Category: Bill Lee

Nashville’s Elementary Schools to Lack SROs Despite $140 Million Allocation for Positions Statewide

Only one school district out of Tennessee’s four largest cities will not have SROs in every school this fall after the state legislature and Governor allocated $140 million for each district in the state to do so following the shooting at The Covenant School in March. The shooting, which happened in Nashville, inspired the legislature…


Contrasting Crime Trends: Tennessee Sees Reductions in Violent Crime While California Faces Challenges

In the midst of Tennessee’s legislative session in March, California Gov. Gavin Newsom took aim at the southern state’s Republican Governor Bill Lee for signing a bill passed by the state’s legislature limiting drag shows in front of young audiences—making the claim Lee should be focused on Tennessee’s eighth place ranking in states with the…


Tennessee Governor Launches ‘Tri-Stars and Stripes’ Council to Attract Veterans

An executive order signed this week by Republican Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee aims to make the state one of the leading states for military families and veterans. “As we gather with friends and family to celebrate our great nation this Independence Day, we must also remember that freedom is not free – it has been…


In-Depth: Tennessee Governor Wants State to Be Leader in Nuclear Energy

The state that was home to the Manhattan Project creating the atomic bomb and the Oak Ridge National Laboratory is seeking to become the national leader in nuclear energy. Republican Tennessee Governor Bill Lee signed an executive order advancing nuclear energy in the state on May 16. Lee’s order (pdf) establishes the Tennessee Nuclear Energy…


Analysis: Tennessee Gov. Signs Bill Adding $230M for School Safety Following Covenant

A bill adding a $230 million influx of funding for school safety at public and private schools across Tennessee was signed into law by Gov. Bill Lee, a Republican, on May 10. “Nothing is more important than Tennessee students and teachers returning home from school safely each day,” Lee said in a statement. “Every year…


ANALYSIS: Tennessee Gov. Signs Bill Adding $230 Million for School Safety Following Covenant

A bill adding a $230 million influx of funding for school safety at public and private schools across Tennessee was signed into law by Gov. Bill Lee, a Republican, on May 10. “Nothing is more important than Tennessee students and teachers returning home from school safely each day,” Lee said in a statement. “Every year…


Tennessee Governor Sets Date for Special Session on Public Safety and Gun Legislation

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee announced on Monday a date for convening a special session of the Legislature, which is currently adjourned, in order to discuss possible gun legislation and public safety, will begin Aug. 21. The Republican leader has decided to call in all lawmakers for the special session, even after his proposal for an…


Tennessee Governor Proposes Law That Would Restrict Gun Ownership

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee on April 11 floated a law that would restrict gun ownership as he signed an order that would strengthen background checks for gun purchases. “It is important that we find a way to remove individuals who are a threat to themselves or to our society, to remove them from access to…


Number of School Choice Bills Advance in Tennessee

A number of bills in Tennessee expanding the education savings account (ESA) program are making their way through the state legislature, setting up an expansion of school choice options in the Volunteer State. The bills have not yet made their way to passage in the House to be sent to Republican Governor Bill Lee, a…


Tennessee Officials Making State’s First Paid Traffic Lanes a Legislative Priority

Tennessee’s governor and speaker of the House of Representatives are promoting a plan to bring the state its first toll lanes, that they have deemed “choice lanes.” Gov. Bill Lee, a Republican, unveiled a “Transportation Modernization Act” earlier this month as a way to address “traffic congestion and meet transportation needs across rural and urban…