(NASHVILLE, TN), September 28, 2010  -- The National Rifle Association (NRA) today announced that local State Senator Randy McNally (R-Oak Ridge) has earned an “A plus” rating for being a “continuous advocate for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms.”  The announcement came as the Second Amendment Right’s group evaluated incumbent legislators and candidates for the Tennessee General Assembly statewide and made their recommendations for election. 

     “On behalf of the members of the National Rifle Association, I am pleased to announce your NRA ‘A plus’ rating and endorsement for the 2010 Tennessee General election,” said Heidi Keesling, NRA's Tennessee State Liaison in a letter of endorsement.  "This is a reflection of your record on promoting and supporting Second Amendment legislation while serving in the Tennessee Legislature."

     "I am pleased to have the support of the members of the National Rifle Association as I fully support the right to bear arms and appreciate their confidence in my past voting record," said Senator McNally.  "I will continue to fight for the rights and individual liberties of the citizens of this state."

     McNally serves as Chairman of Senate Finance Ways and Means Committee, Vice Chairman of the Rules Committee and Vice Chairman of Council on the Pensions and Insurance Committee.  He is also a member of the NRA and as a youth received an expert marksman and sharp shooter medal.

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 (NASHVILLE, TN), September 22, 2010 – Local State Senator Ken Yager today announced that Fentress will receive $57,198.29 in Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grants (EECBG). The grants will enable communities to implement cost-effective strategies that reduce total energy expenses and save taxpayer money through improved energy efficiency in buildings and transportation systems.
 
“Energy efficiency is very important to helping struggling cities and counties meet their needs,” said Senator Yager. “Implementing efficiency measures will save money for taxpayers over the long run, while helping us conserve energy.”

According to the Department of Environment and Conservation, the grants fund a variety of energy efficiency and conservation programs in local communities across the state, including projects that will replace inefficient lighting in government buildings, streetlamps and traffic signals. The Department says many programs include traditional energy-efficient building retrofit measures, such as the replacement of inefficient heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, water heaters, windows and insulation materials with more efficient models. In addition, three grants will fund the installation of solar panels on government buildings.  They will also allow installers and retrofitters to gain valuable training and experience which will serve private sector companies as they expand their energy efficiency programs.

The state’s Energy Efficient Appliance Rebate Program (SEEARP) opened August 24. Rebates will be available on a first-come, first-served basis for qualifying Energy Star heating and cooling appliances.  Applications are available online at www.e-rebates.org/teearp or by phone at 1-877-741-4304.

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      (NASHVILLE, TN), September 21, 2010 – State Senator Doug Overbey (R- Maryville) has been named “Legislator of the Year” in Tennessee for his efforts on behalf of citizens with mental illness.  The award “in recognition of his dedication to the health and mental health of the people of Tennessee” was presented to Overbey this past weekend in Chattanooga by the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), a nationwide advocacy group. 

 “This award is a great honor and I am humbled to receive it,” said Senator Overbey. “It is very important that patients have access to treatment and the kind of recovery supports needed to improve our mental health system.  We must address financial barriers to effective treatment.  I appreciate this recognition and am glad to partner with NAMI to push for better healthcare services for those who suffer from mental illness in Tennessee.”

Overbey received the award as over 350 mental health care consumers, family members, mental health service providers, veterans and university students looked on.  In presenting the Award, Sita Diehl, NAMI’s recent executive director, cited Overbey’s  work on legislation which restored $659 million in proposed cuts to the TennCare program.  The cuts would have drastically affected patients with mental illness.

“The many bills you have sponsored will protect people with mental illness and ensure the stability of mental health consumers and families in Tennessee,” Roger Stewart, Interim Director of NAMI Tennessee told Overbey.  “As the economy continues to present major challenges, your pledge to support the mental health community is deeply appreciated.  We are fortunate that a person of your caliber serves the people of Tennessee in the state legislature.”

NAMI is the nation’s largest grassroots organization for people with mental illness and their families. Founded in 1979, NAMI has affiliates in every state and in more than 1,100 local communities across the country.  The organization is dedicated to the eradication of mental illnesses and to the improvement of the quality of life for persons of all ages who are affected by mental illnesses. 

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http://www.dnj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=20109190318

http://www.tennessean.com/article/20100919/NEWS01/9190382/Financial+report+delays+put+TN+funds+at+risk

(Lexington, KY), September 20, 2010 --  State Senator Dolores Gresham (R-Somerville) recently completed an intensive symposium for emerging leaders from the three branches of state government.   She was among 40 leaders nationwide chosen to attend the Henry Toll Fellowship program established by the Council of State Governments (CSG), which is designed to prepare selected participants to further their leadership roles.

Past Toll Fellowship graduates include governors, US Senators and members of Congress, as well as leaders in state government.  Gresham was nominated by Senate Majority Leader Mark Norris (R-Collierville), with endorsements from Lt. Governor Ron Ramsey (R-Blountville) and Senate Majority Caucus Chairman Diane Black (R – Gallatin).  She was then elected from a competitive list of nominees across the U.S. by a committee of state elected and appointed officials as one of the most promising leaders of state government.  Norris, who is Chairman of the Southern Legislative Conference (SLC) of  CSG, and Black, who is a candidate for Congress in the 6th U.S. House district, are both alumni of the Toll Fellow program.

This year’s Toll Fellow program focused on policy development, trend analysis, media and constituent relations, and leadership and institutional changes.  Gresham represents the eight counties of the 26th District in Southwest Tennessee and is Chairman of the Senate Education Committee.  Both she and her husband, Will, are retired lieutenant colonels in the United States Marine Corps.  They live on their cattle farm near Somerville, Tennessee.

For more information about the Henry Toll Fellowship Program, please contact Krista Rinehart at (859)244-8249.

 

 (NASHVILLE, TN), September 20, 2010  --- State Senators Jack Johnson (R-Franklin) and Dolores Gresham (R-Somerville) have been appointed to serve as members of the Second Look Commission.  The Commission was put into place by the General Assembly this year to review cases and procedures related to severe child sexual abuse to determine if they were handled in a manner that provides adequate protection to the children. 

“This will be challenging work,” said Senator Johnson.  “I come to this commission not only as a senator, but as a father.  "No child should have to suffer this kind of abuse and we need to make sure we have every protection possible in place to prevent such acts." 

Only two percent of the 750,000 pedophiles identified by computer in the United States have been investigated according to expert testimony provided to the legislature last year.  The Commission will be administratively attached to the Tennessee Commission on Children and Youth.

The 18-member Commission’s findings and recommendations will address all stages of investigating and attempting to remedy severe child abuse.  It will also look at the risk of severe child abuse victims being returned to an environment where a second abuse might occur.  In addition the panel will look at the procedures used by juvenile courts which have jurisdiction over criminal and civil child abuse and neglect, as well as the laws used to determine whether or not an alleged perpetrator is prosecuted.  Finally, the Commission will examine the manner in which severe child abuse data is collected by government entities and any representation provided to victims.

"I look forward to examining the facts and seeing what we can do to improve our safety network and court system to help these children,” concluded Gresham.

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(NASHVILLE, TN), September 16, 2010 – The Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC) was instructed in a joint meeting of the Senate Education and Senate Finance Committees this week to revisit a new funding formula which would have been punitive to Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU).  The action came after local State Senators Bill Ketron (R-Murfreesboro) and Jim Tracy (R-Shelbyville) drilled THEC officials about new changes which would have cost MTSU $12 million, and questioned them regarding the revision of the formula after it had been presented to local officials and the public for input. 

The meeting was also attended by Rutherford County Executive Ernest Burgess, MTSU Senior Vice President John Cothern and Murfreesboro Mayor Tommy Bragg.  Bragg testified to the committee regarding the hardship that such a funding formula change would place on MTSU. 

“We cannot allow a funding formula which is supposed to help promote more college degrees in Tennessee to punish a university which has increased its graduation rate more than any other institution in the state,” said Senator Ketron.  “That is counter-productive to our goal of increasing the number of college graduates.  The committee has asked them to revisit the matter and come back to us next month.”

The formula was devised to comply with the state’s new Complete College Tennessee Act.  That new law called for THEC to retool the funding formula to make it substantially based on outcomes, including end of term enrollment or student retention, as well as timely progress toward degree attainment and degree completion.  Before, the formula was primarily based on beginning of term enrollment.  The legislation had multiple accountability measures, which included that before the revised funding formula goes into effect that it “shall be presented to the Education and Finance, Ways, and Means Committees of the Senate and House of Representatives for review and recommendation.”  Both the House and the Senate held those meetings this week on Capitol Hill.

The newest funding formula presented by THEC to the committee would provide $25 million additional dollars to the University of Tennessee at Knoxville (UTK), while both MTSU and the University of Memphis would suffer losses.  The first formula presented by THEC on July 12 would have resulted in no loss of funds for MTSU.  That formula was presented to MTSU officials and to the public for input.  However, on July 29 a second formula was presented to the Task Force charged with making recommendations on the matter which would cut the funding MTSU receives by $12 million.  This was due to last minute changes made in “weighting” a variety of factors used to measure a university’s success.

“Our graduation rate has grown over the last ten years by 65.5 percent,” added Tracy.  “That is no small task, especially when it was done by a university which has operated successfully in the most efficient manner with our tax dollars.  Our committee has directed THEC to go back to the Task Force and to work through the problems with MTSU and to come back to us with written comments in October.  Hopefully, we will see the needed changes at that time.”     

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NASHVILLE - Wednesday, September 15, 2010 –The Tennessee Employees Action Movement (TEAM) – the PAC of the Tennessee State Employees Association – proudly endorses Bill Ketron, Murfreesboro, in his bid for re-election to the District 13 seat of the Tennessee State Senate
 “We are pleased to endorse Bill Ketron’s campaign,” said James Braswell, Chair of the TEAM Administrative Committee. “Bill Ketron appreciates state employees and values the services they provide daily to the citizens of Tennessee. He understands that quality services depend on a motivated, effective and efficient workforce and has shown a commitment to improving working conditions for state employees.” said Braswell.
TEAM, is the political action arm of the Tennessee State Employees Association, which represents hundreds of state employees in the 13th Senate District. TSEA was established in 1974. For further information, visit the Web site at www.tseaonline.org.
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September 15, 2010  – Senate Transportation Committee Chairman Jim Tracy (R-Shelbyville) announced today that two separate grants have been approved to aid in Bedford County’s highway safety efforts.  The awards include a major $42,955.73 grant to the Bedford County Sheriff’s Department for alcohol and traffic enforcement and $5,000 to the Bell Buckle Police Department for high visibility law enforcement campaigns.

      “I am very pleased that our county has received these highway safety grants to help make our roads safer," said Senator Tracy.  “I also appreciate all the hard work that our local officials have done in helping us to receive these funds."

      According to Tracy, the grants were issued to agencies that successfully applied for funding based on need.  Applications were reviewed by the state’s Highway Safety Office and then scored by both their internal staff and other highway safety advocates.  The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration provides the funding for GHSO grants.

 “This was a large award for a rural county,” Tracy added. “Both of these grants will give our local communities additional funds that should help upgrade their efforts to make our roads safer and to protect our citizens from those who drink and drive.”

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