(NASHVILLE) The 113th General Assembly wrapped up its business for the 2023 legislative session on Friday (4/21/2023) and adjourned for the year. The session was highlighted by a record investment in school safety, major tax relief for small businesses and families, and new plans to improve transportation and infrastructure across the state. 

All members of the Rutherford County delegation have been invited to share highlights of the General Assembly on the radio station from 8:10-9:00AM this coming Friday morning (4/28/2023). This can be heard on FM 101.9, FM 100.5, AM 1450, and worldwide at www.WGNSradio.com.

Reconvene for Constitutional Rights

Tennessee Governor Bill Lee announced that he will call for the Tennessee General Assembly to convene a special session to pass legislation that will strengthen public safety and preserve constitutional rights. Gov. Lee will release additional details and issue an official call in the coming days.  

Governor Lee noted, “After much input from members of the General Assembly and discussions with legislative leadership, we have decided to call a special session to continue our work to protect Tennessee communities and preserve constitutional rights. There is broad agreement that dangerous, unstable individuals who intend to harm themselves or others should not have access to weapons. We also share a strong commitment to preserving Second Amendment rights, ensuring due process and addressing the heart of the problem with strengthened mental health resources. I look forward to continued partnership with the General Assembly as we pursue thoughtful, practical solutions to keep Tennesseans safe.”

On the final day, the General Assembly today passed the James ‘Dustin’ Samples Act, which seeks to provide support to firefighters following a post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) diagnosis. This is a legislative initiative by the General Assembly.

Sponsored by Senator Paul Bailey (R-Sparta) and Representative Johnny Garrett (R-Goodlettsville), the legislation makes clear that a firefighter’s PTSD diagnosis connected to one or more calls of a particularly traumatic nature is presumed to be an injury suffered in the course of employment and qualifies for resources through their workers’ compensation benefits plan.

The bill establishes a grant program to mitigate the cost to an employer providing worker’s compensation for firefighters diagnosed with PTSD. In order to qualify for the grant, employers must provide mental health resiliency training as part of their continuing education program.

The bill is named in honor of Captain James ‘Dustin’ Samples of the Cleveland Fire Department, who tragically committed suicide in 2020 after a years-long struggle with PTSD.

Thoughts from 113th GA

Lt. Governor Randy McNally (R-Oak Ridge):

“I am tremendously proud of the excellent work we have done this session. We have made historic investments in school safety. The hardening of security in our schools is of paramount importance and I am grateful we were in the financial position to do it. In the area of education and infrastructure, we have also made down payments which will ensure success in the future. And we did all this while adding no debt and cutting taxes. Our success and our ability to take on challenges presented to us is a direct result of our fiscal responsibility and pro-growth policies. Tennessee continues to be a model of conservative governance for the rest of the nation. I am grateful to Governor Lee, Speaker Sexton, Leader Johnson, Chairman Yager and every member of the House and Senate for their work securing a safe and prosperous future for the state of Tennessee.”

Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson (R-Franklin):

“We have done great work this year to put Tennessee in a strong position for further growth, while also taking care of our citizens. I was proud to work with Governor Lee and my colleagues to pass an innovative and fiscally conservative approach to modernizing our transportation and infrastructure system. We made record investments in school safety, transportation, and tax relief for businesses and families, while maintaining the conservative fiscal management that continues to bolster our state’s economy. I was glad to work with my colleagues in the General Assembly to advance Tennessee values, and ensure that Tennessee is a great place to live, work and raise a family.”

Senate Republican Caucus Chairman Ken Yager (R-Kingston):

“It has been an honor and a privilege to work alongside my colleagues and Governor Lee to be a part of this impactful General Assembly. I am particularly pleased with the significant investments we are making this year in our rural infrastructure as well as our Tennessee Colleges of Applied Technology.  These schools are vitally important in developing a strong workforce in our communities and state.  The major investments in rural roads and transportation will have a big impact on economic and community development in our rural areas. The future of Tennessee is bright because of our outstanding citizens. 

Key Highlights of the 2023 General Assembly include:

Safer Communities

• Invested $223 million to improve school safety, including $140 million to put a School Resource Officer (SRO) in every public school
• Improves safety standards and protocols at public and private schools in Tennessee
• Increased requirements and accountability for good behavior sentence reduction credits
• Protected the 2nd Amendment
• Added over 140 positions to the Tennessee Highway Patrol

Pro-Family

• Strengthened protections for pregnant women and the unborn
• Provided six weeks of paid leave for state employees and teachers following the birth or adoption of a child
• Extended TennCare coverage for mothers to 12 months postpartum

Transportation and Infrastructure

• Invested $3 billion to the Transportation Modernization Fund to alleviate urban congestion and fund rural road projects across the state
• Provided $300 million to expand the State Aid Program for local road projects
• Created a new strategy to address traffic congestion and accommodate Tennessee’s record growth and meet transportation needs

Tax Cuts

• Provided over $400 million in tax relief to boost economic competitiveness, promote entrepreneurship and small business formation, and provide targeted relief to families

TCATS

• Fully funded Tennessee Colleges of Applied Technology Masterplan to upgrade and expand to TCATs across the state

Healthcare

• Increased pay for providers serving vulnerable citizens
• Invested in rural and distressed hospitals

Protecting Children

• Increased resources to the Department of Children’s Services
• Protected children from being exposed to sexually explicit adult entertainment
• Prevented harmful and irreversible medical procedures from being performed on minors