It's time to make plans for TML's annual Legislative Conference, scheduled for March 8-9 in Nashville at the DoubleTree Hotel.  Attendees will be updated on TML's legislative agenda as well as hear from a host of  speakers on various legislative issues. 

Click here to download a registration form

Schedule At-A-Glance

Monday, March 8, 2010

11 a.m. Registration

12 noon Buffet Lunch

1 p.m. General Session

• John Morgan, Deputy Governor
  
• David Goetz, Finance Commissioner
  
• Justin Wilson, State Comptroller
  

3 pm.  Legislative Discussion / Update

• Chad Jenkins, TML Deputy Director
  

4 p.m. House and Senate Floor Sessions

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

7:30   Breakfast

8:00   General Session

• Steve McDaniel, House Speaker Pro Tem
• Ron Ramsey, Lt. Gov. and Senate Speaker
  
• Matt Kisber, ECD Commissioner

9:30       Adjourned

Members are encouraged to attend committee meetings.

2009 Legislative Conference

Featured Speakers

John Morgan - Deputy to the Governor

     At the forefront of everyone's mind is the state's financial situation and balancing the budget while facing a $1.1 billion deficit. John Morgan, deputy to the governor, helped kick off the conference by providing an update on the state's financial situation and how some $5 billion in federal funds allocated to the state under Obama's America Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) will be distributed over the next two years.     

Watch Video of John Morgan's address

Leslie Newman - State Fire Marshall/Commissioner of Commerce & Insurance

       Fire education for citizens, fire fighter training and a statewide residential building code were the main topics addressed by Leslie Newman, state fire marshall and commissioner of Commerce and Insurance. As part of his proposed energy package, Gov. Bredesen is pushing a bill which would enact a statewide residential building code in every jurisdiction in Tennessee.

Watch Video of Leslie Newman's address

Gerald Nicely - TDOT Commissioner

     Commissioner Nicely had a lot to address concerning funding available through the American Recovery and Reivestment Act.  "There's good news and bad news," began TDOT Commissioner Gerald Nicely as he addressed the state's plan for $572 million in Economic Stimulus funding toward the state's bridges and highway system. "The funds will be a temporary reprieve.

Watch Video of Gerald Nicely's address

James Neeley - Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development

    With state unemployment numbers at the highest level since 1973 (9.1 percent for February) James Neeley, commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development, told the group that the state's unemployment trust fund will be broke by the end of this year if something isn't done to infuse more money into the account, which currently stands at $240 million. During good times, the federal government recommends the state of Tennessee to maintain a balance of $1.2 billion.

Watch Video of James Neeley's address

Lt. Governor Ron Ramsey

    Lt. Gov. Ramsey also spoke of the state's financial situation, noting that the state's biggest revenue producers (sales and franchise and excise taxes) are down by 23 percent. But he also advised that Tennessee has the reputation of being a very well-run state and compared to other states are dealing with, a $1.1 billion shortfall is much easier to manage. Virginia is facing a $2 billion budget deficit; Georgia is $3 billion in the hole; and California is in serious trouble with a $42 billion deficit.

Watch Video of Ron Ramsey's address

House Speaker Kent Williams

    Speaker Williams told the membership of his pledge to lead in a bipartisan matter, beginning with committee assignments that gave both parties equal representation on committees and each party the same number of chairpersons. He complimented Gov. Bredesen on his forward-looking budget that outlines expenditures for four years. And, he promised municipal officials that he would always be mindful not to pass down unfunded mandates to local governments.

Watch Video of Kent Williams's address