There are 70 article(s) tagged Randy McNally:
Tennessee’s sales tax collections plummeted 6% in April, but while clothing retailers and restaurants took the biggest blow from the COVID-19 pandemic, grocery stores and building material businesses nearly made up for it.
With the Legislature set to reconvene June 1, the House and Senate are at odds over the scope of legislation to be considered in what is expected to be a short get-together to deal mainly with the budget and COVID-related bills.
Grappling with finances in the pandemic era, Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee says the entire budget is up for review, including funds tied to the Education Savings Account, though he favors keeping the program intact as the Legislature gets ready to convene June 1.
When state lawmakers return to Nashville to grapple with the state budget in a flagging COVID-19 economy, they'll have an incomplete picture of the state's economy because state revenue is trickling in and business tax collections have been delayed until July.
House and Senate leaders could run into disagreement on whether to concentrate only on the state’s budget in a COVID-19 economic disaster or take up hot social items such as abortion restrictions, constitutional carry and even the Bible bill when the Legislature returns June 1.
Tennessee leaders are trying to figure out how to spend $3.6 billion in federal COVID-19 funds, about half of which has arrived in the state as officials remain worried about tax revenue shortfalls and their impact on state and local budgets.
Leading Democrats and Republicans in the General Assembly are knocking the Tennessee Democratic Party’s decision to take veteran state Rep. John DeBerry of Memphis off the August primary ballot.
Gov. Bill Lee issued a “shelter at home” order Thursday, April 2, but said it was based on traffic data rather than the urging of physicians who asked him more than a week ago to take extra steps to restrict the transmission of COVID-19 with a surge approaching.
As COVID-19 cases hit nearly 400 in Shelby County and reached into 77 of 95 counties, Gov. Bill Lee ordered all nonessential businesses to close Monday, March 30, and introduced a statewide “safer at home” measure.
Lt. Gov. Randy McNally calls it the “black swan,” an unforeseen event capable of shaking Tennessee’s foundation, yet one the state must be prepared to handle, this time using a military approach on a worldwide scale.
Gov. Bill Lee worked with the state attorney general and comptroller on an executive order to put electronic government meetings rules in place after legislation failed Thursday in the final hours of the General Assembly session
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Gov. Bill Lee introduced a “no-growth” budget for the next fiscal year, reducing a 3.1% revenue growth projection to zero and eliminating dozens of spending proposals while spending hundreds of millions to respond to the COVID-19 emergency.
House and Senate leaders reached an agreement Monday for the Legislature’s schedule, likely entailing an early, temporary adjournment for 60 days out of concern for COVID-19, according to sources.
Reacting to the national coronavirus pandemic, Gov. Bill Lee will present an “adjusted” budget by Wednesday containing funds to respond to the COVID-19 crisis and mid-state tornado victims as lawmakers hoped to take a recess of at least two months.
Speculation spreads about the Legislature possibly wrapping up by the end of this week. But Lt. Gov. Randy McNally said it will likely take two to three weeks for the General Assembly to finish its work.
State basketball tournaments are latest cancellations with COVID-19.
With Gov. Bill Lee declaring a state of emergency, Republican legislative leaders are calling for limited visits to the Capitol complex in an effort to stem to spread of the coronavirus, though Democrats say more extensive steps should be taken.
Medical cannabis legislation could reach a House floor vote this year for the first time, leaders say. But running a gauntlet in the Senate is likely to prove more difficult.
Democrats say Tennessee’s controlling Republicans took care of Gov. Bill Lee’s permitless carry and anti-abortion initiatives even though a terrible tornado killed people across the state and left a path of destruction.
Hours after Tennessee officials confirmed the state's first case of the coronavirus, one Memphis lawmaker said the state is “absolutely not” prepared to deal with a potential health crisis stemming from COVID-19.
The governor’s main initiatives on K-12 education, abortion and family leave are running into obstacles – legislative and legal – in his second year in office.
Facing pressure from legislative leaders, Gov. Bill Lee is reversing course on his executive order for family leave, and sending the plan through the Legislature.
House Minority Leader Karen Camper is asking for a timeline audit of a no-bid education savings account contract to answer questions for legislators puzzled about the Education Department's method for expediting the program in time for the 2021-22 school year.
Shelby County government and Metro Nashville Public Schools joined forces in a lawsuit Thursday challenging the constitutionality of Tennessee’s education savings account program.
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