Lewis County Herald - Serving Hohenwald, Lewis County Tennessee Since 1898

Republicans protect students, employees against divisive concepts on campuses - The House of Representatives on Monday passed legislation that prohibits Tennessee’s public universities and colleges f...

New K-12 education funding formula prioritizes students’ individual needs - Members of the General Assembly this week got their first look at Gov. Bill Lee’s proposal to modernize how the state pro...

The General Assembly adopts “I’ll Leave My Heart in Tennessee” as state song - Members of the House were treated to a performance of newly adopted state song “I’ll Leave My Heart in Tennessee...

General Assembly confirms new Tennessee Supreme Court Justice - Members of the General Assembly confirmed the appointment of Sarah K. Campbell to the Tennessee Supreme Court in a joint session in the...

Gov. Lee unveils 2022 legislative vision in State of the State address Tennessee: ‘America at its Best” - Gov. Bill Lee on Monday addressed a joint session of the General Assembly in the House Cha...

House Committees begin work-The pace picked on Capitol Hill this week as House members worked to finalize their legislative proposals before the Feb. 2 bill filing deadline. House committees began to...

The Real Christmas The following are excerpts from a Christmas speech I thought was worth sharing. ‘Christmas is a busy season. Streets and stores are filled with people making last-minute p...

As the 112th legislative session draws closer, here are new laws under gun rights. Permitless Carry / Stronger Penalties for Gun Theft – Public Chapter 108 allows law-abiding citizens in Tennessee who...

Greetings. This week I want to address highlights regarding the new election & voting laws for our state. Voting / Senior Citizens – Public Chapter 233 makes it easier for elderly residents who l...

On November 22, 2021 Governor Bill Lee signed Executive Order 93 “Operation Open Road” to address supply chain issues during the Holiday Season. Lee joined 14 other states in this initiative act...

Happy Thanksgiving to all! NATIONAL THANKSGIVING PROCLAMATION The National Thanksgiving Proclamation was the first formal proclamation of Thanksgiving in the United States. President George...

Greetings. Thanksgiving is almost here. The new 112th General Assembly will begin January 11th 2022. Since both the House and Senate are in a downtime, in continuing effort to keep constituents...

Essential Workers Act – Public Chapter 384 prohibits a local government from issuing an executive order, resolution or ordinance establishing categories or classes of essential and non-essential b...

State as a Model Employer / Individuals with Disabilities – Public Chapter 575 puts Tennessee on track to become a “State as a Model Employer” (SAME) for individuals with disabilities. The legis...

Medical Laboratories Act – Public Chapter 495 allows Tennessee to utilize the federal standards that are used in 31 other states for those that work in private laboratories, as is already done in o...

Tennessee Medical Cannabis Commission –Public Chapter 577 creates a commission to serve as a nonpartisan, medically-focused entity to study federal and state laws regarding medical cannabis. The c...

Session Highlights 2021 Surplus Radios / First Responders / Distressed Counties – Public Chapter 527 allows for the transfer of surplus two-way radios, held by the Department of Safety, to distressed...

Federal Law Enforcement Officers / Personal Information – Public Chapter 253 protects federal law enforcement officers and their families by providing confidentiality regarding certain personal i...

Firing a Firearm from a Vehicle – Public Chapter 505 makes it reckless endangerment subject to a Class C felony to fire a firearm from within a motor vehicle, enhancing penalties for the crime. C...

Drag racing – Public Chapter 573 stiffens the penalty for drag racing from a Class B misdemeanor to a Class A misdemeanor to deter drivers from engaging in this reckless behavior. Enhanced penalties f...

Session Highlights from 112th General Assembly Jim Coley Protection for Rape Survivors Act - Public Chapter 362 provides more transparency regarding the rape kit backlog process. It makes sure the...

Safe Home for Trafficked Children – Public Chapter 246 requires law enforcement officers to alert the Department of Children’s Services when they take a minor into custody on charges of pro...

Session Highlights from 112th General Assembly Confucius Institutes / Foreign Influence on Higher Education – Public Chapter 344 prohibits the establishment of Confucius Institutes which have ties to...