Information in this report is provided by the staff of 70th District State Rep. Clay Doggett, R Pulaski, who represents Giles, Lawrence and parts of Lincoln counties.
Effective almost immediately, the office of State Rep. Clay Doggett, has been moved to the fifth floor of the Cordell Hull Office Building.
The move puts Doggett, chairman of the Criminal Justice Subcommittee, next to the office of Bud Hulsey, R Kingsport, chairman of the Criminal Justice Committee.
The move should allow the two to work more efficiently on criminal justice legislation and related matters, according to Doggett’s office.
Some legislation to be sponsored by Republican legislators in the 113th general assembly, follow. New Dashboard App gives public increased access to legislative process
The Speaker of the Tennessee House of Representatives has unveiled an innovative tool that will enhance public transparency in the legislative process within the House of Representatives.
The user-friendly TGA House Dashboard application will also give every Tennessean the same access to the legislative process as elected officials. This resource will allow Tennesseans to view House committee and floor calendars, legislation, and amendments — both proposed, and approved — on House legislative initiatives in a timely and straightforward manner.
“Tennesseans want transparency in our processes, and they deserve to know more about the legislation that we are proposing and attempting to pass in the House,” said House Speaker Cameron Sexton, R-Crossville. “This new Dashboard application will give Tennesseans the same access as their representative in real-time and make the legislative process the most transparent in Tennessee that it has ever been.”
To use the application, citizens simply need to visit: TGA Dashboard (tn.gov), then log in, register, and activate the application, and they will immediately have access to all aspects of the legislative process that House lawmakers currently have.
Gov. Bill Lee unveils transportation plan for rural and urban Tennessee
Lee has presented his administration’s strategic infrastructure plan to accommodate Tennessee’s record growth, address traffic congestion and meet transportation needs across rural and urban communities.
The Transportation Modernization Act of 2023, expected to be introduced in the coming weeks, will ensure the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) has the resources to solve the state’s current and future mobility challenges.
Proposed solutions include:
• Seeking public-private partnerships to allow private investment in new urban roadway infrastructure, to allow the state to reserve funds for more rural infrastructure priorities.
• The plan for public-private partnerships will include exploring Choice Lanes, which are additional, optional lanes funded in partnership with the private sector on urban Tennessee interstates to decrease congestion and increase economic impact state wide.
• Expanding the alternative delivery model to save taxpayer dollars and deliver road projects more quickly.
TDOT estimates $26 billion is needed to address urban and rural congestion in Tennessee.
Of that total, only $3.6 billion is already contemplated as part of the 2017 IMPROVE Act projects list. Of TDOT’s $1.2 billion for annual construction and maintenance, only $500 million per year is available for the construction of projects that would move the needle on congestion.
The addition of choice lanes in Texas resulted in a 60 to 70 percent reduction in traffic congestion along with a 10 to 15 percent increase in speed, according to TDOT.
In Georgia, there was an increase in speed of between 30 and 50 miles per hour in general-purpose lanes along with a 10 percent increase in on-time bus performance.
Information about the Build with Us plan can be found here.
Republicans introduce Small Government Efficiency Act
Republicans have filed legislation that aims to ensure more effective local representation and the utmost efficiency for taxpayers in Tennessee.
House Bill 48, also known as the Small Government Efficiency Act, would rein in excessive government growth by lowering the maximum size of metropolitan and municipal legislative bodies to no more than 20 voting members.
“When government grows beyond a certain size, it hinders economic growth, taxes are inevitably raised and the standard of living for the average citizen is diminished,” said bill sponsor Majority Leader William Lamberth, R-Portland.
“Government functions best closer to the people. This legislation will strengthen local democracy and competency by improving the ability of local elected leaders to effectively represent their communities.”
Local government bodies exceeding 20 voting members would be required to dissolve and re-appropriate districts using the latest federal U.S. Census data to ensure equal representation based on population.
Information about House Bill 48 can be found here.
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