NASHVILLE – Governor Bill Haslam and First Lady Crissy Haslam today recognized 22 state employees for providing outstanding service to the state and their fellow Tennesseans at a luncheon at the Tennessee Residence. The Governor’s Excellence in Service Awards was launched in 2016 to honor outstanding state employees who are helping Tennessee lead by providing efficient and effective state services every day.
NASHVILLE – Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam today appointed James L. Gass of Dandridge as Circuit Court Judge in the 4th Judicial District, filling a temporary appointment that had been made last October. On October 18, Haslam appointed Gass as special judge to fill a temporary vacancy due to the illness of Judge Richard R. Vance. Judge Vance died on December 3, 2017, creating the need for Haslam to make an appointment to serve until the next general election.
NASHVILLE – Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam announced his legislative agenda for the 2018 session, continuing his focus on leading the nation in jobs, education, and efficient and effective government. “We have made so many strides in higher education and workforce development, and we must not let up now. One of our top priorities this year will be making sure our students who receive Tennessee Promise and HOPE scholarships compete college on time, helping us reach our Drive to 55 goal,” Haslam said. “You’ll also see much needed reforms to Tennessee’s juvenile justice system that will strengthen families and communities while promoting public safety and ensuring a responsible and effective use of limited resources.”
NASHVILLE – In his final State of the State address to the General Assembly, Gov. Bill Haslam this evening challenged all Tennesseans to lead the nation in creating high-quality jobs, improving the education of our students, and providing the most efficient and effective state government services. “Seven years ago we raised our expectations. We became the kind of leaders who didn’t just talk about cutting taxes and enhancing services, we actually did lower taxes while growing our economy and providing access to high-quality education. We cannot lose the momentum we have worked so hard to build,” Haslam said.
NASHVILLE – Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam and Economic and Community Development Commissioner Bob Rolfe today announced $9.844 million in broadband accessibility grants that will help build new broadband infrastructure in parts of 13 Tennessee counties. The grants are the result of the Tennessee Broadband Accessibility Act, Haslam’s 2017 legislation to increase broadband to more Tennesseans and offset the capital expenses of deploying broadband in areas that currently lack access. The grants will provide broadband service to more than 5,000 locations in counties across the state.
NASHVILLE – Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam on Wednesday named members to the Tennessee Commission on Pain and Addiction Medicine Education. The commission, established by executive order as part of the TN Together plan to help end the opioid epidemic, is charged with developing competencies for Tennessee’s medical educational institutions to address proper treatment for pain, safe and effective prescribing practices, and proper diagnoses and treatment for individuals abusing or misusing controlled substances. Once developed, the competencies shall be available for adoption by Tennessee’s medical educational institutions for best-in-class training for Tennessee’s future doctors, nurses, dentists and other prescribers.
NASHVILLE – Joined by leadership from the House and Senate and Chief Justice Jeff Bivins, Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam on Monday announced an aggressive and comprehensive plan to end the opioid epidemic in Tennessee by focusing on three major components: prevention, treatment and law enforcement. TN Together is a multi-faceted initiative that addresses the issue of opioid addiction through legislation, proposed funding in the governor’s 2018-19 budget and executive actions. TN Together is a collective effort and has been designed in partnership with the General Assembly through the Ad Hoc Opioid Abuse Task Force established by Speaker Beth Harwell and chaired by Speaker Pro Tem Curtis Johnson and a working group established by Haslam that included Harwell and Lt. Gov. Randy McNally’s appointee, Speaker Pro Tem Ferrell Haile.
NASHVILLE – Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam and Department of Labor and Workforce Development Commissioner Burns Phillips today announced Tennessee ended 2017 with more than 28,000 new jobs across the state in the last year and an unemployment rate nearly 2 percentage points lower than 2016.
NASHVILLE – Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam today announced he has appointed a steering committee of leaders from federal, state and local governments, industry, academia, environmental advocacy groups and public utilities to develop a statewide plan for future water availability in Tennessee.
NASHVILLE – Due to hazardous weather and travel conditions, Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam has closed state offices on Friday, January 12, 2018 in West and Middle Tennessee, to include the following counties:
NASHVILLE – Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam today appointed Jennifer S. Nichols of Memphis as Criminal Court Judge for the 30th Judicial District, which serves Shelby County. Nichols, 55, replaces Judge James C. Beasley, Jr., who retired effective December 31.
NASHVILLE – Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam and Department of Transportation (TDOT) Commissioner John Schroer today announced the state has awarded $297 million in contracts from bids accepted in December for crucial road and bridge construction projects – the first major awarding of IMPROVE Act projects and the largest such bidding process in TDOT’s history. With increased transportation funds provided through the IMPROVE Act and TDOT’s federal budget, 72 new projects will be under construction across the state in the coming weeks. Within the first year of the IMPROVE Act’s implementation, 288 – 30 percent – of the 962 projects designated in the legislation are underway.
NASHVILLE – Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam and Department of Labor and Workforce Development (TDLWD) Commissioner Burns Phillips today announced unemployment rates in November remained low across the state and the vast majority of Tennessee counties continue to experience rates below 5 percent.
NASHVILLE – Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam and Department of Labor and Workforce Development Commissioner Burns Phillips today announced the November statewide unemployment rate posted significantly lower than November 2016 and notably lower than the national average.
NASHVILLE – Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam today issued the following statement on the exoneration of Lawrence McKinney: “Today I granted Lawrence McKinney’s request for gubernatorial exoneration from his 1978 convictions. Though the facts of this case are complex and reasonable minds may draw different conclusions from them, ultimately I respect the determinations of the Shelby County Criminal Court and District Attorney General that Mr. McKinney was not guilty of the crimes for which he was convicted and would not have been prosecuted if the DNA testing results had been available at the time of trial. Mr. McKinney was released after more than 30 years in prison when the court set aside his convictions in 2009. “In the eyes of the judicial system, Mr. McKinney is innocent. While I appreciate the hard work and recommendations of the Board of Parole, in this case I defer to the finding of the court charged with determining Mr. McKinney’s guilt or innocence.”