Capitol Update: April 26, 2024

Legislature Adjourns Sine Die

On Thursday evening, the General Assembly completed its work and adjourned for the year. In what has become a regular occurrence, there were protests, controversies, flaring tempers, and uncertainty about the fate of major pieces of legislation in the waning days of the session. The Governor’s proposed franchise and excise tax looked for a moment like it could be another victim of House vs. Senate disagreements, but their differences were resolved in a conference committee report that eventually passed both chambers.

A number of other bills made it as far as the chamber floor for debate only to end up tabled or rolled to the heel of the calendar and never taken up again. When a bill passed allowing teachers to carry guns at school, it triggered a loud and angry response from protestors and caused the Speaker to order state troopers to clear the galleries. Tempers flared between House members off and on throughout the week and long debates on controversial bills left observers wondering if they could complete their work. The House held several long sessions to work off the remaining bills on their calendars, some of which were originally scheduled on Tuesday or Wednesday of last week. They made significant progress early in the week, leaving yesterday mostly focused on resolving differences with the Senate on a few remaining issues.   

DHS Awards $1.8 Billion in Preparedness Grants

On April 16, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) unveiled more than $1.8 billion in funding for eight preparedness grant programs in Fiscal Year (FY) 2024.

These grants play a crucial role in helping county governments bolster their readiness and response capabilities against terrorism and disasters.

Key Programs:

• Homeland Security Grant Program: This program comprises three of the FY 2024 preparedness grants which are tailored to support county initiatives aimed at combating acts of terrorism and other threats. This funding is to be used by counties to implement the National Preparedness System and advance their progress towards the National Preparedness Goal. 
• Emergency Management Performance Grant: This grant provides funding to aid county governments in enhancing preparedness and advancing progress toward the National Preparedness Goal. These are non-competitive grants based on statutory minimums and population. 

The FY 2024 preparedness grants from DHS enhance national security and resilience against evolving threats, promote collaboration and ensure improved alignment with the National Preparedness Goal, empowering county governments to effectively prevent and address potential hazards and emergencies.

Governor Lee, Commissioner McWhorter Announce Avancez to Establish Manufacturing & Distribution Operations at BlueOval City Supplier Park

NASHVILLE, TN [April 25, 2024] - Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, Department of Economic and Community Development Commissioner Stuart C. McWhorter, and Avancez officials announced today the company will invest $54 million to expand its assembly operations and locate a new facility on Ford Motor Company’s BlueOval City Supplier Park. 

Avancez will join Magna at the Stanton site, creating an additional 501 new jobs in Tier 4, At-Risk Haywood County.

The Tennessee assembly plant will be the company’s third location in the U.S. and positions Avancez in closer proximity to its key automotive customers across the Southeast.