Bredesen Holds Ceremonial Bill Signing

NASHVILLE – Governor Phil Bredesen today signed six pieces of legislation at a ceremonial bill signing ceremony at the Capitol. Two of the bills provide tax relief to those affected by storms and historic flooding in May.

 

The first bill (SB3687/HB3606) provides property tax relief in the form of a prorated assessment for certain properties damaged from a disaster certified by FEMA. The other (SB0231/HB0228) allows qualified flood victims to apply for a refund of up to $2,500 on sales tax paid on major appliances, residential furniture or building supplies purchased to replace damaged or destroyed items.  

 

“These measures will provide some additional relief to Tennesseans receiving FEMA assistance for flood damage,” said Bredesen. “These are examples of the types of things the state of Tennessee can do to further help people working to rebuild from these historic and catastrophic floods.”

 

A criminal sentencing bill (HB2813/SB3431) Bredesen signed will help reduce prison overcrowding by directing alternative sentencing methods, such as periodic confinement, work release, probation or judicial diversion, in cases where certain non-violent offenses are involved. This will help ensure there is sufficient prison space available for violent offenders. The legislation also increases the percentage of sentence a person convicted of aggravated robbery with a weapon must serve from 30 to 85 percent. 

 

A bill placing further restrictions on sexual offenders (SB2988/HB3263) narrows exceptions that allow a registered offender access onto school grounds. The measure requires offenders with a child enrolled at a school to receive written permission from the school’s principal or administrator before picking the child up from school or attending parent-teacher conferences or events in which the child is a participant.

 

A campaign finance bill (HB3182/SB3198) that brings Tennessee state law into compliance with a recent Supreme Court decision also requires corporations that make independent expenditures in support of a candidate in an election to file regular disclosure statements, which will improve transparency.

 

Bredesen also signed the Annual Coverage Assessment Act of 2010 (SB3582/HB3310), which will help TennCare avoid cuts resulting from a $659 million hole in the budget while safeguarding the public’s interest by prohibiting hospitals from passing the fee along to patients.

 

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