Thurs., April 5 News Summary

THURSDAY, APRIL 5, 2012 Editorial: Solar tax proposal needs revision (Tennessean)
The legislature should table for now the bill on green-energy production property. HB 3520/SB 3296 would change the property tax valuation and assessment on green-energy production property. The bill proposes to increase the taxable value of that property from 0.5 percent of the purchase price to 33 percent of the total installation cost — effectively a 6,500 percent increase in valuation for tax purposes. We would agree that the manner in which this tax break was created at the end of Gov. Phil Bredesen’s administration was unorthodox in its most charitable description, but businesses have been built and hundreds of Tennesseans hired since the tax preference was established. It would be equally capricious to jam the change through now, and could have a number of unintended and damaging effects. There should be a way to spur investment in solar-generating arrays that is above board. The change in tax treatment that is proposed is effectively a 10 percent cost increase on solar-generating installation, according to the Tennessee Solar Energy Industries Association (TennSEIA). While the sun seems to be shining on the solar energy industry in the United States — electricity produced from solar panels increased 109 percent in 2011 from the previous year — it is an industry that will need continued nurturing. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120405/OPINION01/304050026/Solar-tax-proposal-needs-revision? odyssey=mod|newswell|text|Opinion|p

Guest columnist: Bill threatens state's position of leadership on clean energy (TN)
A bill in the state legislature will hurt small businesses, kill jobs and cripple our progress toward energy independence. Interestingly, the Republican sponsors of this legislation are proposing a new tax. Over the past few years, Tennessee has become a leader in clean-energy jobs, particularly in the production and manufacturing sectors. A 2009 report by Pew Charitable Trusts highlighted Tennessee as one of three states in the country with a large and fast-growing clean-energy sector. A 2011 report from The Brookings Institution counted 76,031 clean energy-related jobs in Tennessee, making it the fastest-growing sector in the state, according to the MTSU “Green Jobs Report.” But our progress in becoming a national clean-energy leader is in jeopardy if Senate Bill 3296 passes. Under the bill, the state would raise a clean energy-facility’s property tax from 0.5 percent of its purchase cost to 33 percent of its installation costs. The result is an effective 6,500 percent tax increase on solar panel installations. That’s right: 6,500 percent! This increase will price out many companies and homeowners considering solar installations who then sell the solar power back to TVA. It’s worth noting that this is the only arrangement that TVA offers to solar production facilities. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120405/OPINION03/304050027/Bill-threatens-state-s-position-leadershipclean-energy?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|Opinion|p

Haslam continues anti-meth campaign (Nooga)
Gov. Bill Haslam hates meth. Continuing his statewide effort to combat the use and manufacture of methamphetamine, the governor announced W ednesday an update to his statewide campaign to inform Tennesseans about the consequences of violating the I Hate Meth Act, which went into effect last year. The act, which established a statewide electronic log to track the sales of over-the-counter drugs used to make meth, also made it a felony to manufacture meth in front of children. The new communications campaign from the governor is called Meth Stops Now. "The goal of this campaign is to communicate the harsh consequences of violating our anti-meth law," Haslam said. "We went to deter people from making and using meth in our state, which will save lives, protect children, save taxpayer dollars and make Tennessee safer overall." Haslam also announced the allocation of $750,000 in his recent budget amendment for the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation to use for assisting local governments with training and equipment costs related to meth cleanup. The campaign also

includes a website called Meth Destroys, which provides information regarding meth use in Tennessee and ways to prevent it. http://www.nooga.com/154669/haslam-continues-anti-meth-campaign/

Gov. Bill Haslam announces statewide anti-meth campaign (Tennessean)
Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam announced a statewide campaign today designed to increase awareness of the penalties for violators of the I Hate Meth Act that took effect last July. The campaign addresses the portion of the anti-meth law that increases penalties for making or using methamphetamine in the presence of children and for purchasing pseudoephedrine products for non-medical uses. The announcement took place in conjunction with the Tennessee Sheriffs’ Association meeting in Nashville. The governor also announced $750,000 in his budget amendment for the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation to assist local governments with training and equipment costs related to meth clean-up. The funding was originally appropriated for the current fiscal year, but required matching funds from local governments of 25 percent. The current budget proposal eliminates the matching requirement. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120404/NEWS01/304040170/Gov-Bill-Haslam-announcesstatewide-anti-meth-campaign?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CFRONTPAGE

Gov. announces "Meth Stops Now" campaign (W BIR-TV Knoxville)
Gov. Bill Haslam has announced a statewide campaign designed to inform Tennesseans about the consequences of violating the "I Hate Meth Act," which took effect on July 1, 2011. The announcement took place in coordination with the Tennessee Sheriffs' Association meeting in Nashville. "The goal of this campaign is to communicate the harsh consequences of violating our anti-meth law," Haslam said. "We want to deter people from making and using meth in our state, which will save lives, protect children, save taxpayer dollars, and make Tennessee safer overall." The "Meth Stops Now" campaign is an action step in the administration's public safety action plan and specifically addresses the portion of the anti-meth law that increases the penalties for making or using meth in the presence of children and for purchasing pseudoephedrine products for non-medical uses. http://www.wbir.com/news/article/214532/2/Gov-announces-Meth-Stops-Now-campaign

State Launches Awareness Effort Against Meth (WPLN-Radio Nashville)
Gas pumps in Tennessee will soon feature ads with the slogan “new law, no escape” as part of a statewide campaign against meth. The federally-funded awareness effort will also include billboards, a website, bumper stickers and radio. This ad targets so-called “smurfs,” who gather the cold medicine dealers use to make meth: “Guess what happens when you try to buy a lot of pseudoephedrine. A statewide tracking system will block the purchase and alert the police.” (knocking) “Police! Open up!” “Because in Tennessee, there are strict limits on how much pseudoephedrine you can buy.” Asked whether such awareness campaigns actually work, State Safety Commissioner Bill Gibbons conceded it’s hard to reason with people in the throes of addiction.. http://wpln.org/?p=35683

Haslam Drug Bills Headed to His Desk (Associated Press)
Gov. Bill Haslam's proposals to crack down on the sale or manufacture of certain drugs are headed to him for his signature. Both bills are part of the Republican governor's crime package and have been unanimously approved in the House and Senate. One proposal that was sent to the governor on Wednesday after passing the House 98-0 would add and remove certain substances from the list of controlled substances in order to put it in compliance with the federal schedule. The other measure that was sent to Haslam after being approved in the House 95-0 earlier this week revises certain provisions regarding someone who knowingly attempts to sell or purchase a product with the intent to manufacture methamphetamine. http://www.memphisdailynews.com/news/2012/apr/5/haslam-drug-bills-headed-to-his-desk/

Synthetic drug bill moves forward (Bristol Herald-Courier)
The fight to make synthetic drugs illegal in Tennessee took another step forward Tuesday. State Representative Tony Shipley says legislation passed through the Senate Judiciary Committee with no dissenting votes. The bill would make possessing, manufacturing, or selling bath salts, K2, and other synthetic drugs a felony in the volunteer state. Shipley says Governor Bill Haslam has also approved funding for the bill, and it should become law sometime next month. Shipley credits citizen protests around the Tri-Cities for helping get the bill to the verge of being passed. http://www2.tricities.com/news/2012/apr/04/2/synthetic-drug-bill-moves-forward-ar1819086/ 2

Governor Asks Business Leaders to Keep Lawmakers “Focused” (WPLN-Radio)
As bills that outlaw sagging pants or guide the teaching of evolution await the governor’s signature, Bill Haslam says lawmakers should be spending time – in his words – on “things that really matter to a state.” On Wednesday, Haslam asked for a hand from one of the most influential lobbying groups at the capitol – the Tennessee Chamber of Commerce. “There are a lot of people wanting the ears of our legislators and those of us in the executive branch, and what you can do is help us keep our focus.” Foremost, Haslam says efforts should be directed at making government run more efficiently, as well as improving education and creating a businessfriendly environment. http://wpln.org/?p=35676

Gov. Bill Haslam defends growth of Tennessee budget (Nashville Biz Journal)
In an interview with WPLN 90.3 FM, Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam defended his plan for spending some of the state's higher-than-anticipated revenue and admits that he's "adding to the size of government." "There are some real needs out there to fund," Haslam told WPLN. "You know, I'm a conservative Republican, and I don't apologize for that, but I don't think government is evil. I don't even think it's a necessary evil. I think it's a critical way that we provide needed services." In the interview, Haslam also discussed his stance toward legislation that hits his desk. Haslam has neither used nor threatened to use his veto pen this year. http://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/morning_call/2012/04/gov-bill-haslam-defends-growth-of.html

Bill setting min. jail time for repeated domestic violence moves forward (TN/Wilson)
Legislation requiring jail times for repeat domestic offenders passed a House subcommittee W ednesday morning. The bill, part of Gov. Bill Haslam’s crime initiative, would impose mandatory minimums that currently don’t exist for repeat offenders. If passed, a second domestic violence conviction would bring a 45-day sentence and a third conviction would require 120 days in jail. The legislation now needs approval from the full House Finance Committee before it reaches the entire House for a vote. Funding for the legislation has been a longtime issue, but there was no debate in W ednesday’s subcommittee. The bill’s projected $8 million-plus cost is set to be deferred to local governments, but a budget amendment announced by the Haslam administration Monday allocated an extra $4 million to partially reimburse those expenses. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120405/NEWS0201/304040169/Bill-setting-minimum-jail-time-repeateddomestic-violence-moves-forward?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|News|s

Tennesseans First to Reach 2012 Tax Freedom Day (WPLN-Radio Nashville)
Tennessee has one of the lightest tax burdens in the country, according to new research from the non-partisan Tax Foundation. The group calculates how far into the year people must work to pay off their federal and state taxes. The average this year is mid-April, three days later than in 2011. In Tennessee, the so-called “tax freedom day” came March 31st, the earliest in the country. Governor Bill Haslam is already trumpeting the results. “If you live here, you’re going to be done paying taxes a long time before anybody else. That helps my job.” Louisiana, Mississippi and South Carolina are just a few days behind Tennessee. But that isn’t just a result of low taxes. http://wpln.org/?p=35690

Wall Street Journal Taxes Haslam (Metro Pulse)
Imagine the horror when members of the Haslam family opened their W all Street Journals to discover that Bill was being attacked in an editorial as an impediment to a tax cut. Arthur Laffer, author of the Laffer curve, is the darling of the Wall Street Journal editorial page. He famously proposed the Republican mantra that cutting taxes increases revenue. He was invited to speak to the Tennessee House Republican Caucus by Speaker Beth Harwell and he made the case for repealing the state inheritance tax—or as Republicans call it, the death tax. He quoted from a study he did comparing Florida, which doesn’t have an estate tax, and Tennessee and made the case that in the long run the state benefits by having people retire to Tennessee rather than move to Florida to avoid their heirs being subjected to the tax. He said the study revealed that people retired to Florida at a much higher rate, per capita, than Tennessee because of estate taxes. Gov. Bill Haslam worried about cutting taxes given the state of the economy and the budget but agreed the tax could be reduced over a period of years. The House Republicans want to set up the schedule to phase it out and approve it now rather than do it one year at a time. 3

http://www.metropulse.com/news/2012/apr/04/wall-street-journal-taxes-haslam/

State grant boosts airport (State Gazette)
Shelbyville's airport has received a $45,000 aeronautics grant from the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) for grounds maintenance equipment. The grant, which will be combined with a $15,000 local match, was recommended earlier this week through the Department of Transportation's Division of Aeronautics. Needed upgrades City manager Jay Johnson said that Shelbyville has had a lot of limitations on its ability to buy equipment for the past several years due to budget constraints. "This grant award, with local match, will enable us to get some much needed equipment at the airport, and getting a new tractor that will serve us for some years to come," Johnson said. "Our airports are essential to pave the way for economic development of our county," said State Sen. Jim Tracy in a news release. "It is also important to the traveling public in our community." The process Except for routine expenditures, grant applications are reviewed by the Tennessee Aeronautics Commission (TAC), which is a five-member board charged with policy planning and with regulating changes in the state Airport System Plan. http://www.t-g.com/story/1833267.html

More mortgage relief dollars on the way to Tennessee (Memphis Business Journal)
The Tennessee Housing Development Agency announced it has received another infusion of federal dollars to be used for foreclosure counseling. The $659,511 allocation from the National Foreclosure Mitigation Counseling (NFMC) Program is the sixth such infusion for the Tennessee agency, which intends to use the money to continue providing foreclosure prevention counseling services. The THDA is the same agency that administered the Tennessee Hardest Hit program in 2011. That program provided up to $20,000 in mortgage payment assistance to households which had experienced job loss or reduction of income. “The need for counseling is evident. Free counseling improves the homeowner’s chance of success and helps provide stability to affected neighborhoods,” Bill ClenDening, THDA assistant director of single family programs, said in a statement. So far, the NFMC program has produced tangible results for homeowners in trouble with mortgages. According to a study published by the Urban Institute, NFMC program participants were twice as likely to get a mortgage modification than those who did not seek counseling and were 67 percent less likely to fall behind on future mortgage payments. http://www.bizjournals.com/memphis/news/2012/04/04/more-mortgage-relief-dollars-on-the.html

TBI: violent crime up 20 percent, other crimes slightly up on state campuses (CP)
Crime on school campuses across Tennessee slightly increased in 2011, according to a report released by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation Wednesday. Violent crime, however, rose 20 percent for the second year in a row. According to a release from the TBI, its “Crime on Campus 2011” report shows the increase follows after a decrease in reported offenses for 2010. Since 2004, the TBI reports have shown decrease each year except for another slight increase in 2009. Last year, there were 7,493 reported offenses compared to 7,190 in 2010. Some findings of the report include: Drug/narcotics and drug equipment violations have increased yearly since 2008 for a total increase of approximately 47 percent with 2010 to 2011 having the largest increase of nearly 26 percent. There were 772 of these type of offenses reported in 2011. There was a 47 percent increase in what the TBI labels “forcible” sex offenses reported from 2010 and an increase in the number of reported rapes with 20 overall. 37 percent of all 2011 offenses reported were categorized as larceny or theft, which is an increase from 2010. However, there was an overall decrease of 3 percent since 2009. http://nashvillecitypaper.com/content/city-news/tbi-violent-crime-20-percent-other-crimes-slightly-state-campuses

4 out of 7 Middle TN colleges report slight rise in crime (Tennessean/Haas)
Crime on Tennessee’s college campuses rose in 2011 for the second time in the past eight years, with drug and sex crimes seeing a startling spike. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation on Wednesday released its annual report detailing crime at the state’s colleges and universities, as mandated by state law. The results showed about a 4.2 percent increase in overall crime across the state and a 20 percent increase in violent crime. Nashville-area colleges and universities were a mixed bag, with four out of seven major campuses seeing at least slight crime increases. “When you look at overall crime in the state, the large majority of it is not committed on college campuses or against students,” said Mark Gwynn, head of the TBI. “Seventy-five hundred incidents per year is a small percentage of overall crime reported in the state.” Still, the numbers are cause for concern for 4

students like sophomore Heather Thompson, an English major at Belmont University. Belmont was one campus that saw an increase in crime last year, and while its increase was mostly due to drugs and thefts, Thompson said the statewide increase in sex offenses was disturbing. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120405/NEWS03/304050033/4-out-7-Middle-TN-colleges-report-slight-risecrime?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|News

TBI: Crime at MTSU up (Daily News Journal)
But illegal drug use down across campus Crime on the MTSU campus was up more than 10 percent overall in 2011, according to the most recent Tennessee Bureau of Investigation Crime on Campus report. Released Wednesday, the report summarizes crime at all of Tennessee’s universities and colleges into nine major categories and several more subcategories. Reports of crime are submitted to the TBI by law enforcement through the Tennessee Incident Based Reporting System program. A comparison of the 2010 and 2011 reports by The Daily News Journal shows that overall crime at MTSU was up by 10.5 percent year over year, with 620 total crimes being reported in 2011. The largest increase in crime at MTSU occurred in the category of liquor law violations, with 33 more individual violations being reported in 2011 compared to 2010. MTSU’s biggest drop in reported crime occurred in the category of drug and narcotics offenses, which decreased from 52 in 2010 to 43 in 2011. That stands in stark contrast with the rest of the state, which has steadily seen the number of drug and narcotics offenses rise over the past four years. http://www.dnj.com/article/20120405/NEW S/304040039/TBI-Crime-MTSU-up?odyssey=tab|topnews|text| FRONTPAGE

Campus crime up slightly in Tennessee in 2011 (Knoxville News-Sentinel/Lakin)
Crime on college campuses in Tennessee saw a slight overall increase last year, with drugs to blame for most of the upswing, according to a state report released Wednesday. Colleges and universities around the state reported 7,493 total crimes in 2011, a 4.2 percent increase from the year before, according to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation's annual "Crime on Campus" statistical report. The uptick continues a trend that began in 2009. Campus crime in previous years had dropped steadily. The report covered public and private institutions in the state. Drug offenses accounted for the greatest increase, according to the report, with a 25.7 percent increase statewide from 2010. The University of Tennessee saw an even greater increase in reported drug offenses of about 70 percent. Even so, university officials say the statistics still show campuses to be relatively safe places. The numbers don't make clear, for example, how much of the increase might be due to better reporting and police work, UT police Lt. Emily Simerly said http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2012/apr/05/campus-crime-up-slightly-in-tennessee-in-2011/

TBI says college campus crimes up in some areas, down in others (HeraldCourier)
Crime activity is up. That's according to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. Their most recent report shows crime on college campuses across the state in 2011, up 4.2 percent from 2010. In 2011, the TBI reports 7,493 offenses compared to 7,190 in 2010. Violent crime was also up nearly 20 percent for the second year in a row. So are local colleges reporting the same increase? Etsu's public safety director Jack Cotrel says numbers going up one year, and then down the next can be normal. Cotrel says, "I've been looking at these statistics for years and they are very constant." The same goes for alcohol related offenses. The TBI reports 30 alcohol related cases on ETSU's campus in 2011. That's down from 2010, which only shows 78 alcohol related offenses. Over in Bristol, KingCollege's public safety says their biggest crime on campus are burlaries. They say, alcohol related offenses are almost non-existent. Benny Berry says, "Our numbers don't follow along with state trends because we have closed campus. There are no city streets on campus so for instance where DUI's have gone up, we don't have the issue." http://www2.tricities.com/news/2012/apr/04/tbi-says-college-campus-crimes-some-areasdown-oth-ar-1819410/

At Austin Peay State University, fewer thefts, more drug offenses (Leaf Chronicle)
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigations released its annual Crime on Campus report Wednesday, revealing that Austin Peay State University saw an increase in some crimes and a decrease in others. A significant decrease in the number of thefts was reported. In 2010 there were 91 thefts. In 2011, there were 72, a 20.8 percent decrease. Statewide, there was a 3.3 percent decrease in larceny thefts. The category accounted for 37.1 5

percent of all 2011 offenses reported with “theft from a building” being most often reported. “We had some concerted efforts to reduce the amount of petty theft,” said Bill Persinger, APSU spokesman. “If you leave things lying around, people tend to pick them up – cell phones, textbooks. We sent out communications to remind students to be cognizant of that to reduce those issues.” Persinger said APSU works diligently to provide more deterrents to crime. “Over the years we’ve increased the number of cameras on campus so we can monitor much more space,” Persinger said. “We have the blue phones throughout campus. W e also have anonymous text messaging and email. All those things combined allow us to be safer and help people report things who may be hesitant. We also have a 24-hour public safety escort at night available for students who are going from building to building at night.” http://www.theleafchronicle.com/article/20120405/NEWS01/304050022/At-Austin-Peay-State-University-fewerthefts-more-drug-offenses

Chattanooga State offers 'Maymester' (Chattanooga Times Free-Press)
Chattanooga State Community College will offer "Maymester," a condensed and accelerated semester scheduled between the end of the spring semester and the beginning of the summer term. Maymester is scheduled for May 9-30. Classes will meet Monday through Friday for three weeks. All classes earn three credit hours and meet three hours per day. The one exception is the physical education walking for fitness class, which is a two credit-hour class that meets for two hours per day. To view a list of Maymester classes with course numbers, visit www.chattanoogastate.edu/maymester or call 423-697-3111. Current Chattanooga State students can begin registering for Maymester classes April 2. Transient students who wish to take Maymester classes will need to apply to the college before they can enroll in class. Applicants may logon to www.chattanoogastate.edu, click future students, and follow the instructions. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2012/apr/05/chattanooga-state-offers-maymester/?local

TBI investigating death of inmate in Washington Co. (Herald-Courier)
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is investigating the death of an inmate who suffered a severe head injury just hours after being booked into the Washington County Tennessee Detention Center. Today - a TBI spokesman confirmed officers booked Charles Williams into the jail in Jonesborough on January sixth. He was charged with public intoxication. He died in the Johnson City Medical Center five days later. Williams' daughter told us her father suffered a severe skull fracture. She said jailers found him in a pool of blood in a jail cell and there were no witnesses to what happened. The District Attorney General requested a TBI investigation. A Sheriff's department spokesman said that's standard protocol and would not comment on the case. http://www2.tricities.com/news/2012/apr/04/2/tbi-investigating-death-inmate-washington-co-ar-1818998/

THP places 2 on leave pending investigation (Associated Press)
The Tennessee Highway Patrol has placed a captain and a sergeant on discretionary leave with pay pending an internal investigation into possible procedural violations. The THP, in a news release Wednesday, did not specify the possible violations. The two are Capt. David Allred of the Cookeville district and Sgt. Keven Norris, a member of the THP’s critical incident response team in Putnam County. The news release said the two notified officials about the matter. All departmental equipment including weapons, badges and commission cards were secured pending the investigation. THP Col. Tracy Trott said there is no evidence at this time that anything criminal happened. The two were put on leave effective March 30. Norris is a 24-year THP veteran and Allred a 15-year veteran. http://www.jacksonsun.com/article/20120405/NEWS01/304050002/State-briefs-THP-places-2-leavepending-investigation-Body-baby-found-trash-Mount-Carmel-Judge-rules-against-FBI-informant-s-case-EastTenn-woman-charged-after-son-found-rain-Haslam-drug-bills-headed-his-desk

Backups expected on I-75 in East Tennessee (Associated Press)
Travelers are being advised to seek alternate routes through East Tennessee over the holiday weekend as backups are anticipated along Interstate 75 from Kentucky into Tennessee. The interstate is currently reduced to one lane at Mile Marker 144 at Jellico due to a landslide that occurred last month. The Tennessee Department of Transportation warned that during holiday and peak travel times, major delays and traffic backups in excess of 20 miles are expected along the stretch of the roadway. Motorists are being encouraged to seek alternative routes, such as following U.S. Highway 25 West to LaFollette. Wide-load vehicles also must exit I-75 at Exit 160. TDOT crews and contractors will be suspending all interstate construction work in the rest of the state starting Thursday afternoon until Monday morning. 6

http://www.tennessean.com/usatoday/article/38972739?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|News|s

Judge unraveled by pills, file shows (Associated Press/Burke)
Sex, purchases from felons revealed A Tennessee judge was so addicted to prescription drugs during his final two years on the bench, he was having sex and buying pills during courtroom breaks, at times purchasing from convicts he had previously sentenced, an investigation found. His behavior has called into question many of the cases he presided over, including one of Knoxville’s most notorious murders. Many people didn’t realize Criminal Court Judge Richard Baumgartner had a problem until he stepped down from the bench and pleaded guilty in March 2011 to a single count of official misconduct. It would be another eight months before the seriousness of the judge’s drug problem was revealed, casting uncertainty about whether Baumgartner was sober enough to be sitting on the bench. Another judge has already tossed out the convictions from the 2007 slayings of a young Knoxville couple and ordered new trials. Other defendants are hoping for a similar outcome, and bids for new trials from the many people convicted in Baumgartner’s court could overwhelm the criminal justice system in Knox County, Tennessee’s third-largest county with more than 400,000 residents. Baumgartner was one of three judges in the county who heard felony cases. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120405/NEWS03/304050054/Judge-unraveled-by-pills-file-shows? odyssey=tab|topnews|text|News

TN solar tax debate: Compromise bill emerges (Nashville Business Journal)
Legislators approved a compromise W ednesday on a bill that would phase out a Bredesen-era renewable energy tax break, despite previous warnings of devastating the state's solar industry. The House Finance Subcommittee agreed to amend the bill and send it on to the full finance committee by voice vote, approving a deal that the Nashville Business Journal told full subscribers on Friday was underway. Solar advocates argue it would impact more than 300 businesses and untold future economic development, though the comptroller's office believes the scope is far more narrow. The amendment gradually changes how local governments would have to assess property taxes on renewable energy, reaching a valuation level of one third of installation value over the course of five years. Current law would have solar installations and other energy forms taxed at salvage value, or virtually nothing, starting this year. Jason Mumpower, executive assistant to Comptroller of the Treasury Justin Wilson, said again the legislation protects an industry "in jeopardy" of losing tax breaks completely because the current arrangement is unconstitutional. While the industry helped draft the compromise, committee testimony showed the partisan fight over incentivizing solar is indeed alive and well. http://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/blog/2012/04/solar-tax-increase-comptroller-bredesen.html

Bill on drug testing for jobless benefits is dropped in House (Tenn./Marsteller)
State Rep. Jim Cobb withdraws proposal without comment Legislation that would have required drug testing for jobless Tennesseans seeking unemployment benefits has been pulled, likely killing the bill for this year. State Rep. Jim Cobb, R-Spring City, withdrew his bill from the House floor without comment on Wednesday. He did not immediately return a phone call or email seeking comment. The measure would have required anyone applying for unemployment benefits after Jan. 1, 2013, to submit a urine sample to test for controlled substances. The applicant would have paid for the testing. Anyone who failed the test would be ineligible for state unemployment benefits for a year. The ban would be shortened to six months if the applicant completed a drug rehabilitation program. But the measure’s chances of passage became slim after state labor officials said it violated federal law. A companion bill filed by Sen. Stacey Campfield, R-Knoxville, has been stalled in committee and has not been heard. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120405/NEWS0201/304050018/Bill-drug-testing-jobless-benefits-droppedHouse?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|News

Medical marijuana bill fails this session (Associated Press/Johnson)
A measure to legalize medical marijuana has failed this session despite testimony from supporters that the legislation would benefit hundreds of chronically ill people and generate roughly an added $34 million for the state. The Government Operations Committee voted 5-4 Wednesday to send the proposal to the Senate Health and Welfare Committee, which has closed for the year unless its chairman decides to reopen it. Later in the day, the House sponsor of the companion bill withdrew it from consideration in the House Health and Human Resources Committee. Rep. Jeanne Richardson said she knew before the meeting that she didn't have the votes to pass the proposal, but she wanted members of the panel to hear testimony from individuals using marijuana 7

for medical reasons. "By not passing this, we have failed a lot of people," the Memphis Democrat said after the meeting. "If my colleagues ... talk to their constituents, they're going to find out that lots of people are doing this illegally and would like us to legalize it." The proposal would create a program for people with severe and chronic illnesses — such as cancer — to be able to get the marijuana. http://www.tennessean.com/usatoday/article/38967317?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|News|s

Medical marijuana bill dies after hearing (Tennessean/Sisk)
Supporters of a bill to legalize marijuana for medical use ended their late-session push W ednesday after winning a hearing for the measure before a key committee. State Rep. Jeanne Richardson, D-Memphis, withdrew the Safe Access to Medical Cannabis Act after testimony on behalf of the legislation in the House Health and Human Resources Committee. The hearing capped a surprising week for the bill, set in motion by an unexpected vote in its favor in a Republican-led subcommittee. Advocates hope the late momentum will persuade lawmakers to support medical marijuana when they return after their re-election campaigns in the fall. “We’re all going to be out campaigning,” she said. “This is your time to talk to your constituents about this and ask them what they think. And I think if you all talk to enough of your constituents, you will see that most people think it’s a good idea.” Richardson agreed to drop the measure, Senate Bill 251/House Bill 294, after a busy day that began with a review in one Senate committee and ended with testimony from two Tennesseans who said marijuana relieved the symptoms of their illnesses. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120405/NEW S0201/304050035/Medicalmarijuana-bill-dies-after-hearing?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|News

Medical Marijuana Snubbed Out, but Sponsor Promises Another Try (WPLN)
A bill to make marijuana legal – as a prescription drug – died a legislative death today, but backers say they’re more optimistic than ever that Tennessee will eventually have medical marijuana. The bill made it all the way to standing committees in both chambers before it was snuffed out. Memphis Democrat Jeanne Richardson, who has carried the bill for several years, urged fellow lawmakers to talk to their constituents about the issue while on the campaign trail. “We’re all gonna be out campaigning, and I hope I win, so I can bring this bill back next year, but if I don’t, someone will bring this bill back next year.” Supporters of medical marijuana say they are now counting lawmakers in both parties as allies. The measure, like all bills left unpassed at the end of a legislative session, will officially die when the last gavel bangs – probably next month. http://wpln.org/?p=35684

Bill to change teacher tenure qualifications fails (Associated Press)
A proposal that would allow teachers to qualify for tenure if they "meet expectations" on their evaluations is likely dead this session. The measure sponsored by Democratic Rep. Jimmy Naifeh of Covington failed 7-5 in the House Finance Subcommittee on Wednesday. The companion bill is awaiting a vote in the Senate Education Committee. Under the state's new teacher evaluation system, teachers can gain tenure only if they score in the top two ratings two consecutive years. A three on the five-point rating scale is "meets expectations." The proposal would allow teachers who meet expectations or above in the last two years of the probationary period to receive tenure. Critics of the new system have included the tenure change in a list of recommended changes to the process. http://www.tennessean.com/usatoday/article/38970863?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|News|s

Muni School Bill Hits Snag in House (Memphis Daily News)
The bill to lift the statewide ban on creating municipal school districts will be back in the Tennessee House Education Committee next week after more last-minute developments including an amendment. The Tennessee Senate passed the legislation without the amendment this week. A House amendment would mean a conference committee to reconcile the different versions late in the 2012 legislative session. The House committee meets next on Tuesday, April 10, to take up the bill. The lobbyist for the countywide school board took no position Tuesday, April 3, on the legislation. And House Education Committee chairman Richard Montgomery of Sevierville delayed action on the bill for another week after announcing the late amendment. Montgomery didn’t say what the amendment was and no amendment had been filed with the bill summary Tuesday evening. Tony Thompson, representing the school board, told Montgomery, “You’re catching me off guard.” http://www.memphisdailynews.com/news/2012/apr/5/muni-school-bill-hits-snag-in-house/

House Passes Resolution Telling U.S. to Un-Do Contraception Rule (WPLN-Radio)
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The state House of Representative spent more than a half hour today debating a resolution with no practical effect – it would tell the federal government that Tennessee doesn’t approve of mandatory coverage of contraception the national health care plan. There’s no guarantee that anyone in Washington will pay any attention to the memorializing resolution – but Republicans used it to quote scripture against the president’s health care plan. Knoxville Republican Bill Dunn… “It’s always been said, Render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s, render unto God what is God’s. And what’s happening now, is we’re taking what belongs to God, our conscience, and giving it to the government.” It started a run of Bible verses from the resolution’s backers, whose main political point was that coverage of contraception would be a problem for Catholic organizations. Nashville Democrat Mike Turner insisted the resolution was already outdated. http://wpln.org/?p=35678

Rep. Todd Announces He Has Cancer, Keeps Treatment Bill Alive (M. Flyer)
In a scenario which almost seems appropriate for a TV drama, state Representative Curry Todd (R-Collierville) made a dramatic announcement Tuesday in a legislative committee about his private bout with cancer and halted efforts in that committee to kill a bill affecting treatment for his illness. Todd, a former Memphis policeman who has been an active advocate for numerous positions favored by the current Republican administration, stopped one such n its tracks when he told colleagues at a Commerce Committee hearing that he has a rare form of cancer that could benefit from oral chemotherapy treatments. His announcement clearly affected the vote of the Committee, which had seemed destined to a reject bill sponsored by Rep. Glen Casada (R-Franklin) and opposed by Governor Bill Haslam and spokespersons for the insurance industry. The Bill would require insurance companies to pay for oral chemotherapy treatments of the sort that Todd’s own condition — macroglobulinemia, a lymphatic cancer — might at some point require. Testifying against the bill, Sammie Arnold, a lobbyist for the Haslam administration, had said the governor regarded the bill as a bureaucratic governmental “mandate." http://www.memphisflyer.com/JacksonBaker/archives/2012/04/04/rep-todd-announces-he-has-cancer-keepsrescue-bill-alive

Former state Sen. Mike Williams joins crowded field seeking Faulk's seat (T-N)
Former state Sen. Mike W illiams has joined a crowded field seeking the GOP nomination in the race for the renumbered 8th Senatorial District. Williams is among five people who have filed petitions to compete in the state GOP Primary and want to succeed state Sen. Mike Faulk, R-Church Hill, who recently announced he would not seek re-election. Williams’ filing with election officials listed his address as Corryton. Others who have filed include state Rep. Frank Niceley, R-Strawberry Plains, and Rogersville Republican Cynthia Jackson. Williams narrowly lost running as an independent against Faulk in the 2008 general election, but was subsequently elected as county mayor in Union County in 2010. Williams was speaker pro tem of the state Senate during the 104th General Assembly from 2005 to 2006. But, on March 14, 2007, he announced that he was leaving the Senate Republican Caucus and becoming an Independent, leaving the Senate evenly divided at that time with 16 Democrats, 16 Republicans, and one Independent. http://www.timesnews.net/article/9044815/former-statesen-mike-williams-joins-crowded-field-seeking-faulk39s-seat

D.C. can do more to help economy, Lamar Alexander tells TN chamber (TN/Rogers)
Although Washington has become the target of abuse in recent years, it still has a role to play, Sen. Lamar Alexander told several hundred people at a 100th birthday celebration for the Tennessee Chamber of Commerce. “Washington, D.C. can help Tennessee, and Tennessee can teach Washington, D.C.,” said Alexander, the keynote speaker at the chamber event. Alexander laid out a broad plan to improve the economy, mainly by improving education and making government more business-friendly. For example, he said, reducing the expansion of Medicaid under federal health-care reform and fixing “No Child Left Behind,” former President George W. Bush’s massive education reform plan, would leave more funds for public schools. The emphasis on education was reinforced by Scott Becker, senior vice president of Nissan North America, who called for the regional talent pool of engineers and technical people to be increased. Becker said his company has had jobs open that required skills not available in the current pool of Tennessee employees. Education reform could change that, he said. Alexander also called for federal trade laws to increase exports and a comprehensive immigration bill to reduce uncertainty in hiring. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120405/NEWS0201/304040188/D-C-can-do-more-help-economy-LamarAlexander-tells-TN-chamber?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|News|s 9

Lou Ann Zelenik looks for rematch with Diane Black (Tennessean/Cass, Paine)
2010 battle was a bitter one Lou Ann Zelenik, who lost a bitter Republican primary to U.S. Rep. Diane Black two years ago, took steps toward striking up a rematch Wednesday. Meanwhile, Park Overall, an environmental advocate and actress from East Tennessee, filed a qualifying petition to run against U.S. Sen. Bob Corker, the Tennessee Democratic Party said. Zelenik picked up a qualifying petition in W ilson County to run for election in the newly redrawn 6th District, and said she plans to qualify by today’s noon deadline. Zelenik lost the 2010 GOP primary for the seat by fewer than 300 votes to Black, who went on to win the general election and is now serving her first term in Washington. The fallout from that battle was heavy as Zelenik and Black traded barbed accusations and lawsuits. Zelenik ran an ad describing Black as having approved contracts for Aegis Sciences Corp., a drug testing company owned by her husband. A Nashville judge dismissed a suit filed by Aegis, saying the ad was protected political speech, while Zelenik countersued the company. “We had to wait until the lawsuit was behind us” to take this step in qualifying, she told The Daily News Journal in an interview W ednesday night. “W e are extremely pleased with the ruling.” http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120405/NEWS02/304050066/Lou-Ann-Zelenik-looks-rematch-DianeBlack?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|News

Convention Panel to Deal W ith Campfield (Metro Pulse)
Looks like state Sen. Stacey Campfield, R-Knoxville, will have another round of national publicity (imagine that) since he is an elected delegate for Newt Gingrich and the Gingrich campaign doesn’t want him. The issue will likely be resolved before the credentials committee, which meets the week before the Republican National Convention in Tampa. The Tennessee Republican Party told the Gingrich campaign that since Campfield was elected as a Gingrich delegate they do not have the authority to remove him. Campfield, who was Gingrich’s state co-chairman for the primary, endorsed Rick Santorum three days before the election. Evidently the Santorum campaign isn’t seeking Campfield to be one of their delegates either. They submitted a full slate of their delegates Saturday for the convention. If Gingrich stays in the race until the convention, as he has vowed to do, then Campfield is one of his delegates committed to vote for him for the first two rounds. If Gingrich withdraws he could release his delegates. But as things stand now, the credentials committee, which decides who will be seated and recognized at the convention, would hold a hearing on whether Campfield can be seated as a Gingrich delegate. Unless the Gingrich campaign just says to hell with it and lets it stand. Each state provides delegates for various committees for the convention. http://www.metropulse.com/news/2012/apr/04/convention-panel-deal-campfield/

Residents hope TVA will relent on cutting their trees (News-Sentinel/Marcum)
Vance Sherwood and his wife, Donna, bought their condominium in Westminster Place subdivision because of the pleasantly shaded backyard. Now, he said, TVA wants to take out four of their trees to clear the path of an electric transmission line that runs through the neighborhood. Residents of the West Knox County subdivision understand the need to remove trees that could get into the power lines, but TVA's policy is needlessly aggressive, Vance Sherwood said. He noted that four maple saplings planted in a resident's backyard last year are marked for removal by TVA even though they are only about three or four-feet high. "This is like a doctor working in a hospital, and to make sure that everybody gets the same standard of care, anybody that comes in with an ankle or arch injury or whatever, their foot's going to be cut off," he said. Donna Sherwood and Jerome Pinn, a Westminster neighbor, filed a federal lawsuit Tuesday against the Tennessee Valley Authority, asking that TVA be prohibited from cutting trees in Westminster Place. "This is just overkill," said Nadya Pinn, Jerome Pinn's wife. After the lawsuit was filed, TVA announced it would temporarily halt its plan to cut trees in the neighborhood and will respond to the lawsuit through court. http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2012/apr/05/residents-hope-tva-will-relent-on-cutting-their/

Volkswagen contractor hiring more workers in Chattanooga (TFP/Flessner)
A Volkswagen staffing agency is seeking to immediately fill hundreds of more jobs at VW's assembly plant in Chattanooga by this summer. Aerotek Inc., the Hanover, Md.-based contractor supplying most of the hourly employees for Volkswagen, announced Wednesday it is taking more applications to fill many of the 800 additional jobs that Volkswagen plans to add during 2012. The production and assemby jobs at Aerotek pay from $12 to $13 an hour, but many of those intially hired by th contractor are being transitioned this year to jobs with Volkswagen, which start at $14.50 an hour. "W e've received several thousand applications in the past year and 10

the quality of the labor has been great," said Lucas Hiler, national account executive for Aerotek. "W e're getting very successful candidates for Volkswagen." Aerotek currently provides about 500 contract workers in VW's Chattanooga plant. Many of those workers are being transitioned to full-time jobs with Volkswagen and will be replaced with other contract jobs working for Aerotek. "W e are assessing each Aerotek employee for their performance and look forward to hiring those that meet our performance standards," said Guenther Scherelis, general manager of communications for Volkswagen in Chattanooga. "We will have an open window over the next three to four months and encourage applicants to apply or a position at Aerotek." http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2012/apr/05/vw-contractor-hiring-more-workers/?business

West Tennessee megasite gets Memphis name (Memphis Business Journal)
The 1,720-acre West Tennessee Megasite has been renamed the Memphis Regional Megasite to create familiarity with the Memphis market. The site, located along I-40, has access to U.S. Highways 70 and 79, and is located 25 minutes northeast of Memphis. The site is certified by the Tennessee Valley Authority’s Megasite Certification Program. It offers large scale manufacturing, as well as 2,100 additional acres through adjoining properties. “Memphis is a globally recognized brand, and by focusing around the Memphis brand, we will be able to much more efficiently market the assets of the megasite,” Franklin Smith, Haywood County mayor, said in a statement. http://www.bizjournals.com/memphis/news/2012/04/04/west-tennessee-megasite-gets-memphis.html

Giant Haywood County industrial park gets new name (C. Appeal/Bailey)
Memphis' growing reputation for economic development -- and its push for regional cooperation -- got some mega-affirmation from a rural neighbor on Wednesday. The name of the West Tennessee Megasite in Haywood County has been changed to Memphis Regional Megasite. "Memphis is a globally recognized brand, and by focusing around the Memphis brand we will be able to much more efficiently market the assets of the megasite," Haywood County Mayor Franklin Smith said in a prepared statement. The 1,720 acres in southwest Haywood County are being developed with the state's help as a potential site for a car manufacturer or other large industrial development. The site is located along Interstate 40, and CSX Rail connects it to four other rail systems in the Memphis area. Memphis has generated momentum in job growth by attracting such big employers recently as Electrolux and Mitsubishi Electric Power Products. Last year, Memphis and Shelby County attracted more than $1 billion in investment from private companies, Greater Memphis Chamber officials said in January. http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2012/apr/04/giant-haywood-county-industrial-park-gets-new-name/ (SUB)

Gaylord-Dollywood park, HCA tax abatements clear Council votes (CP/Garrison)
Metro Council members reminisced about the bygone days of Opryland before giving preliminary approval of a $5.8 million tax break to accommodate a new tourist destination for that area: a water and snow amusement park billed as the first of its kind. Arguing job creation trumps tax-break criticism, the council by voice vote approved on the second of three votes a bill that delivers a 60 percent property tax abatement over 12 years to Gaylord Entertainment Co. and Dollywood Co. Through a partnership called Park Holdings, the two companies plan to build the $50 million water and snow park on Gaylord-owned 114 acres at Briley Parkway and McGavock Pike. “There are a ton of people in this city that think that we ought to have something like Opryland, and wished that it was back, and will be glad to see something like this for families –– regardless of how we get it,” At-large Councilman Tim Garrett said. Opryland closed in 1997. Construction on the water and snow park is slated for 2013 before a planned 2015 opening. The deal goes before the council for final approval later this month. http://nashvillecitypaper.com/content/city-news/gaylord-dollywood-park-hca-tax-abatements-clear-council-votes

Judge drops Erlanger whistleblower lawsuit (Times Free-Press/Harrison)
Both state and federal attorneys have declined to move forward in a whistleblower lawsuit that says Erlanger hospital made false Medicare claims. Chief U.S. District Judge Curtis Collier released an order Tuesday stating that because the state did not find enough grounds to intervene in the 2-year-old lawsuit, federal attorneys also decided not take further action. The complaint, filed by Lisa K. Stratienko in 2010, had been under seal for two years while attorneys investigated the allegations, in accordance with the federal law governing whistleblower claims. The 34-page complaint claims Erlanger made a series of false or fraudulent claims for Medicare 11

payments, stemming from "improper agreements" with third-party physician groups. It also alleges that Erlanger acted in outright violation of a corporate integrity agreement it entered in 2005 with the Office of the Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. That agreement came after the hospital was forced to pay a $40 million settlement for years of billing fraud. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2012/apr/05/judge-drops-erlanger-lawsuit/?local

Patients need less testing, treatment, doctors say (Tennessean/Wilemon, Young)
Recommendations spur debate over patient rights Nine medical societies now say expensive tests and treatments that doctors commonly order aren’t necessary for many patients — an announcement that raised concerns in Middle Tennessee but rang true for some doctors and patients. Unneeded procedures are a primary reason for the skyrocketing cost of health care, the organizations said. They cited 45 instances in which patients and doctors should question a medical decision, ranging from Pap smears for young women to continued chemotherapy for some patients with terminal cancer. Their recommendations spurred debates about the rationing of health care, patient rights and defensive medicine, a term used to describe when doctors order tests to protect themselves from malpractice suits. Groups representing oncologists, nephrologists, allergists, family practitioners, cardiologists, radiologists and gastroenterologists came up with the lists released W ednesday in a coordinated campaign called “Choosing Wisely.” Eight other medical specialties will release similar lists this fall. The recommendation to end chemotherapy is for patients with end-stage cancer who have not responded to standard treatments and are not eligible for clinical trials. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120405/NEWS07/304050038/Patients-need-less-testing-treatment-doctorssay?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|News

State says 17 charter schools can open in Memphis this fall (C. Appeal/Roberts)
Seventeen charter schools, waiting in limbo for months, got a green light Wednesday to open from the state treasurer who said they pose no significant financial threat to the public school systems here. The proposed charters still must go through a state appeal process, which applicants, including former Memphis mayor Willie Herenton, said effectively derails even the soundest plans. “I am going to cautiously say it would be very difficult to open that number of schools in such a short period of time,” said Herenton, who intended to open seven W.E.B. DuBois charter schools by fall. Ross Glotzbach, chairman of the proposed Grizzlies Preparatory Charter School, groaned at the delay. “That’s not good. We have our own Grizzlies Prep board meeting set for next week. W e will have to gather information and see what we do with it.” Because charter schools are public schools, the tax money for education follows the child to the new school although the student is still counted as part of the school district’s enrollment. http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2012/apr/04/state-says-17-charter-schools-can-open-memphis-fal/ (SUB)

New Charter Schools Can Open in August (Memphis Daily News)
Add 17 charter schools in Shelby County when the new school year begins in August. Tennessee Treasurer David Lillard ruled Wednesday, April 4, that the countywide school board was wrong in one of its first major decisions when it denied en masse the applications for the charter schools in November. All of the applicants met the standards of the rigorous review process, but the board voted to turn down the applications on the grounds that all 17 being added to the school system in the 2012-2013 school year would pose a financial hardship on the district. Several school board members, during the discussion, specifically said the move of students out of the Memphis City Schools and Shelby County Schools to the new charters would be too much of a drain on funding for the school systems that are in the process of merging. That was also the recommendation of MCS superintendent Kriner Cash and SCS superintendent John Aitken. http://www.memphisdailynews.com/news/2012/apr/5/new-charter-schools-can-open-in-august/

Unified Memphis-Shelby County schools may lose services (C. Appeal/Kelley)
Now free to MCS from city; MLGW could halt Nearly $2.7 million in services provided by city government to city schools may be in jeopardy as Memphis and Shelby County school districts prepare to merge in the fall of 2013. Efforts to resolve the issue got off to a good start Wednesday, however, during a high-level meeting at City Hall, Shelby County Mayor Mark Luttrell, a member of the commission preparing a transition plan for the merger, said afterward. Memphis Mayor A C Wharton described it as a "good meeting" that left him firm in his belief that the city, after legal obligations to the schools have expired, still has a "moral obligation" to "in some form or 12

fashion ... continue to support the education of children in the city." Luttrell and Transition Planning Commission chairwoman Barbara Prescott met with Wharton to discuss compensation for police officers who have been assigned to schools and school crossing guards, a benefit to the schools that costs the city a reported $2 million annually. http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2012/apr/05/unified-schools-may-lose-services/ (SUBSCRIPTION)

Team gives Montgomery County schools great marks (Leaf-Chronicle)
Accreditation review ends with high praise for local schools An accreditation team that spent four days evaluating the Clarksville-Montgomery County School System showered it and its employees with praise at a special School Board meeting Wednesday. “No one anywhere is more committed to continued improvement than ClarksvilleMontgomery County (Schools),” said Cheryl Allread, who headed the AdvancED quality assurance team. AdvancED is an updated version of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS), which accredited the school system five years ago. That team will submit a full report to a commission that will officially confer accreditation at a later date, but Allread said she expected the team’s findings to be ratified. In a preview of the team’s report presented W ednesday, Allread and her team gave the district top marks, or a “highly functional” designation, in four out of seven criteria and “operational,” the next level down, in the rest. Allread said this was the highest rating she had ever recommended as part of a team. http://www.theleafchronicle.com/article/20120405/NEWS01/304050018/Team-gives-Montgomery-Countyschools-great-marks

Idaho: Idaho education chief Tom Luna talks reform (Stateline)
Idaho's Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Luna and Idaho Governor Butch Otter, who once shared lodging when Luna worked for the U.S. Education Department and Otter was a congressman, came together again last year to successfully back a series of education changes in the state. The plan, called Students Come First, increases the role of technology in the classroom and changes how teachers are evaluated and paid, eliminating collective bargaining and tenure and introducing performance pay. Those moves drew protests at the state capitol in Boise, and the entire slate of changes will be on the ballot in November for possible repeal by voters. Luna spoke with Stateline in W ashington D.C. last week about the 10-year-old No Child Left Behind law, his vision for changing education in his state and why he thinks that vision caused protests. He was in town for the legislative meeting of the Council of Chief State School Officers, which he serves as president. http://www.stateline.org/live/details/story?contentId=643361

OPINION Times Editorial: Targeting Southeast Tennessee (Chattanooga Times Free-Press)
Closing the Taft Youth Development Center in Pikeville, Tenn., was probably a done deal the moment the Haslam administration cut funds for its continued operation in the proposed budget. A reasoned case for keeping the center open or political pressure to do so has failed to reverse the decision. It's the latest in what increasingly 13

appears to be the administration's callous disregard for residents of Chattanooga and Southeast Tennessee. That was made clear Tuesday when Finance Commissioner Mark Emkes said the administration opposes a lastminute budget amendment by Rep. Cameron Sexton, R-Crossville, to provide $12 million to keep the Bledsoe County facility open. Emkes' statement is the death knell for Taft. Sexton says as much. It will be "extremely difficult" to get the GOP-controlled legislature to support his amendment if the Republican governor opposes it. The administration, in fact, is so confident that Taft will be closed that inmates already are being moved to other facilities, though none has a history of dealing positively with the state's most hardened and violent young male criminals. What's best for youth in trouble with the law but still of an age where rehabilitation is possible apparently did not factor into the decision to close Taft. W hat does matter is saving money. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2012/apr/05/targeting-southeast-tennessee/?opiniontimes

Guest columnist: Gov. Bill Haslam should veto 'Monkey Bill' (News-Sentinel)
Tennessee is dangerously close to enacting a law that would gut science education in public schools. The "Monkey Bill" sailed through the Legislature and is now on Gov. Bill Haslam's desk awaiting his review. The bill is adapted from a template offered by the conservative, Seattle-based Discovery Institute, which promotes intelligent design. As a force for moderation, Haslam should veto this legislation. Under the pretext of fostering critical thinking, this legislation states that teachers must be allowed to discuss "weaknesses" in scientific theories such as evolution and other scientific subjects that "cause debate and disputation" — calling their validity into question. No one doubts the value of critical thinking to any serious course of scientific study, but this legislation seeks to subvert scientific principle to religious ideology by granting legal cover to teachers who wish to dress up religious beliefs on the origin of life as pseudo-science. Terms such as "strengths and weaknesses" and "critical thinking" are frequently used by those seeking to introduce nonscientific ideas such as creationism and intelligent design into the science curriculum. http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2012/apr/05/hedy-weinberg-gov-bill-haslam-should-veto-monkey/

Guest columnist: Reject costly pain-management bill (Tennessean)
Health care in the United States is rapidly evolving in a way that has nothing to do with the Affordable Care Act. As patients have grown increasingly concerned about having access to safe, cost-effective health care provided by qualified professionals, they have become increasingly comfortable with the wide variety of credentials qualified professionals may have behind their names. Tennesseans are no different. And yet, a bill proposed in the Tennessee legislature (SB 1935/HB 1896) would actually prevent many Tennesseans from having access to safe, cost-effective pain management services provided by qualified health-care professionals, namely certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs). How? By requiring a limited group of physicians to provide on-site supervision of pain-management services, a burdensome, expensive and unmanageable restriction that could shut down pain management services in many facilities across the state, especially those in rural and other medically underserved areas. The Federal Trade Commission has expressed strong concerns over the Tennessee bill, as it has over similar pain management rules and legislation proposed in Alabama and Missouri. The FTC was equally pointed in stating its concerns over the medical community’s attempt to use legislation to monopolize pain management in Tennessee. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120405/OPINION03/304050028/Reject-costly-pain-management-bill? odyssey=mod|newswell|text|Opinion|p

Columnist: The I-40 Corridor's Unnatural Divide (Metro Pulse)
I’m pulling weeds on the east side of Parkridge when I see a kid approaching shyly. “Hey, do you have an Allen wrench to fix my bike handlebars?” he asks, his voice barely above a whisper. “No,” I say, “But I know someone who does. The Bike Collective!” “Where’s that at?” “It’s near Hall of Fame,” I begin. “Hall of Fame? Never mind.” “No, you don’t have to cross it. It’s on your side of Hall of Fame...” But at the mention of this four-lane flanked by steep man-made cliffs, he had stopped listening. When you are a kid on a bicycle, a road like that may as well be a wall, and the area bordering it a hostile dead zone. The SmartFIX40 project, which included the widening of Interstate 40 and the creation of Hall of Fame Drive, sharpened the isolation of East Knoxville from the other historic neighborhoods of Fourth and Gill, Old North, and downtown—a divide begun in the 1960s with the construction of the interstate. But SmartFIX40 hurt neighborhoods on both sides of the divide. For some residents of Fourth and Gill, the widening of I-40 resulted in an actual 15-foot concrete wall running through their yards. This wall, meant to alleviate the traffic-noise problems, served to create some pretty surreal situations, such as the scene on the 800 block of North Third Avenue. 14

http://www.metropulse.com/news/2012/apr/04/i-40-corridors-unnatural-divide/

Frank Cagle: Knox Needs to Honor Promise to Provide Pension for Deputies (MP)
You would think the pension board and a couple of CPAs would be a better vehicle to solve problems with the Knox County Uniformed Officers Pension Plan, but it will instead be resolved by a subcommittee of the Charter Review group. W hoever makes a decision about putting something on the ballot, let’s remember that the problems with the pension fund are not the fault of the sheriff’s department and we would hope the solution does not represent a retreat from promises made to the officers. A little history: City policemen and firemen had a defined benefit pension plan. In other words, when you retire you are guaranteed a certain amount of money each month—a traditional pension plan. County deputies had a plan in which they contributed a percentage of their salary and the county matched it up to a certain amount. Essentially, an IRA. Over time the result might exceed the amount you would get in a traditional pension. Unless the stock market goes in the tank about the time you decide to retire. And in the case of uniformed officers it is not unusual for them in their 50s to need to retire early—it often takes hard physical effort to be out on the street chasing young gangbangers. You retire early, you will get a huge tax bill with an IRA. http://www.metropulse.com/news/2012/apr/04/knox-county-needshonor-its-promise-provide-pensio/

George Korda: Loudon Co., atheist groups and religion in the public square (NS)
Loudon County has become a target for anti-religion groups that seem to believe that God and expressions of religion have no place in government. At all. Period. According to the March 28 News Sentinel, “…the Lenoir City school board temporarily stopped offering prayer before meetings in response to letters from the Freedom From Religion Foundation, the American Civil Liberties Union and the (Appignani) Humanist Association.” The word “religion” on police officers’ uniforms is seen as an additional affront to the U.S. Constitution, and there is an effort underway to remove “religion” from the patch. What Loudon County is dealing with is: A. with too People much time on their hands and with nothing much important to do other than attack religion and the religious. B. The time-honored tactic of raising concerns or reportedly threatening a lawsuit to force acceptable behavior. If you are an elected official in Tennessee or anywhere else faced with these challenges there are only two reasons to cave in to such demands: http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2012/apr/05/george-korda-loudon-county-atheist-groups-and-reli/

Editorial: Costs, Benefits and Your Drug Plan (New York Times)
It seems counterintuitive, but the Federal Trade Commission has just decided that a $29 billion merger of two of the three largest companies that manage pharmaceutical benefits for employers and health plans — Express Scripts and Medco Health Solutions — would not substantially lessen competition. That judgment deserves credence because of the thoroughness of the F.T.C.’s eight-month inquiry and the willingness of the agency to oppose other mergers when the evidence warrants. The best news to come out of the investigation is that there are a growing number of challengers to the giant pharmacy benefit managers, known as P.B.M.’s, including big insurance plans that have decided to enter the business and smaller stand-alone companies that are increasingly winning business by offering customized services, such as making their pricing models more transparent. The big players should take note. The P.B.M.’s purchase drugs from manufacturers or wholesalers and dispense them, by mail order or through pharmacies, to enrollees in a health plan. A majority of the F.T.C. commissioners found that the market for P.B.M. services contains numerous, vigorous competitors. http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/05/opinion/costs-benefits-and-your-prescription-plan.html? _r=1&ref=todayspaper (SUBSCRIPTION) ###

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