 30-day suspension of state and local grocery sales tax to provide “direct financial relief to Tennesseans amid surging inflation nationwide.”
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On Wednesday, Governor Bill Lee, Department of Economic and Community Development (TNECD) Commissioner Bob Rolfe, and ATC Drivetrain officials announced the company has selected Knoxville as the location for its newest manufacturing facility.
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Governor Bill Lee and Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) Commissioner David Salyers announced a $19 million loan for the City of Chattanooga to improve water infrastructure on Monday.
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President Joe Biden granted a Major Disaster Declaration on Friday to help seven Tennessee counties recovering from the severe winter storm that hit the region in early February, at the request of Governor Bill Lee.
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On Wednesday, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, Department of Economic and Community Development (TNECD) Commissioner Bob Rolfe, and Ultra Safe Nuclear Corporation (USNC) officials announced the company will establish new manufacturing operations in Oak Ridge.
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Thursday morning on The Tennessee Star Report, host Leahy welcomed all-star panelist Clint Brewer in-studio to comment upon Morgan Ortagus’ D.C. fundraiser and open records request by the national ACLU in regard to the Hillsdale College Barney Charter Schools.
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Tennessee Governor Bill Lee and Department of Economic and Community Development (TNECD) Commissioner Bob Rolfe announced Wednesday that Iron Galaxy Studios, LLC will invest $950,000 to establish a new video game development studio in Nashville. As part of the company’s expansion to Davidson County, Iron Galaxy will create 108 new tech jobs over the next five years, according to a press release by TNECD.
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Tennessee Governor Bill Lee and Tennessee Department of Education Commissioner Penny Schwinn are scheduled to announce legislation for the new student-based funding formula, known as the Tennessee Investment in Student Achievement formula (TISA) this week. According to an emailed statement, Lee and Schwinn are scheduled to present the legislation on Thursday, February 24.
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On Friday, Governor Bill Lee and Department of Economic and Community Development (TNECD) Commissioner Bob Rolfe announced that Wall Innovations, LLC has chosen Bolivar to relocate from Long Island City, New York for its U.S. manufacturing and distribution base.
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Tennessee Governor Bill Lee signed a proclamation dedicating February 13-19, 2022 as “Adoption Is Love Week.”
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Tennessee Governor Bill Lee and Department of Economic and Community Development (TNECD) Commissioner Bob Rolfe announced Thursday that Chick-fil-A Supply® selected Antioch as the location for its fourth U.S. distribution center in the state. The facility will begin operations later this year, according to a press release by TNECD.
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Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee’s $52.6 billion budget proposal uses $8.9 billion more in general fund dollars than the state’s current budget, according to an analysis from The Sycamore Institute.
The additional spending comes from multiple sources. A large portion is from excess taxes and fees collected over the past three years and an influx of federal funds.
The Sycamore Institute pointed to $5.2 million more in funds available this fiscal year than what was budgeted in July, including a $2.3 billion surplus from fiscal year 2021 and $2.3 billion more in surplus from fiscal 2022.
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Friday morning on The Tennessee Star Report, host Leahy welcomed State Representative Terri Lynn Weaver to the newsmaker line to talk about her priorities for 2022 and a Yes vote to refuse federal education money.
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Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, Department of Economic and Community Development Commissioner Bob Rolfe, and Macy’s, Inc. officials announced Wednesday that the company will expand operations in Robertson County.
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On Wednesday, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee asked FEMA to work with TEMA on a joint Preliminary Damage Assessment (PDA) to determine the state’s eligibility for federal assistance to support power restoration and recovery efforts in counties impacted in the floods and severe ice storm on February 3rd and February 4th, 2022.
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On Wednesday, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee announced the appointment of Butch Eley as deputy to the governor. Eley will continue serving in his current role as commissioner for the Tennessee Department of Finance and Administration (F&A) and as a member of Governor Lee’s cabinet, according to a press release by Lee’s office.
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Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee’s proposed fiscal year 2023 budget includes $626.5 million in road projects for the Tennessee Department of Transportation.
The proposal includes 22 new projects that are categorized under the State Highway Partnership Program ($226 million), Rural Interchange Improvement Program ($176 million), IMPROVE Act Acceleration ($100 million) and economic development projects ($77 million).
The economic development projects, in what are characterized as some of the state’s fastest-growing counties, include a Cleveland Street extension and Interstate-24 underpass in Davidson County ($40 million), a Sullivan County alignment project ($22 million) and widening State Road 334 in Blount County ($15 million).
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During his fourth State of the State address on Monday in the House Chamber of the Tennessee State Capitol, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee declared, “the state of our state is strong.”
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Tennessee Governor Bill Lee sent off approximately 50 Tennessee Guard personnel to support the Texas National Guard and the Texas Department of Safety on Wednesday.
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Tennessee Governor Bill Lee and staff at the Tennessee Department of Education (TDOE) this week released projected data that predates COVID-19 and compared it to student’s actual TCAP scores. They said in a press release that they did this to measure the pandemic’s impact on student achievement via the Tennessee Value-Added Assessment System (TVAAS) public site. State officials use the site annually to measure students’ overall growth.
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On Monday in a press release, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee and Department of Economic and Community Development Commissioner Bob Rolfe announced that they recently approved $28.5 million in Community Development Block Grants (CDBG), which will assist communities with infrastructure improvements, housing rehabilitations and health and safety initiatives.
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To commemorate National School Choice week in Tennessee, Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) released a statement calling for government funding to follow and benefit students.
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