In The News – 2015 stories

2015 PDF summaries:In-The-News2
December 18
December 11
December 4
November 20
November 13
November 6
October 30
October 23
October 16
October 9
October 2
September 18
September 11
September 4
August 28

August 2015:
Jim Henry tours state promoting prison policy
State parks tour, meetings underway as part of Haslam’s outsourcing project
Haslam eyes privatizing building management, operations, services at state colleges, prisons
TN agencies ordered to cut up to 3.5 percent from budget
2 prison officers hospitalized after attacks
State prison warden on leave with pay for indefinite period
Lawmakers question TDOC vacancy numbers
Ramsey questions whether colleagues’ gubernatorial ambitions pose road block to transportation funding
Ramsey, Harwell weigh in on road funding (sort of)
State Dept. of Correction announces signing bonus, employee referral incentive
July Revenues
TDOC commissioner to legislators: Prisons are safe, violence is down
TN Senate transportation chairman calls for the repayment of $280 million in road funds

July 2015:
Tennessee loses 322 prison guards amid new overtime pay rules
Lawmaker: ‘People’s lives are in danger’ at TN prisons
(David Waters Column) Wanted: Prison guards who will work longer for less
Top Haslam campaign fundraiser to lead Tennessee State Museum building effort
Violence prompts lockdown at two state prisons
Prison execs’ salaries swell as guards lose overtime
June Revenues (TN Department of Finance & Administration)
TN lawmakers look for answers on prison safety
TDOC employees say new schedule creating dangerous conditions
State job applicant site down for next 6 weeks
Bonnie Hommrich named new DCS commissioner
Nashville prison faces ’emergency staffing issues’
Prison guard shortage not confined to Nashville
TennCare scraps another multimillion-dollar contract

June 2015:
Haslam says no set goal for how many Tenn. workers need to apply for buyouts before layoffs
May Revenues (Department of Finance & Administration News Release)
State Employment Policies Not Great For Recruiting

May 2015:
‘Technological limitations’ take costly toll on TN government
5 Tennessee departments whose computer failures have cost us
State paid $46K for logo while paying $293K for graphic designers
‘Simple’ TN logo was 9 months in the making
More than 2,000 Tennessee state workers sent buyout offers
Tennessee pays $46K for new state logo
Haslam Announces Departure of Chief of Staff
April Revenues (News Release from the Department of F&A)
Tennessee State Employees Association Slams Release of Lawmakers’ Health Plans
Tennessean vs Casada and TSEA on legislator insurance info

April 2015:
Legislative session comes to quiet end
State could move legislature to Cordell Hull building
TN General Assembly closes for 2015; Republicans claim successful session
Saved from Demolition, Cordell Hull May Become Offices for Tennessee Lawmakers
Harwell: Cordell Hull to be legislature’s new home
Haslam bill to abolish longevity pay (for new state employees) wins legislative approval
DCS honored for reforms, but 15 years of scrutiny aren’t over
Longevity pay deal grandfathers in state employees
Legislature approves $33.8 billion state budget, including $166 million for Volkswagen
Legislature approves Haslam’s $33.8B state budget
Legislature Sends Budget to Governor
Lawmakers Approve $120 Million For Tennessee State Museum
Bill would restrict teachers’ political speech (plus Longevity mention)
Battle continues concerning possible cut in state employee benefits and longevity pay

March 2015:
Haslam proposes $120M for new state museum in Nashville
Haslam Withdraws Effort to End Bonuses for Existing Workers
Haslam adds $330m ($30m recurring, $300m non-recurring) to state budget plan
Dept. of Safety staff instructed not to tell public about computer glitches
House subs shutting down this week
Longevity Pay for State Employees
State Legislators Still Fighting To Keep Greene Valley Developmental Center Open
Business tax attorney sues TN Finance and Administration Commissioner Larry Martin
Routinely held secret ‘pre-meetings’ in Tennessee House criticized
5 Issues to Watch at the Tennessee General Assembly this week
Haslam Forced to Bend as State Workers Attack Merit Pay Plan
State employee pay fight latest struggle for Haslam
Haslam’s budget proposes big changes for state employee longevity pay
Haslam’s Proposal to Eliminate State Longevity Pay On Hold
Tenn. leaders put off gas tax talk despite needs

February 2015:
Ron Ramsey: GM incentives may have been a ‘mistake’
Sunday column: Haslam would take from senior state employees and give to preferred people
Tennessee tax collections run $344M ahead of estimates
TennCare changes cause problems for nursing homes
Haslam seeking to end longevity pay for state workers
Henry: No Plans to Privatize Woodland Hills
5 things to know about Gov. Haslam’s $33.3B budget proposal
Haslam’s State of the State/budget press release
Haslam budget plan has $170M for pay raises, $200M in cuts and grows a bit overall
Good Things Happening in TN, Haslam Tells Lawmakers
Tennessee’s State of the State Makes Big Promises but No Big Surprises
Gov. Haslam releases $33.3 billion spending plan
7 things that Gov. Haslam’s budget would do in Tennessee
Haslam frustrated, surprised and embarrassed in Insure TN effort
Haslam says he won’t propose gas tax hike this year

January 2015:
Families of Residents of GVDC Plead for Facility
Greene Valley closure draws opposition from families
Federal judge delays Greene Valley closure decision
Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam is New Billionaire, Richest Politician in America
Comptroller finds TN fuel taxes ‘stagnant’ and ‘not expected to be sufficient’
Greene Valley supporters traveling to Nashville for federal hearing
State funding cuts proposed for services for intellectually disabled
Curtain goes up on Tennessee’s legislative session
State plans closing of Greene Valley Developmental Center
Tennessee parts ways with contractor over $37million computer that doesn’t work
Tennessee legislature convenes Tuesday with full agenda of controversial issues
Officials Scrambling to Save Greene Valley
December Revenues Up
Tennesseans May Face Gas Tax Double Whammy
Court to hear plan to close Greene Valley Developmental Center 
Greene Valley May Face Closure in 2016
Will Governor Haslam Make Good on a Promise to Boost Teacher Pay in Tennessee?
Haslam 2.0: As he prepares for his second term, governor takes stock of his first four years, charts challenges
Criminal justice expert says new TDOC supervision policy improves public safety

New state law protects employees’ online privacy
TDOC rolled out new supervision police without alerting key players