2014 – In The News

December 28, 2014
Haslam takes Tennessee sales tax boost off the table

December 27, 2014
On Supermajority sunsetting state boards, commissions, and such

December 18, 2014
Haslam names Randy Boyd to replace Hagerty as ECD Commissioner

December 17, 2014
Haslam picks Candice McQueen, college of education dean, to replace Huffman
Government Op Committee report: 17 state agencies terminated, eight merged, two restructured

December 16, 2014
Midstate mayors seek more money for transportation fixes
Police Arrest Mom Accused of Shooting at DCS Building
State Funding Board sees lower growth rate in coming year

December 15, 2014
Haslam Announces Insure Tennessee Plan

December 14, 2014
Tennessee lawmaker fears danger from prison changes

December 9, 2014
Doomed from the Start: Tennessee may just scrap computer system for determining who gets Medicaid

December 6, 2014
Tennessee says prison closing not tied to CCA

December 2, 2014
Tennessee could cut 73 troopers under worst-case budget reduction scenario
Dept. of Safety proposes cutting 73 trooper jobs

December 1, 2014
Tennessee Agencies are Spending ‘A Huge Amount of Money’ to Store Emails for Lawsuits

November 30, 2014
Proposed DCS Budget Calls for Changes in Juvenile Detention Program
Legislators get less than $2 daily increase in base pay, $10 bump in per diem

November 26, 2014
Report lists Tre Hargett promotion efforts at taxpayer expenses

November 24, 2014
Budget Talks Kick Off
Dept. of Human Services proposes cutting 300 jobs
Haslam opens state budget hearings
State focuses on ‘changing the culture’ at Tennessee centers housing teen felons
Guards at Juvenile Facilities to be Armed with Stun Guns, Pepper Spray
DCS seeks $33M to hire more staff at youth detention centers

November 23, 2014
Challenges galore for Haslam as he begins Tennessee budget hearings

November 20, 2014
Haslam named RGA Chairman

November 16, 2014
Tenns involved in escape may be sent to Texas

November 13, 2014
State may get reimbursed for reopening the Smokies during shutdown

November 6, 2014
Haslam administration pays out $1M in settlements
Haslam: No real mistakes in first term
Haslam administration pays $100k for contract claim

November 5, 2014
Results in State House contested elections
Results in contested races for TN State Senate

November 1, 2014
Last Woodland Hills escapee caught, charged in shooting
Final TN early voting totals: Down 14.6 percent from 2010

October 30, 2014
TDOT delays $400 million worth of road projects to 2016
Teen suicides raise questions about how DCS trains staff

October 27, 2014
Tennessee Highway Patrol Aviation & Special Operations Unit Rescues Injured Volunteer on Great Smoky Mountains

October 16, 2014
17% of Children in DCS Return within 2 Years

October 13, 2014
State tax revenues beat estimates

October 7, 2014
TennCare rejection letters sent to those who didn’t apply
Governor questions why TN unemployment rate so high

October 5, 2014
Haslam stands by closure of Taft youth center

October 2, 2014
DCS weighs shifting older teens to adult system
Slatery sworn in as Tennessee attorney general

October 1, 2014
Editorial: Dithering governor gets free ride to re-election

September 30, 2014
On new AG’s membership in formerly all-white country club
Haslam asks for bigger budget cuts after revenue shortfall
Tenn. Detention Facility Explores How to Control Rough Teens

September 29, 2014
DCS: Staff failures led to Woodland Hills escapes
Escapes Spark Changes at Tennessee Juvenile Center

September 28, 2014
Tennessee Gov. Haslam orders state agencies to cut spending
Woodland Hills escapee captured
Residents on edge after escapes from Woodland Hills

September 27, 2014
13 escape Woodland Hills in second breakout this month

September 26, 2014
TennCare backlog continues despite federal court order
Beth Harwell, Ron Ramsey should be indicted, grand jury says

September 25, 2014
Vibrations prompt evacuation of state building

September 24, 2014
Polk building deemed safe after vibrations reported
What is holding back Tennessee’s unemployment rate?

September 22, 2014
A lot of fighting preceded escape, rioting at Woodland Hills juvenile detention center

September 21, 2014
Woodland Hills saw violence long before escapes, riots

September 20, 2014
Solving America’s unacceptable recidivism crisis

September 18, 2014
Primary campaigns indicate Haslam facing an ugly legislative session

September 17, 2014
TDOC no longer ‘supervising’ dead felons

September 16, 2014
Chronic understaffing cripples state services
Ramsey told two justices he hoped for a “more conservative” attorney general

September 15, 2014
Herbert Slatery III, Halsam’s chief legal counsel, picked as Tennessee attorney general

September 13, 2014
Potential vendors ask for changes in state’s contract bid process for radios

September 12, 2014
August Collections – Finance & Administration

September 11, 2014
Woodland Hills and the problems of running a detention center like a learning facility – or is it the other way around?

September 10, 2014
Security audit set for Tennessee juvenile jails
Bordeaux Community: What happened at Woodland Hills?

September 9, 2014
DCS mending fences, facing security audit at juvenile detention centers
Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam signed bills past deadline
Father of One of the Teens Who Escaped Speaks Out at DCS Public Forum
Father of escaped teen pleads: ‘Turn yourself in’

September 8, 2014
DCS chief to talk Woodland Hills riot, escape at forum
Taking youths too lightly

September 5, 2014
2 TDOT workers flown to Vanderbilt after serious crash on I-24
Reopen Taft, 3 lawmakers say: Problems at Nashville youth facility prompt call for change

September 4, 2014
Lawmakers call for action after Woodland Hills violence
Former DCS Workers Were Concerned About Safety
Former officer says changes needed at Woodland Hills
DCS fixes fence, neighbors still have security concerns
Lawmakers Trace Nashville Escape, Riots to Closure of State’s Taft Youth Development Center
Lawmakers urge re-opening of Taft facility in wake of teen felon escapes in Nashville
No escapes, but it was a night of mini riots at Nashville Youth Detention Center
Teens back in custody after escaping Nashville detention center
24 teens handcuffed after hours-long riot at Woodland Hills
TSEA blames DCS problems on ‘chronic understaffing’
Riot at Woodland Hills Youth Development Center
DCS Press Conference on Riot at Woodland Hills
Teens riot, attack guards at youth correctional facility

September 3, 2014
Students fight, flip off tables, throw chairs in state run facility
DCS official: Guards were injured during teens’ escape

September 2, 2014
30 teens escape from DCS detention center in Nashville; 8 still at large
8 teen escapees from Tenn. detention center still on lam
Dozens of Teens Escape Nashville Detention Center
32 teens escape state juvenile detention center; many still on the run
Investigation Launched into Nashville Detention Center Escape
More on mass escape from state dentention center
32 teens escape from DCS detention center in Nashville, 7 still at large
DCS Investigating Police Call Delay in Juvenile Detention Break

September 1, 2014
Suicides part of larger problem with state’s lack of help for youth

August 27, 2014
Staff fired after 2 teen suicides in DCS custody

August 22, 2014
Change of plans: Renovate Cordell Hull building instead of demolishing it

August 21, 2014
Former Tenn. finance chief Emkes joins CCA board

August 20, 2014
Investigation reveals Lt. Gov. Ramsey’s chief of staff highest paid in nation

August 15, 2014
String of Tennessee computer failures affect real people

August 11, 2014
Where is the supervision at DCS youth centers?

August 7, 2014
Survey shows hundreds of state agency employees feel less safe

July 29, 2014
Handful of Gov. Haslam’s cabinet members receive bigger raises in recent years

July 25, 2014
DCS names new child safety deputy commissioner

July 17, 2014
Money woes halt road projects; 1,000 jobs at risk

July 14, 2014
Keeping Cordell Hull Building Now Considered The State’s Cheapest Choice

July 1, 2014
NC5 Investigates: Tennessee’s Secret Deals

June 26, 2014
TSEA gets a new president

June 24, 2014
Chattanooga’s state building is one of nation’s most endangered historic places

June 20, 2014
State ends fiscal year with over $775,000 stolen money
Judge blasts DCS computer delays, but some goals met

June 18, 2014
TSEA hires former Sumner Co. lawmaker Randy Stamps

June 17, 2014
Tennessee lays off 121 state workers
TSEA names former Republican state Rep. Randy Stamps as chief lobbyist

June 16, 2014
121 lose jobs in Tenn. Department of Human Services
Tenn. Department of Human Services lays off more than 100 employees, more job cuts on the way

June 11, 2014
State revenues down again in May

June 2, 2014
TDOC investigating after inmates attack 2 guards at Riverbend

May 31, 2014
Change in state prison work policy draws complaint

May 30, 2014
Tenn. State Employees Association Gets New President [sic]

May 28, 2014
State employees group hires ex-Councilman John Summers

May 27, 2014
One company leaving Memphis may explain gaping hole in Tennessee’s budget

May 22, 2014
Group raises questions for legislative aides
CCA has eight lobbyists on Capitol Hill – yet it says it doesn’t lobby on incarceration issues. Maybe it doesn’t have to.

May 21, 2014
Big raises for some state government employees under scrutiny

May 16, 2014
Finance & Administration: April Revenues

May 14, 2014
ACLU calls on Haslam to break ties with prison company CCA amid Trousdale County expansion

May 5, 2014
Critics point finger at CCA: For-profit prison operator taken to task for campaign giving, operations

April 18, 2014
Legislative Session a Mixed Bag for Most

April 15, 2014
Haslam Says Cutting Hall Tax Still Not Top Priority
Net state revenue below estimates again in March

April 12, 2014
Judges to get three $5,800 raises in years ahead under pending legislation

April 11, 2014
Analysis: Splits in the supermajority
Salary of TN judges going up, but no raises for state teachers

April 10, 2014
Tennessee House passes budget without state raises
Hill on raises for teachers, employees: “I didn’t have the votes today”
State’s $32.4 billion budget goes to Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam
Budget bill goes to the governor – no amendments, just as he wanted it
Plan to Give Teachers, State Employees More Pay Dies in the House

April 9, 2014
House sets up budget floor vote for Thursday; Democratic amendments killed in committee
Kyle: State Has Plenty of Reserve Cash to Plug Budget Hole
Hill offers Republican plan to provide teacher, employee pay raises as budget floor votes set
Republican Floats Compromise to Salvage Teacher Pay Raises

April 8, 2014
TN given a ‘B’ grade in government spending transparency

April 7, 2014
Tennessee is Facing a Big Budget Gap, and There’s No Good Way to Fix It
109 barrels on I-640 to honor TDOT workers killed in the line of duty

April 6, 2014
Gov. Haslam’s proposed budget includes tourism cuts

April 2, 2014
Bill to outlaw ‘mass picketing’ fails after broadened to cover more than unions

April 1, 2014
House Republicans fume over Gov’s budget cuts
Haslam Announces ‘Revisions’ to State Budget Picture
Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam: Budget cuts, no raises, higher ed changes ditched
Haslam drops raises for teachers, state workers
Lawmakers Voice Irritation with Haslam’s New Plan for Budget
Pushback starts on governor’s proposed teacher pay cut

March 31, 2014
Pay raises for state employees out; higher ed improvements ditched, Haslam says
State employees, teachers won’t get a pay increase
State employees, teachers won’t get pay increase
Haslam scraps pay raises for state employees, teachers as part of $160 million budget reduction plan
Haslam Cancels Plans to Raise Pay for State Workers, Teachers

March 28, 2014
Haslam ready to cut back on his budget plan

March 27, 2014
Tennessee’s DCS workers get their say

March 18, 2014
AG says bill to outlaw ‘mass picketing’ by unions is unconstitutional

March 17, 2014
Restive House bucks against Haslam’s reign

March 12, 2014
Republicans kill Democratic bill banning ‘organizational conflicts of interest’ in state contracts; OK an alternative

March 4, 2014
Legislators accept Haslam’s ‘olive branch’ – a promise to inform them about layoffs
Last-minute administration memo halts legislative push for layoff notice

February 27, 2014
Tennessee explores privatizing park services

February 26, 2014
State Takes First Steps Toward Privatizing Parks

February 18, 2014
Tennessee state workers lobby for bill on layoffs

February 16, 2014
Sunday column: The honeymoon is over between Haslam and the Supermajority

February 9, 2014
Haslam, Supermajority clash over executive authority
Tennessee’s long-delayed closure of Clover Bottom proves costly

February 4, 2014
Gov. Bill Haslam wants free tuition for Tennessee high school seniors

February 3, 2014
Governor delivers ‘state of the state’ speech tonight
TN Gov. Bill Haslam to give 4th State of the State speech tonight
Governor Haslam’s State of the State Address: Summary
Text of Governor Bill Haslam’s 2014 State of the State Address

February 2, 2014
Report: Tennessee is fiscally sound

January 28, 2014
Senator Asks Auditors to Review Haslam Savings Claims
Contract May Fall Below ‘Expected’ Savings by Tens of Millions

January 27, 2014
Haslam Plan May Miss Projections by $80 Million
Audit discovers problems in DCS
DCS hit with stinging audit; lawmakers want agency on tight leash
Prisoner selfies lead TN legislators to seek crackdown on contraband cellphones

January 24, 2014
TN Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities chief Debra Payne says budget cuts hit hard

January 15, 2014
Tennessee Legislature opens with revenue worries

January 10, 2014
A December downer for state revenue

January 5, 2014
Following the niceties to keep JLL inquiry alive

January 3, 2014
State spending up 16 percent under Haslam, but budget cuts loom
Idaho taking back control of state’s largest prison from Nashville-based CCA