Governor’s FOCUS Act Clears House Education Committee
HB 2578, known as the Focus on College and University Success (FOCUS) Act, was passed out of House Education Administration and Planning Committee on Tuesday. The bill, the next step in Governor Haslam’s Drive to 55 initiative and sponsored in the House by Rep. Gerald McCormick (R-Chattanooga), would call for the six four-year universities currently … Continued
Governor Delivers State of the State Address
Governor Bill Haslam delivered the State of the State Address tonight–the first of his second term as Governor. The yearly address is an important part of the legislative process, formalizing the Governor’s policy priorities and setting the tone for the next few months of legislative debate and action. The Governor made clear that his focus … Continued
Tennessee Promise Passes House, Heads to Governor’s Desk
The Tennessee Promise Scholarship Act of 2014 was passed by the House of Representatives last night on an 87-8 vote. Members voting no included Representatives Joe Carr (R-Lascassas), Glen Casada (R-Franklin), Jeremy Durham (R-Franklin), Andy Holt (R-Dresden), Judd Matheny (R-Tullahoma), Cameron Sexton (R-Crossville), Billy Spivey (R-Lewisburg), and Rick Womick (R-Rockvale). The legislation passed in the … Continued
Tennessee Promise Scholarship Sails Through Senate
The Tennessee Promise Scholarship Act of 2014 passed the state Senate last night by a 30-1 vote. The Promise, a key component of Governor Haslam’s Drive to 55 Initiative, will be used to provide “last dollar” scholarship awards (after all other scholarships and financial aid are applied) towards the cost of tuition and fees for … Continued
House Finance Committee Hears Higher Ed Budgets
The University of Tennessee completed its final budget hearing this week before the House Finance, Ways, and Means Committee. The University of Tennessee presented alongside the Tennessee Higher Education Commission, Tennessee Board of Regents, and the Tennessee Foreign Language Institute. Some interesting facts from the hearing include: UT Knoxville produces more undergraduate, graduate, and professional … Continued
