Tagged: Governor Bill Haslam

Gov. Bill Haslam has signed legislation that clears the way for cities to begin forming municipal school systems.

The measure passed the House 70-24 and the Senate 24-5. It lifts a 1998 ban that forbids municipalities from starting their own school systems, and benefits six Memphis suburbs seeking to bypass a merger of the Shelby County and Memphis school districts and run their own schools.

Both chambers of the Tennessee General Assembly adopted Governor Bill Haslam's $32.8 billion budget proposal.

The Senate unanimously approved the spending plan Wednesday afternoon, and the House followed suit. The House vote came after the chamber rejected a Democratic proposal to include a provision allowing the state to spend up to $3 billion in federal Medicaid money if the governor succeeds in negotiating an expansion under the federal health care law.

Governor Bill Haslam says he was as surprised as anyone that FBI and Internal Revenue Service agents locked down the headquarters of his family’s company Monday.

“They came in looking for certain records, and that’s all I know,” Haslam told reporters at the state capitol.

The governor remains a primary shareholder in Pilot Flying J, which produces $20 billion in annual revenue. He stepped down as president of the company in 1998 to pursue another business venture and eventually enter politics.

Tennessee isn’t saying “yes” to expanding the state’s Medicaid program known as TennCare. But it’s not saying “no” either. Gov. Bill Haslam made the announcement this morning to a joint assembly of the legislature, telling lawmakers he’s been working toward a “third option.”

“To leverage the federal dollars available to our state to transform health care in Tennessee without expanding our TennCare rolls,” he said.

A spokesman says Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam is "likely" to sign into law a bill to allow the state's nearly 400,000 handgun carry permit holders to store firearms in their cars no matter where they are parked. The House on passed the bill sponsored by Republican Rep. Jeremy Faison on a 72 - 22 vote Thursday.

Before the vote, Speaker Beth Harwell assured Republican colleagues that the measure is endorsed by the National Rifle Association and that members of the business community are "holding their noses" about its passage despite concerns about security and property rights.