NASHVILLE – Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam, First Lady Crissy Haslam, Tennessee Department of Veterans Services Commissioner Many-Bears Grinder and Tennessee Military Department Adjutant General, Major General Terry “Max” Haston paid tribute to seven service members who gave the ultimate sacrifice during the state’s Memorial Day service today.

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 will hold budget hearings for Fiscal Year 2018-2019 on Monday, November 6 through Thursday, November 9. The hearings will be held in the Executive Conference Room on the ground floor of the State Capitol. Haslam, Finance and Administration Commissioner Larry Martin, Chief Operating Officer Greg Adams and David Thurman, state budget director, will preside over the hearings.

NASHVILLE – Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam today officially opened the Tennessee Volunteer ChalleNGe Academy, an alternative residential program operated by the Tennessee National Guard that offers youth between ages 16-18 who have dropped out of school a chance to earn a high school equivalency diploma outside of a traditional school setting. The academy is housed at the site of the former Woodland Hills Youth Development Center in Nashville where Haslam was joined Friday by Deputy Gov. Jim Henry and Major General Max Haston for a ribbon cutting ceremony. The first class of approximately 100 cadets is set to begin July 9.

NASHVILLE – In front of military personnel of the Tennessee Army and Air National Guard at the Tennessee Department of Military, Gov. Bill Haslam on Thursday signed the Tennessee STRONG Act that provides tuition free higher educational opportunities for eligible members of the Tennessee National Guard and supports the Drive to 55 goal to increase the number of Tennesseans with a degree or certificate to 55 percent by 2025.

NASHVILLE – Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam will hold a bill signing ceremony Thursday, May 25, for the Tennessee STRONG (Support, Training and Renewing Opportunity for National Guard) Act at the Tennessee Department of Military in Nashville. Haslam will be joined by Senate Majority Leader Mark Norris (R-Collierville), Rep. Tilman Goins (R-Morristown), Rep. David Hawk (R-Greeneville) and Major General Max Haston.

NASHVILLE – Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam today thanked the General Assembly for unanimously passing the Tennessee STRONG (Support, Training and Renewing Opportunity for National Guard) Act, the governor’s legislation that provides tuition free educational opportunities for eligible members of the Tennessee National Guard and supports the Drive to 55 goal to increase the number of Tennesseans with a degree or certificate to 55 percent by 2025. The House of Representatives this afternoon passed HB 530/SB 1216 97-0 and it now heads to the governor’s desk for his signature. The Senate passed the legislation 31-0 on April 3.

NASHVILLE – Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam today filed his NextTennessee legislative agenda for the 2017 session of the 110th General Assembly. “With the NextTennessee agenda, we’re focused on policy proposals to build and sustain economic growth and the state’s competitiveness for the next generation of Tennesseans,” Haslam said. “Because of the fiscal responsibility we have shown, the Tennessee we can be is a state with a safe and reliable transportation network that supports long-term growth, one of the best K-12 systems in the country and free access to a post-secondary degree or certificate for all Tennesseans. And we can still be the state with the lowest taxes and the lowest debt.”

NASHVILLE – In a luncheon at the Tennessee Residence today, Governor Bill Haslam and First Lady Crissy Haslam honored 23 state employees for their exceptional service to the state and their fellow Tennesseans. This is the second group of state employees receiving the Governor’s Excellence in Service Awards, a program Gov. Haslam launched in 2016 to honor outstanding state employees. Great service in state government is like great service anywhere – the key ingredient is great employees,” Gov. Haslam said. “The 23 state employees receiving this honor are on the front lines of what we do, leading the effort to help us make Tennessee the best managed state in the nation. I appreciate all the work they and other state employees do to help make Tennessee the best place to live, work and raise a family.”