(NASHVILLE, TN), January 9, 2012 – State Senator Dolores Gresham (R-Somerville) said today that the decision by Precision Coils to relocate to Haywood County preserves local jobs as the company expands job opportunities for other West Tennessee workers.  Gresham said that although the move is a loss for Fayette County, the company’s relocation to neighboring Haywood County will help keep local workers already employed by the company on the job, while expanding opportunities for new employment. 

“I am very pleased that Precision Coils will stay close to their current workforce, while expanding job opportunities for West Tennesseans,” said Senator Gresham.  “I appreciate the work done on this project by the Governor, Commissioner Hagerty, and our local officials to keep this company here in West Tennessee.”

Precision Coils, a business of Unison™ Comfort Technologies, specializes in manufacturing competitively-priced, precision-engineered replacement and OEM coils. The company secured a lease for an existing 60,000 square foot facility in the Brownsville Industrial Park after the company could not secure space in the existing facility.  The company has immediate plans to add an additional 20,000 square feet to the facility. Increasing demand for the Precision Coils product line has made the move to a larger facility with expansion capability necessary. The expansion represents an investment of $3.7 million and the creation of 26 new jobs.

“We must continue to foster a good business environment to keep the state a good place to do business and attract new jobs to Tennessee,” added Gresham.  “I look forward to working with Governor Haslam, our Economic and Community Development team and our local officials to do just that.”

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     (NASHVILLE, TN), January 9, 2012 – State Senator Mike Faulk (R-Church Hill)  today called on citizens in the 4th Senatorial District to give him their input on issues facing the General Assembly during the 2012 legislative session.  Faulk has posted an online survey to better assess district opinions on a wide variety of issues as the legislature begins the second half of the 107th General Assembly on Tuesday. 

     "From education to prescription drug abuse to the judiciary, proposals that we face in the General Assembly this year will impact Tennesseans for many years to come,” said Senator Faulk. “I want to hear from area citizens about their views on the issues we face.  The online survey is a quick and easy way for citizens to contact me regarding legislative matters.”

     Constituents can access the survey at: https://app.e2ma.net/app2/survey/1358831/201005389/359370a6b2/

     Faulk added, “In addition, I continue to welcome input through calls, mail or email.  Please feel free to call me at (615) 741-2061, or toll free at 1-800 449-TENN ext. 12061, e-mail at sen.mike.faulk@capitol.tn.gov or through U.S. postal mail at 10 A Legislative Plaza, Nashville, TN  37243."

      "I want the advice and counsel of the people of this district.  I urge all those who live in this area to let me know their views," Faulk continued.

     Faulk represents Claiborne, Grainger, Hancock, Hawkins, Jefferson, and Union Counties in the State Senate.

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“I will not be a candidate for Congress in 2012. I plan on running for re-election to the State Senate.” 

“I am excited about the new 14th State Senate District. I am honored to continue to represent the constituents of Rutherford, Bedford, and Moore Counties and I look forward to having the opportunity to represent new constituents in Lincoln and Marshall Counties. I am committed to continuing my work on state issues to make Tennessee a better place to work and live, especially in the areas of job creation, education and transportation."

“In making this decision, I do want to thank those who have called or sent notes regarding the congressional district.  I am very thankful and humbled for the tremendous support I have received throughout Middle Tennessee both in 2010 and now.”

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12 for '12 #12: Stopping Prescription Drug Abuse

January 9, 2012 - State Senator Brian Kelsey (R-Germantown) today introduced legislation that reduces TennCare costs by ensuring that psychotropic drugs are prescribed only for approved uses.  A psychotropic drug is one that is designed, marketed, or approved by the FDA for the purpose of affecting the “mood or mental state” of the patient.  Senate Bill 2178 directs TennCare to reimburse health care providers only for FDA-approved uses of psychotropic drugs.

The legislation is the last in a series of announcements by Kelsey in his “12 for '12” initiative for the next legislative session, which is set to reconvene at noon tomorrow.

“This bill will save our state millions of dollars and improve health outcomes. Our children, parents, and grandparents are being given strong psychoactive medications that have not been clinically reviewed for the prescribed use.”

Under the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, a company must specify the intended uses of a product in its new drug application to the Federal Drug Administration. Before approving a drug, the FDA must determine that the drug is safe and effective for the use proposed by the company. Once approved, the drug may not be marketed or promoted to patients or doctors for any unapproved or “off-label” uses.

Drug companies across the nation have paid billions of dollars in settlements arising from the off-label promotion of psychiatric drugs.  In 2009, the Tennessee Attorney General recovered $11.3 million in restitution from Eli Lilly and Company for the improper marketing of its anti-psychotic drug Zyprexa.  Lilly was accused of promoting Zyprexa for unapproved conditions such as depression, anxiety, nausea, and even gambling addiction.  In 2010, the U.S. Department of Justice obtained a $520 million settlement from the company, AstraZeneca, for the off-label marketing of its anti-psychotic drug, Seroquel, which was approved for the treatment of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. AstraZeneca had been accused of promoting the off-label use of the drug for the treatment of conditions ranging from “anger management” to attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder.

Many advocates believe that children are being unnecessarily prescribed these drugs in response to minor behavioral problems.  According to a Vanderbilt University study, the proportion of TennCare children who became new users of antipsychotics nearly doubled from 1996 to 2001, with a substantial increase in the use of antipsychotics for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, conduct disorder, and affective disorders. Meanwhile, prescription of these drugs for non-FDA-approved indications now accounts for most treatment and has been growing faster than treatment for FDA-approved indications.  The alarming rates at which children are being prescribed these drugs are even higher for those in the foster care system. According to a 2010 study, children in 13 States who are in foster care and enrolled in Medicaid were prescribed antipsychotic medications at nearly nine times the rate of children enrolled in Medicaid who were not in foster care.

“This bill will ensure that our TennCare funds are spent for the appropriate medical purposes. Denying payment for the off-label use of these powerful drugs will help shield our most vulnerable patients from a potentially unsafe and ineffective course of treatment,” concluded Kelsey.

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(January 6, 2011, NASHVILLE) –  Lt. Governor Ron Ramsey today announced that Senator Becky Massey (R – Knoxville) will serve the Senate as a member of the Government Operations Committee, the Transportation and Safety Committee and the Health and Welfare Committee in the upcoming session of the General Assembly. Sen. Massey won a special election on Nov. 8 to represent District 6 and is the newest member of the state Senate.

“Sen. Massey is a strong, conservative addition to the Senate,” said Lt. Governor Ramsey. “Her life experience has prepared her well to serve the people of the Tennessee in a myriad of different ways. She will be a champion of good government here in the Senate.”

“I’m very eager to get to work serving the State of Tennessee on these very important committees,” said Sen. Massey. “These assignments will allow me use my experience in the private sector to keep our government small and our people safe and healthy. I’m humbled that Lt. Governor Ramsey has shown such confidence in me.”

A graduate of the University of Tennessee, Massey is currently the Executive Director of the Sertoma Center. The center serves over 100 adults with intellectual disabilities by providing vocational training, part-time employment, mental health support, life skills and residential services.

She resides in Knoxville with her husband, Morton. They have two adult daughters Courtney and Kristen.
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(NASHVILLE, TN), January 5, 2012 -- State Senator Doug Overbey (R-Maryville) said today he is very pleased with the comprehensive public safety package presented by Governor Bill Haslam today.  Overbey said he is particularly pleased the legislation includes steps to curb prescription drug abuse and gang violence.

The package was released as lawmakers get ready to return to Capitol Hill on Tuesday for the 2012 legislative session.

 “I am very supportive of Governor Haslam’s public safety package,” said Senator Overbey.  “I look forward to working with him as these bills comes before us in the Senate Judiciary Committee.”

Overbey, who is Vice-Chairman of the Judiciary Committee, sponsored legislation approved last year to authorize judges to allow a district attorney to use a wiretap when the interception may provide evidence of criminal gang-related activities in aggravated burglaries. He also co-sponsored several new laws cracking down on drug abuse, including the “I Hate Meth” law and the new “pill mill” statute to curb prescription drug abuse in pain clinics.

The three goals of the Governor’s public safety multi-year action plan are to significantly reduce drug abuse and drug trafficking; curb violent crime; and lower the rate of repeat offenders.  The multi-year strategy includes:

• Making improvements to the current prescription drug data base to make it easier to identify abusers;
• Developing regional alliances with other states to tackle prescription drug abuse;
  Placing non-violent drug addicts into drug court treatment programs;
• Imposing tougher sentences for certain types of gang-related crimes;
  Enacting tougher sentences for gun possession by those with prior violent felony convictions;
• Realigning under the Department of Correction the supervision of adult felony offenders to include probation, parole and community corrections; and
• Mandating incarceration time for repeat domestic violence offenders.
   
  Eight of the identified action steps are already underway. Some of those steps include:
•  Development of a real-time database to track the purchases of pseudoephedrine products (commonly used to make meth);
• A statewide meth lab clean-up system;
• Development of a new anti-meth communications campaign;
• In-depth training of all state road troopers on drug interdiction; and
• A pilot effort in Shelby County to create a one-stop shop for assistance and services to inmates returning to the community.

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(NASHVILLE, TN), January 5, 2012 – State Senator Doug Overbey (R-Maryville) expressed disappointment with today’s announcement by Alcoa, Inc. (Aluminum Company of America) to permanently close its smelter in Blount County.  Overbey said he would like to see an aggressive redevelopment effort to find new uses for the site that could lead to job creation for those displaced by the announcement.

 “I am deeply disappointed by the company’s decision to close the Blount County plant,” said Senator Overbey. “My first concern is for the workers and their families who are directly impacted by this announcement.  I pledge to work with Alcoa in its efforts for redevelopment and to find new uses for the site, especially those that might lead to job creation.”

 Overbey said that, although the absence of a competitive long-term power contract for the smelter may not have been  the only factor in Alcoa’s decision,  the cost of energy used on the pots lines  likely played a role.

Legislation sponsored by State Senator Doug Overbey (R-Maryville) in 2009 called for the Board Directors of the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) “to proceed with all due haste” and finalize a competitive long-term power contract with the Alcoa.  The resolution, SJR 622, was approved unanimously after all members of the State Senate signed on to co-sponsor the measure.

Alcoa has been in operation in Blount County since 1913, nearly three decades before the TVA was established.

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(NASHVILLE, TN), January 5, 2012 -- State Senator Ken Yager (R-Harriman) said today he will be working with Governor Bill Haslam to pass legislation aimed at reducing prescription drug abuse in Tennessee.  Haslam recognized Yager for his efforts to address the problem at an afternoon press conference on Thursday in Nashville where the Governor presented a comprehensive public safety strategy that included steps to curb prescription drug abuse. 

In December, Yager announced he will sponsor prescription drug abuse legislation in the 2012 legislative session to require doctors, pharmacists or their designees to check the state’s Controlled Substance Monitoring Database before prescribing or filling prescriptions for scheduled drugs.  He was also the sponsor of legislation passed in the 2011 legislative session that went into effect this month cracking down on prescription drug abuse at pain clinics in Tennessee. 

“I am very pleased that Governor Haslam is addressing prescription drug abuse and that it is at the center of his public safety initiative,” said Senator Yager.  “I am very encouraged about the prospects of this legislation and look forward to working with him and our public safety officials across the state in passing it through our General Assembly this year.”

The three goals of the Governor’s public safety multi-year action plan are to significantly reduce drug abuse and drug trafficking; curb violent crime; and lower the rate of repeat offenders.  There are 11 objectives and 40 action steps outlined in the plan, all specifically linked to those goals.  Some of the Governor’s initiatives involving drug abuse include:

Making improvements to the current prescription drug data base to make it easier to identify abusers;
Developing regional alliances with other states to tackle prescription drug abuse;
Placing non-violent drug addicts into drug court treatment programs;

 “Tennessee ranks second in the nation in regard to the overutilization of prescription pain medications,” said Senator Yager.  “It is important that we continue to take steps to address this huge health and public safety issue in our state.”

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(January 4, 2011, NASHVILLE) -- Lt. Governor Ron Ramsey today announced the release of the Senate’s first-ever Republican-drawn redistricting map. The plan was put together by the Senate’s Working Group on Redistricting with the assistance of the Office of Legal Services and is now available at the General Assembly’s website.

"We were committed to drawing a fair and legal state senate map and that is exactly what we have done.” said Lt. Governor Ron Ramsey. “The map emphasizes regional integrity and adheres to state and federal laws as well as court precedent. I look forward to concluding the redistricting process swiftly and efficiently as soon as we go into session next week.”

This year’s redistricting has been the most open, interactive and transparent redistricting process in Tennessee history. By placing an unprecedented amount of information and data online for use by the general public, Lt. Governor Ramsey opened up the process to any Tennessean with access to a computer.

In addition to Lt. Governor Ramsey the Senate Working Group on redistricting included three regional coordinators: Majority Leader Mark Norris, Republican Caucus Chairman Bill Ketron and Speaker Pro Tempore Bo Watson.

This unprecedented release includes both a statewide map as well as regional and urban center breakout maps for public perusal. A comprehensive memorandum explaining the new map in detail can also be found at the website: http://www.capitol.tn.gov/senate/redist/redistricting.html.