NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Today, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee released the following statement regarding death row inmate Don Johnson: “After a prayerful and deliberate consideration of Don Johnson‘s request for clemency, and after a thorough review of the case, I am upholding the sentence of the State of Tennessee and will not be intervening.”

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Today, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee marked the close of the 2019 legislative session, a session which included the unanimous passage of his budget as well as the passage of his full agenda as outlined during his State of the State address in March. “In March, I presented our budget and a series of priorities which I believe will be foundational to making Tennessee a leader in the nation,” said Lee. “Working with the General Assembly leadership and members, we passed reforms that will continue to build on the momentum our state has seen in recent years.” Gov. Lee’s slate of priorities included 16 legislative initiatives to work towards strengthening public education and school choice, enhancing workforce development, addressing criminal justice reform and public safety, promoting good government and developing solutions for rural Tennessee.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Today, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee appointed Carma Dennis McGee to the Tennessee Court of Appeals, Western Section. She will replace Judge Brandon O. Gibson who was appointed as a Senior Advisor in the Office of Governor earlier this year. McGee, 48, has served as the Chancellor of the 24th Judicial District since 2014. Prior to becoming Chancellor, she practiced law as partner in the firm of McGee & Dennis. She also served as a Rule 31 Listed Family Mediator for ten years. “Chancellor McGee’s experience and knowledge will make her an excellent judge on the Court of Appeals,” said Lee. “Tennessee is fortunate to have her in the Western Section, and I am grateful she has accepted this high honor.”

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Today, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee announced that his administration, in coordination with the Tennessee General Assembly, is temporarily reinstating paper-based assessments for students in the 2019-2020 school year. “We must ensure the utmost quality in our annual assessment,” said Lee. “Commissioner Schwinn and her team at the Department of Education are doing outstanding work to get testing on the right track, and we thank the General Assembly for their thoughtful approach on this matter.”

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Today, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee’s charter school bill passed in both the Tennessee General Assembly House and Senate education committees just one day after Gov. Lee’s education savings account proposal advanced from the House curriculum subcommittee. “With the legislature’s hard work, school choice has momentum and we are working together to put students first and strengthen our public education system,” said Lee. “Low-income students deserve the same opportunities and we have a bold plan that levels the playing field while also focusing improvement on the lowest-performing school districts.”

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Today, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee announced that Tennessee will participate in the Girls Go CyberStart competition. In partnership with the SANS institute, this initiative will empower female high school students to explore opportunities in studying cybersecurity. “We are working toward propelling Tennessee to the top 25 states for job creation in the technology sector by 2022,” said Lee. “Tennessee is excited to partner with this program to encourage young women to develop their talents in high-skill STEM-related fields.”

NASHVILLE, Tenn. –Tennessee Governor Bill Lee announced $14.8 million in broadband accessibility grants that will expand broadband service to more than 8,300 households and businesses in 17 counties across Tennessee. “I am pleased to announce that we are getting our rural areas up to speed and expanding broadband in the areas that need it most,” said Lee. “I am committed to ensuring connectivity in every corner of our state as broadband impacts our goals for health care, education, economic development and beyond.”

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Today, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee issued an executive order to establish the Tennessee Criminal Justice Investment Task Force as promised during his State of the State address on Monday evening. The sixth executive order issued under his leadership comes after Gov. Lee outlined comprehensive plans to address public safety in Tennessee amid higher rates of violent crime and recidivism. The incarcerated population of Tennessee has grown by 34 percent since 2000, despite six consecutive years of reduced admissions to the criminal justice system.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Tonight, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee delivered his first State of the State address and presented budget priorities to a joint session of the General Assembly in the House Chamber. Gov. Lee proposed a strong, conservative budget with a record-breaking deposit to the Rainy Day Fund that will lift the state savings account to a historic high $1.1 billion. The proposed budget does not take on any long-term debt and manages to cut more than $40 million in costs without compromising services.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Today, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee announced comprehensive plans to address criminal justice and public safety ahead of his State of the State address on Monday. “We must significantly improve public safety in our state and I believe that starts with our criminal justice system,” said Lee. “We will focus on helping individuals to ensure there is a pathway to a productive life beyond crime and ultimately make our state a safer place.”

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Today, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee announced three priorities to increase access to mental health treatment and expand suicide prevention efforts across the state. “The mental health of our citizens is foundational to all other goals we seek to accomplish in education, job growth and public safety,” said Lee. “By prioritizing our mental health safety net and suicide prevention, we are caring for more Tennesseans and building healthier communities.”

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Today, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee announced a new investment in school safety to better protect teachers and students and prepare against the threat of violence.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Today, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee announced four new members to the Governor’s Council for Judicial Appointments which is responsible for recommending candidates to the governor to fill vacancies for Tennessee’s appellate courts.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Today, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee announced his plans to repeal the amusement tax on gym memberships in his upcoming budget.