(NASHVILLE, TN), January 28, 2010 -- Local State Senator Ken Yager today invited local students in grades 6 – 12 in the 12th senatorial district to experience the legislature in action as a page in the State Senate. Yager said page duties consist of anything from making copies, running errands within the Capitol building, to distributing legislative information to members of the General Assembly. The student pages report to the Chief Clerk of the House and Senate.
"This is the best civics lesson I can imagine," said Senator Yager. "Student pages are right there with us on the Senate floor. They get a unique front-row view of the lawmaking process."
Students wishing to be considered as a Senate Page can contact Senator Yager online at sen.ken.yager@capitol.tn.us or can call his office toll free at 1-800 449-TENN ext. 44395. The pages will also receive a tour of the capitol. Parents or teachers are invited to attend with their child or student.
“We will certainly take care of as many requests for pages as we can before the General Assembly adjourns in late April or early May,” added Yager. “I look forward to sponsoring many local students in our State Senate.”
Senator Yager represents Campbell, Fentress, Morgan, Rhea, Roane, and Scott Counties.
NASHVILLE, TN) -- State Representative Dennis Ferguson (D-Midtown) and Senator Ken Yager (R-Harriman) today announced that needed improvements at the three-way intersection at State Route 58 and State Route 72 in Kingston have been approved by the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT). The intersection has been the location of several serious car crashes, including a recent fatality.
TDOT will add a left turn lane on State Route 58 and widen State Route 72 to accommodate a separate left and right turn lane. The project will also entail installation of curbing to define entrances for the safety of customers who go into or out of the convenience store located there.
“The Department has informed us that these improvements will be made to make this intersection safer,” said Senator Yager. "We met with TDOT officials in November at the site and I am just very pleased that we are now going to see improvements that will help protect those who drive through this intersection.”
The Department will continue to monitor the intersection for changes in traffic patterns to determine whether it would meet the criteria for installation of a traffic signal.
"This is definitely a step toward making this intersection safer," Rep. Ferguson added. "I greatly appreciate the Department's cooperation for this study. We are also pleased that the Department will continue to monitor it to see if added measures are needed. We want to continue to work with our local officials to make whatever changes are in order to improve the safety of our roads," he concluded.
For Immediate Release Contact: Darlene Schlicher (615) 741-6336
(NASHVILLE, TN), January 28, 2010 – At the request of Chairman Rusty Crowe (R-Johnson City), the Senate General Welfare, Health and Human Resources Committee heard from Jeff Ockerman with Tennessee’s Division of Health Planning regarding strategies for improving health in the state. Ockerman is charged with implementing an act passed by the General Assembly to develop a state health plan that will serve as a guide to improve the overall health care of Tennesseans.
“I asked Jeff Ockerman to appear before the committee so that we may better understand those areas needing improvement,” said Senator Crowe. “This helps us develop strategies and provide solutions in those areas.”
Tennessee has been called one of the least healthy states in America, ranking 47th in the nation. In addition, the state’s health system performance has ranked below average as well at 39th in the nation. According to Ockerman, once the plan is in place it will provide a vision for moving Tennessee’s current health care system to an integrated system of care, which is more efficient and effective. It will also focus on the need for health promotion, health education, disease prevention, better nutrition, and chronic disease management.
Ockerman said Tennessee has been successful in the state’s childhood immunization effort with 83.1 percent of children being immunized. The national average is 80.1 percent. The remainder of the indicators on the health status of Tennesseans, however, is grim. Tennessee is the worst in the nation in infant mortality, with an 8.8 per 1000 birth death rate. The national average for infant mortality is 6.6 per 1,000 births. Adult diabetes is a major concern since the state is above the national 8 percent average, with 10.4 percent of Tennesseans having the disease. In following, adult obesity is 31.2 percent in Tennessee, well above the 26.7 percent average. Likewise, one of the most concerning indicators is childhood obesity. Tennessee children are well above the 28.8 percent national average, with 35 percent overweight.
“I thank the governor and Mr. Ockerman for their work on this project,” added Crowe. “I have asked him to return at a later date when he has made progress on the plan to identify further how we might focus on these problem areas and improve our state health rankings.”
For Immediate Release Contact: Darlene Schlicher (615) 741-6336
(NASHVILLE, TN), January 27, 2010 -- State Senator Tim Burchett (R-Knoxville) said today he has been advised by Tennessee Health Commissioner of Health Susan R. Cooper that there are adequate beds in the Knox County area to accommodate residents from Hillcrest-West who wish to be relocated. Burchett has been talking with state health officials to make sure there are adequate facilities available for residents before the deadline when federal money for indigent patients will cease.
“Commissioner Cooper has assured me that her staff has looked at the beds available in the Knox County area and that there are adequate facilities to take care of residents who need to be relocated,” said Senator Burchett. “There are representatives from the ombudsman’s office, TennCare and facility staff who will be meeting with families to ensure a smooth transition for these residents.”
“The process of relocating the residents will occur over a thirty day time frame,” Burchett added. “Many of these patients are in a fragile condition. I will continue to work with the Commissioner and others at the state level to help see that everything possible is done to help these residents and their families.”
For Immediate Release Contact: Darlene Schlicher (615) 741-6336
(NASHVILLE, TN), January 27, 2010 -- State Senator Brian Kelsey (R-Germantown) announced today that he has filed legislation called the "Health Care Choice Act" in an effort to lower health insurance costs and provide more choices to Tennesseans. The legislation would allow Tennesseans to purchase health insurance plans from companies in other states with reciprocal agreements, a practice that is currently prohibited.
"Citizens want and deserve health care reform, but not the government-run health care that has been on the front burner in Washington,” said Senator Kelsey. “Tennesseans, not the federal government, should be in control of the decision regarding what health care plan best suits their needs and their pocketbooks. The legislation I am proposing dramatically expands choices for Tennessee consumers so that affordable options are available.”
Associated Press reporter Alan Fram reported on January 21, 2010 in an article entitled “Pelosi: House lacks votes to OK Senate health bill” that “In a bid for GOP support, participants suggested other elements could be added (to the federal health care bill). These included allowing insurance companies to sell policies across state lines, according to Rep. Timothy Walz, (D-Minn).” Kelsey said such a move would definitely give the proposal momentum.
The Health Care Choice Act will expand the number of health care plans available for purchase from 127 in Tennessee to potentially more than 5,000 plans nationwide. Several other states have introduced similar legislation. The bill introduced on the federal level allowing for an interstate compact to sell health insurance over state lines, however, has been put on the backburner due to the current health care overhaul measures pending in Congress.
“Expanding the availability of affordable health care plans and offering consumers more choices should be a key provision of any reform effort, at the state or federal level,” added Kelsey. “It helps to provide citizens choices instead of mandates regarding their health care insurance. With this legislation, Tennesseans will have more access to affordable health care insurance."
"Hopefully, Congress will go back to the drawing board and include this plan at the national level. However, until then it's time for state legislatures to weigh in on this national debate and take a stand against government-run health care. I look forward to having this discussion with my colleagues, so that we can work together to make health insurance more affordable for more Tennesseans," he concluded.
(NASHVILLE, TN), January 25, 2010 -- State Senator Tim Burchett (R-Knoxville) and Representative Bill Dunn (R-Knoxville) announced today that they have filed legislation calling for public building authorities to be subject to Tennessee’s open record and open meetings laws. The lawmakers said the measure, which would affect the Public Building Authority (PBA) of Knoxville, would ensure transparency in the quasi-governmental agency.
“This legislation continues our efforts to ensure transparency and openness in state and local governments,” said Senator Burchett, who was key sponsor of legislation passed in 2008 to open government records and meetings. “This bill creates greater accountability to the citizens when tax dollars are spent.”
The PBA was created in 1971 jointly by Knox County and the City of Knoxville. The PBA develops, constructs, owns and maintains certain facilities on behalf of the City of Knoxville and Knox County pursuant to operating contracts with those entities.
The legislation also requires any construction manager or design builder to go through the bidding process. The contracts would then be awarded to the lowest responsible and qualified bidder. The measure helps to ensure that services deemed to be “professional services” are subject to the public bid process.
“This legislation ensures fairness, openness and accountability in the bid process,” added Rep. Dunn. “It also provides certainty that the public can receive records in an open and timely manner.”
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Press Release
For Immediate Release Contact: Darlene Schlicher (615) 741-6336
Senator Kelsey wins approval of Parental Choice Scholarship Pilot Program
(NASHVILLE, TN), January 20, 2010 – State Senator Brian Kelsey (R-Germantown) won approval in the Senate Education Committee today to create a pilot program in one persistently under-performing Memphis city high school to provide “Parental Choice Scholarships” for low income students who are eligible for free and reduced lunch. Kelsey said that the pilot project is a first step towards allowing students zoned to failing schools to have a choice of where their children go to school.
“These scholarships would allow low-income parents the chance for their children to receive the quality education they deserve,” said Senator Kelsey. “Similar programs in other states have been successful, and I think it’s time that Tennessee looked at this viable alternative.”
The “parental choice scholarships” will be equal to the amount that state and local school systems would have spent on each child. They can be used in the school of their choice, including charter schools, private schools, or other public schools if space is available. The scholarship amount gradually decreases to 25% of the full amount as incomes rise up to two and a half times the eligible income for receiving free and reduced lunch. Kelsey said the legislation could provide as much as five additional points as Tennessee competes for up to $485 million in federal funds in the “Race to the Top” competition.
“This bill provides poor kids with hope and real choices in what school they want to attend,” added Senator Kelsey. “Children from wealthier families are more empowered to move to another school district or to afford a private school. However, many local students from low income families and who are zoned to a persistently failing school do not have another recourse. Kids shouldn’t be victims of their own geography.”
The legislation is built on data collected from several similar successful models, including two notable programs in the District of Columbia and Milwakee, Wisconsin. Those receiving scholarships in Milwakee graduated 10 to 25 percent more students than their peers in traditional school programs. Kelsey said most parents participating in the District of Columbia scholarship program who at the beginning cited safety as the key reason for moving their students, later said the quality of curriculum was the key factor in their decision to take advantage of the scholarship for their children.
“This bill will help the public schools by forcing them to improve to compete for their students,” said Senator Kelsey. “Even the students who choose to stay at the public school to which they are zoned will receive a benefit from this legislation.”
The public school system will receive a windfall in funding when certain students leave the system but don’t take 100% of the funding that was being spent on educating them. The difference between the partial scholarship amount and the full amount will be left with the public schools, who will not be responsible for educating those particular students.
“The vast majority of parents want a quality education for their children, regardless of their personal finances or situation,” added Senator Kelsey. “This legislation engages these parents to have a major role in their child’s education by giving them a choice about what school they will attend.”
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Senate gives final approval to Ketron bill to suspend new Worker’s Compensation Law
Contact: Darlene Schlicher (615) 741-6336 or email: darlene.schlicher@legislature.state.tn.us
(NASHVILLE, TN), January 15, 2010 – The State Senate gave final approval today to a bill sponsored by State Senator Bill Ketron (R-Murfreesboro) to immediately suspend a new law to require sole proprietors and partners engaged in the construction industry carry workers’ compensation coverage on themselves. Ketron said the action will allow legislators “to work with due diligence to protect small business owners.”
As amended by the Senate, the new law would be suspended until March 28, 2011. Ketron said recommendations for alternatives are being collected from consumers and affected industries and are being examined. Those recommendations will be studied and taken up during the regular session.
“We should not hurt small businesses as we look for ways to address gaps in coverage for workers in companies in the various construction fields,” added Ketron. “I look forward to helping to forge a solution that will work for all concerned and protect those who might be harmed on the job.”
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