Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency Announces Multiple Personnel Changes

A new general counsel, a senior advisor, and two deputy directors have been appointed to the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA).

The agency announced on recently that Frank Fiss has been named deputy director of business operations. In his new role as deputy director, he will oversee administrative responsibilities including TWRA’s budget, marketing, and human resources, the agency notes.

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New Tennessee Bill Would Benefit Students Forced to Learn Remotely Due to COVID-19

Members of the Tennessee Senate Education Committee are scheduled to consider a bill this week that would, if enacted into law, expand Educational Savings Accounts, also known as ESAs. Senator Mike Bell (R-Riceville) said Monday that at least one school district in Tennessee, in Collierville, moved students to remote learning this month, as Chalkbeat Tennessee reported.

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State Senator Mike Bell Announces He Will Not Seek Re-election in 2022

Tennessee State Senator Mike Bell (R-Riceville) will not be a candidate for re-election in 2022, according to a press release Monday from the Tennessee Senate Republican Caucus. Bell represents Senate District 9 which covers Bradley, McMinn, Meigs, Monroe and Polk Counties.

Bell was first elected to the Tennessee House of Representatives in 2006 before moving to the State Senate in 2010.

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Etowah Principal May Have Violated Tennessee Law By Urging Teachers to Fight School Vouchers

Etowah City School Principal Brian Trammell recently emailed his teachers and staff and urged them to lobby against the school vouchers’ bill up for consideration in the Tennessee General Assembly. The Tennessee Star confirmed the information Thursday after filing open records requests for school officials’ emails from several school districts in the state. Trammell possibly violated Tennessee’s Little Hatch Act by sending this email. The law prohibits state employees from engaging in political activity on the job. An email Trammell sent to his staff members on April 11 — a Thursday at 11:13 a.m. — was a call to action. “The response from our Senators and Representatives will be that it will not effect McMinn County/Etowah City School students and families, but it will. Once pandoras box is open, parent groups, such as Homeschool parents start suing wanting the same ‘benefit’ in every district in the State. The courts will see this as discrimination and open it up in every district,” Trammell wrote. “Please read the following and email the following concerns about this Bill. I implore you to email Senator Mike Bell (who, by the way, voted for this Bill yesterday) and Governor Lee and tell them you are…

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