This is a compilation of Tennessee news and political stories assembled daily by staffers in Gov. Bill Haslam’s office.
Haslam: High school grads should get free tuition at community/tech schools (AP)
Gov. Bill Haslam is proposing to give a free community and technology college education to every graduating senior that wants it. The Republican governor made the announcement during his annual State of the State address Monday evening. The initiative is an addition to his “Drive to 55″ initiative, which seeks to improve Tennessee’s graduate rates from colleges and universities from the current 32 percent to 55 percent by 2025. Under the new proposal, graduating high school seniors will be able to attend two years of community college or a college of applied technology free of tuition and fees.
Haslam Unveils ‘Tennessee Promise’ in State-of-the-State Address (TN Report)
During his fourth annual State of the State address before the General Assembly, Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam tonight introduced the “Tennessee Promise.” The historic proposal commits to providing on a continuing basis two years of community college or a college of applied technology (TCAT) absolutely free of tuition and fees to graduating high school seniors. “Through the Tennessee Promise, we are fighting the rising cost of higher education, and we are raising our expectations as a state,” Haslam said.
Haslam proposes free community college (Tennessean/Sisk)
Gov. Bill Haslam, in his final State of the State address before seeking re-election this fall, unveiled a plan Monday night to waive tuition for students at community colleges and technology centers. The Republican governor proposed setting aside $300 million from the Tennessee Education Lottery to fund an endowment that would cover all tuition and fees to two-year institutions for all graduating high school seniors. The plan also calls for reducing Hope scholarships for incoming students at four-year universities by $1,000 for the first two years. Haslam said the program, which he called Tennessee Promise, would draw new students into the higher education system.
Governor proposes free tuition at 2-year schools for high school grads (CA/Locker)
Gov. Bill Haslam proposed free tuition for Tennessee high school graduates starting in 2015 at the state’s public community colleges and colleges of applied technology Monday night. The plan, which he calls “Tennessee’s Promise,” would be financed by the earnings from a new endowment created by taking $302 million from the existing lottery scholarship reserve fund. That would leave $110 million in the existing reserve to secure Hope Scholarships and others funded by the lottery, the governor told a joint session of the legislature and a statewide television audience.
Haslam unveils visionary “Tenn. Promise” during State of State Address (C. Online)
During his fourth annual State of the State address before the General Assembly, Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam tonight introduced the “Tennessee Promise. The historic proposal commits to providing on a continuing basis two years of community college or a college of applied technology (TCAT) absolutely free of tuition and fees to graduating high school seniors. “Through the Tennessee Promise, we are fighting the rising cost of higher education, and we are raising our expectations as a state,” Haslam said.
Haslam proposes 2 years of college education free with ‘Tenn Promise’ (WKRN)
Education was the top priority for Governor Bill Haslam during his annual State of the State address Monday evening. Addressing a packed House chamber, Gov. Haslam announced what he called the “Tennessee Promise”; the plan allows for all high school students to get two years of college education for free. Those credits would then be allowed for transfer to a four-year institution. “The Tennessee Promise is an ongoing commitment to every student from every kindergartner to every high school senior. We will promise that he or she can attend two years of community college or a college of applied technology absolutely free,” Haslam said.
Gov. Haslam makes education top priority in State of the State address (WATE-TV)
Education was the top priority for Governor Bill Haslam during his annual State of the State address Monday evening. Addressing a packed House chamber, Gov. Haslam announced what he called the “Tennessee Promise”; the plan allows for all high school students to get two years of college education for free. Those credits would then be allowed for transfer to a four-year institution. “The Tennessee Promise is an ongoing commitment to every student from every kindergartner to every high school senior. We will promise that he or she can attend two years of community college or a college of applied technology absolutely free,” Haslam said.
Tenn. Promise: Haslam proposes free education to graduating seniors (WRCB)
In the State of the State address Monday night, Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam said the state will not meet revenue projections, so they’ll once again be looking to make cuts in most every department, working to meet needs not wants. But in education, noting that the biggest hurdle most families face when seeking higher learning is cost. He proposed a program he calls “Tennessee Promise”. Bill Haslam, (R) Tennessee Governor, “The Tennessee Promise is an on going commitment to every student, from every kindergartner to every high school senior, we will promise that he or she can attend two years of community college or a college of applied technology, absolutely free.”
Governor Proposes Free Community College for Graduating Seniors (WDEF-TV)
Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam proposes giving a free community and technology college education to every graduating senior that wants it. It’s part of an effort to improve graduation rates from colleges and universities from the current 32% to 55%. Under the plan, graduating high school seniors will be able to attend two years of community college or a college of applied technology free of tuition and fees. After graduation, students who choose to attend a four-year school will be able to do so as a junior. Haslam says “if we want to have jobs ready for Tennesseans, then we need to have Tennesseans ready for job.”
Governor Says High School Graduates Will Get Free College Education (WBBJ-TV)
Governor Bill Haslam promises a free education to all Tennessee high school graduates. It is a proposal he calls “Tennessee Promise,” which could be a first of its kind in the country. “Tennessee Promise” offers free tuition for the first two years of community college or any applied technology school in the state. The governor said it will cost taxpayers nothing. “In Tennessee, education is a top priority, and this budget reflects that,” Governor Haslam said. In his fourth State of the State address, Governor Bill Haslam laid out his plan to educate the volunteer state, without spending a dime of taxpayer money.
Gov. Haslam Gives 4th State Of State Speech (WTVF-TV Nashville)
A new education initiative proposed by Governor Bill Haslam will make it tough for graduating high school seniors in Tennessee to find an excuse not to further their education. During his State of the State address Monday evening, the Republican governor unveiled a plan to allow them to attend two years of community college or a college of applied technology free of tuition and fees. The plan is an addition to Haslam’s “Drive to 55″ initiative, which seeks to improve Tennessee’s graduate rates from colleges and universities from the current 32 percent to 55 percent by 2025.
Haslam talks education, economy in State of the State address (WSMV-TV Nash)
Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam delivered his fourth State of the State address Monday evening at the state capitol, and the focus was on two big priorities for the year: education and the budget. The governor unveiled enhanced plans for K-12 progress and higher education. He also talked about the challenges the state faces budget-wise. Haslam unveiled his new budget plan earlier in the day Monday. The state will not meet revenue projections, and the governor blames slower-than-expected growth in the sales tax and in the franchise and excise taxes.
Haslam budget proposal a mix of cuts and spending (News-Sentinel/Humphrey)
Gov. Bill Haslam’s proposed state budget for the coming year involves a mix of cutting and new spending that — combined with an anticipated reduction in federal money flowing to the state — nets out to $32.6 billion, about $600 million less than in the current fiscal year. The cutting includes a 1 percent reduction in payments to health care providers under TennCare, coupled with an increase in co-pays for those on the program, and elimination of 664 state job positions — all but about 100 currently vacant. The Haslam budget-balancing act also calls for raiding reserve funds.
10 things to know about Haslam’s $32.6B budget (Associated Press/Schelzig)
Here’s 10 items you should know about Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam’s $32.6 billion spending proposal for the budget year beginning in July: DRIVE TO 55: The governor is proposing to waive tuition to two-year colleges in the state as part of his “Drive to 55″ campaign to increase higher education graduation rates from the current 32 percent to 55 percent by 2025. The program would be paid for through an endowment created with lottery reserve money. He has also earmarked $15 million in new spending toward the effort.
Ahead Of Budget Speech, Haslam Warns Costs Have Outpaced Revenue (WPLN)
Gov. Bill Haslam is framing the budget he’ll lay out in his State of the State address tonight as a difficult balancing act. Revenues have been below what officials had hoped. At the same time, Haslam says Tennessee faces hundreds of millions in added costs for healthcare and education. “So you’re $80 million upside down before you give a raise, before you do anything with higher ed, before you address social services for our most vulnerable citizens,” Haslam said Monday. Since taking office, Haslam has dealt with tight budgets by eliminating more than a thousand state jobs, many of them unfilled.
State says upgrade will help unemployment system (WKRN-TV Nashville)
Many people are finding themselves out of work and in need of help from the state’s unemployment system. But recently several people have contacted News 2 saying they can’t get through to the unemployment office. Susan Collins is one of them. Each day she calls the hotline and each day she hears the same message.It says, “We cannot take your call at this time. Please try again later.” Collins was laid off almost a year ago from her job of 28 years. “It was a blow, let me tell you. A very big shocker,” said Collins. Since then she’s been looking for work, but hasn’t found a job yet.
TDOT reopens historic Cocke County bridge after two years of work (N-S)
Traffic began flowing again Sunday on a historic bridge in Cocke County after workers spent almost two years repairing the structure, officials said. The Wolf Creek Bridge on U.S. Highway 25/70 in Cocke County reopened following work to repair it after authorities deemed the bridge was structurally deficient, according to a Tennessee Department of Transportation news release. Workers dismantled the bridge down to the concrete arches and then rebuilt it. The bridge has been widened from 24 feet to 30 feet to accommodate wider travel lanes and 2 foot shoulders, officials said.
Wolf Creek Bridge in Cocke Co. reopens (WBIR-TV Knoxville)
A heavily traveled bridge in Cocke County reopened Sunday after being closed for nearly two years. TDOT closed Wolf Creek Bridge in April 2012 after engineers said it was “structurally deficient.” Crews stripped the bridge all the way down to its concrete arches. TDOT then rebuilt and widened the bridge. Construction was ahead of schedule: officials originally estimated to complete construction by March 2014. The bridge not only crosses the French Broad River but also a set of railroad tracks. Since the bridge is now 94-years-old, it’s now eligible to be added to the national register of historic places.
Tennessee DUI Cases Could Be In Jeopardy
People suspected of drunk driving could be free of the charges, if one Chattanooga attorney can prove a conflict of interest. He says, one state agency may have a financial interest in making sure that suspects are convicted of DUI, to the tune of almost 3 million dollars last year. Every time a person is convicted of drunk driving in Tennessee, they’re required to pay a $250 dollar fee that goes to the TBI crime lab in Nashville, that processes their blood alcohol or breathalyzer tests.. In a motion that attorney Jerry Summers has filed in 3 DUI cases he’s defending, he says, that itself, is a conflict of interest.
19,000 jobs need to be filled in Mid-South (WMC-TV Memphis)
There are 19,000 jobs that need to be filled in the Mid-South. The problem is that area companies need workers with specific skill sets to fill them. The job openings pay between $30,000 and $50,000, but before you are hired, employers want to know you can do the job. “I had a hard time finding a new job,” said Bryan Hanna, 19, who is newly employed. “I was working part-time.” The reason Hanna had a hard time finding work is because he had no experience. He could not find a full-time job until he teamed up with OCTI, the Olympic Career Training Institute.
Wine In Grocery Stores Wouldn’t Make Tenn. Liquor Laws Any Simpler (WPLN)
If you’ve moved to Tennessee from another state, you’ve might have had that stunned, confused feeling the first time you stepped into a grocery store. You find yourself asking, “where’s the wine?” State lawmakers have tried for years to allow supermarkets to sell Chardonnay and Merlot. They’re making a go of it again this legislative session. But it’s not as simple as telling grocery stores, “ok, you can sell wine now.” It’s a proposal with many moving parts, such as: Requiring a 20 percent markup on all wine. No Sunday wine sales. If a grocery or convenience store is within 500 feet of an existing liquor store, they would have to seek permission from that store’s owner before they could sell wine.
Grocery Stores Lobbyist Still Anticipates ‘Challenges’ for Wine Bills in House (TNR)
Last week advocates of wine-in-supermarkets made more legislative headway in two days than they’d made in all the years they’ve been pressing the issue. But a leading lobbyist who has been along for the whole 7-year ride said passage in the lower chamber is by no means now automatic. “There are big challenges ahead in the House,” said Dan Haskell, a lobbyist for the Tennessee Grocers and Convenience Stores Association. “If you pay any attention at all to legislation on the subject of alcohol, you’ll know that it is difficult to get beyond about 64 votes on any liquor bill in the House,” Haskell told TNReport after the Tennessee Senate’s approval of a wine-in-groceries bill on Thursday.
Proposed Tenn law would mandate full funding of city pension plans (CA/Connolly)
Memphis Mayor A C Wharton is trying to convince the City Council to greatly boost funding to the government employee pension plan. Now the Tennessee Legislature is considering a state law that would require a big funding increase, and Wharton said the city needs some flexibility to deal with unforeseen events. “You don’t want to be straitjacketed,” he said. Wharton said his administration is still analyzing the proposed law and preparing to meet with its primary backers, including State Treasurer David Lillard and Senate Majority Leader Mark Norris, R-Collierville. The proposed law would require cities to pay their Annual Required Contribution, or ARC (rhymes with hark).
Hill vows to keep pushing teacher bill (Johnson City Press)
A local legislator’s bill to prohibit the Tennessee Board of Education from basing the granting and renewal of teacher licenses partially on students’ standardized test scores will continue on in the General Assembly despite the board’s recent reversal of the controversial policy. Jonesborough state Rep. Matthew Hill said Monday that he will continue to push for passage of his Educator Respect and Accountability Act, filed Friday — the same day that the state board met in Nashville for a first reading of changes to the licensure policy his bill aims to forbid. “I do appreciate the fact that they reversed it, that means they’re finally listening,” Hill said.
PACs spend big as legislators consider new school voucher system (TN/Garrison)
As the Tennessee General Assembly considers adopting a new school voucher system, two out-of-state organizations in support of that cause are making a strong statement financially in the state legislature. Washington, D.C.-based Tennessee Federation for Children spent $113,115 over the past six months in Tennessee as Sacramento-based StudentsFirst poured $97,750 into state races here, financial disclosures released Friday show. Both want to let parents in Tennessee have the ability to use public dollars to send their children to private schools through “opportunity scholarships,” commonly called vouchers.
Senators cautious on free prison overhaul (Tennessean/Haas)
It may be free of charge, but state senators remained cautious about an offer to analyze and overhaul of the Tennessee’s criminal justice system, which they hope would reduce the state’s rapidly rising prison population and save millions for taxpayers. The Senate State & Local Government Correction Subcommittee heard more about a proposal from the Vera Institute of Justice, which has offered to study Tennessee’s criminal justice system, help come up with new policies and put them into effect — all at zero cost to Tennessee taxpayers. The goal would be to reduce the state’s rapidly growing prison population, which has already led to overcrowding.
New state bill could require cursive to be taught in public schools (WRCB-TV Chatt)
Veteran teacher Ouida Bianco prepares her fourth grade students for their writing assessment tests Monday. Ironically it won’t require much writing, if any. “Our writing assessment will be done all on the computers,” Bianco says. In the age of tablets, computers and smart boards students are putting pencil to paper less and cursive is becoming a symbol of the “good ol’ days.” Add that to the tougher curriculum educators are required to teach in a year and some will admit, they just don’t have time for it. “It is somewhat of a dying art,” says Bianco. Students are taught cursive in the third grade but how often do they use it after that?
Faculty leaders speak out against Campfield student fee bill (N-S/Boehnke)
A bill that would dictate how student fees are distributed — filed in the wake of University of Tennessee’s ‘Sex Week’ — has faculty on campus concerned about excessive state oversight, the Faculty Senate president said Monday. Senate Bill 1608, filed by state Sen. Stacey Campfield, would require public colleges to award the student fees allotted for campus speakers based on the membership size of student organizations requesting the funding. “I don’t think anyone wants to be in the business of restricting student fees,” said David Golden,Faculty Senate president, following Monday’s monthly meeting.
Record breaking year for Roane Co. economic development (WBIR-TV Knoxville)
Roane County’s economic development agency, Roane Alliance, knew 2013 was a good year. After all, they worked to bring new industry to the county. But it wasn’t until they started researching numbers for their annual report that they discovered 2013 was a record breaking year. “We’re talking about $150 million in terms of investment opening their doors,” said Roane Alliance President and CEO Leslie Henderson. Monday, 10News learned about Blue Bell Creameries and Sauter Timber doubling the size of their Roane County facilities and adding dozens of new jobs.
Preschool Push Moving Ahead in Many States (New York Times)
Preschool is having its moment, as a favored cause for politicians and interest groups who ordinarily have trouble agreeing on the time of day. President Obama devoted part of his State of the Union address to it, while the deeply red states of Oklahoma and Georgia are being hailed as national models of preschool access and quality, with other states and cities also forging ahead on their own. With a growing body of research pointing to the importance of early child development and its effect on later academic and social progress, enrollment in state-funded preschool has more than doubled since 2002, to about 30 percent of all 4-year-olds nationwide.
Transportation Needs Pile Up as Funding Remains Uncertain (Stateline)
Transportation advocates who want more state spending on roads and rail have reasons for both hope and fear in state capitols. The hope springs from last year’s big breakthroughs in states such as Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Virginia, where lawmakers boosted transportation spending after being deadlocked for years. Maryland, Ohio, Vermont and Wyoming also passed significant transportation packages. And many states have money to spend for the first time since the Great Recession. The reasons for fear, however, are more numerous. Gas taxes are losing their buying power. Federal funding is uncertain. Plus, most governors and legislators are in re-election mode, which makes passing tax increases difficult.
Blue Bell facility expanding in Roane Co. (WBIR-TV Knoxville)
Blue Bell Creameries announced it will expand its Roane County distribution center. Leslie Henderson, president and CEO of The Roane Alliance, said the ice cream company is growing simply because business is good. The project will expand the facility at the Roane Regional Business and Technology Park from 1,300 square feet to more than 12,000. The company also plans to add 10 new jobs.
Haslam Administration Considered Tennessee Tower Giveaway (WTVF-TV Nash)
Critics call it an example of “corporate welfare — on steroids.” The proposal, designed to lure a big corporation to Tennessee, is contained in confidential documents leaked to NewsChannel 5 Investigates. As part of that effort, the documents show that the Haslam administration considered giving away a major state office building. For months, NewsChannel 5 had asked the Haslam administration for those documents. And for months, they refused. It turns out, they provide dramatic evidence about what happens to the public’s money — evidence that’s kept secret from the public.
Chattanooga Volkswagen plant vote will settle UAW question (TFP/Pare)
Charges and counter-charges flew Monday over the fairness of a three-day election next week in which workers at Chattanooga’s Volkswagen plant will decide whether to join the United Auto Workers and climax a yearlong union organizing effort. Volkswagen, not the UAW, filed for a National Labor Relations Board-conducted vote at the factory in which about 1,600 hourly employees will cast secret ballots Feb. 12-14. Anti-union supporters charged that VW and the UAW are colluding to steer the results in the union’s favor by not permitting workers against the organizing campaign to access fellow plant employees in groups.
Volkswagen employees to vote on unionization next week (Nashville Biz Journal)
Employees at Volkswagen’s plant in Chattanooga will vote next week on whether to allow the United Auto Workers union to move forward with Volkswagen to establish a works council at the plant. The election will be conducted by the National Labor Relations Board from Feb. 12 through 14. This would be the first works council to represent employees in the United States, according to a UAW news release. Volkswagen’s Chattanooga plant is the company’s only facility without such representation.
To Unionize Or Not To Unionize: Vote Imminent For VW Chattanooga (WPLN-Radio)
A formal vote has now been scheduled, and workers at Volkswagen’s Tennessee plant will decide through a secret ballot whether to be represented by the UAW. The union initially hoped the German automaker would accept signed union cards from a majority of employees. In a statement, Volkswagen Chattanooga CEO Frank Fischer says the company and the United Auto Workers “agreed to this common path” of holding a secret ballot instead of simply accepting signed union cards. “The only reason we’re going through this vote is because of all this right-wing, third party, hoopla,” says Gary Casteel, UAW director for the southern region.
Tennessee fastest growing state for union membership (Knoxville News-Sentinel)
Tennessee may be the Volunteer State, but a growing share of its workers are organizing to get better pay and working conditions. Last year, Tennessee had the fastest rate of growth in union membership of any state, according to new government figures. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates 31,000 more Tennesseans were members of labor unions in 2013 than in the previous year, swelling the ranks of organized labor in the state by 25 percent last year and boosting union rolls to the highest level in nearly a decade. Georgia and Alabama were close behind Tennessee in the growth rate for union membership with union rolls growing in each state by more than 22 percent last year.
9 charter groups interested in opening schools, most in s. Nashville (TN/Garrison)
Nine charter school operators have signaled interest in applying to open new schools in Nashville, including six that would locate in the south part of the city and another looking to take over a low-performing Metro school. They are the first to approach Metro about opening publicly financed, privately operated charter schools here after the school board’s adoption of a controversial policy that outlines new parameters. Citing financial pressures posed by the recent influx of new charters, the board has requested only two types of charter proposals: new elementary charter schools in south Davidson County to ease overcrowded schools there or groups willing to take over chronically poor-performing schools.
OPINION
Bill Gibbons, Mark Gwyn, Douglas Varney: Pseudoephedrine legislation sensible
Meth use, abuse and production have increasingly become a blight on the state of Tennessee, and something must be done about it. New legislation announced earlier this month by Gov. Bill Haslam aims to do just that by limiting access to pseudoephedrine or ephedrine products — key ingredients in the manufacture of meth — to those who are using it illegally while not overburdening law-abiding Tennesseans who need temporary cold and sinus relief. The Tennessee Anti-Meth Production Act will limit the amount of pseudoephedrine or ephedrine in products that a consumer can purchase to 2.4 grams in a 30-day period, down from the current 9 grams per 30 days.
Editorial: Legalizing hemp would cultivate farming, business (News-Sentinel)
With the Justice Department declining to prosecute hemp growers and Congress flirting with legalization, this is a good time for the state Legislature to consider allowing the cultivation of the benign and useful cousin to marijuana. State Sen. Frank Niceley, R-Strawberry Plains, and state Rep. Jeremy Faison, R-Cosby, are sponsoring legislation that would decriminalize hemp, which is lumped together with marijuana in criminal statutes. Congress is taking steps in the same direction. Niceley has a penchant for introducing bills that prompt some head scratching, but this one should not be dismissed automatically.
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