Priority Legislation Selected for 2007

Ten bills of the 22 passed by the 37th General Assembly have been selected as Priority Legislation by the Executive Council.

These bills will be published in the TISL Blue Book and presented to state legislators and other officials.

Bills selected were:

TISL Bill 3 -- Enacts tougher sentences for sex offenders

TISL Bill 4 -- Enacts tougher restrictions on sex offenders living near schools

TISL Bill 9 -- Creates a joint committee of the Senate and House to study the deregulation of electricity for Tennessee consumers.

TISL Bill 10 -- Bans quotas for police officers issuing traffic citations

TISL Bill 20 -- Bans smoking in restaurants that serve patrons less than 18 years old.

TISL Bill 22 -- Prohibits surface coal mining.

TISL Bill 24 -- Requires consideration of green building features in new public construction

TISL Bill 25 -- Requires a state plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Tennessee beginning in 2008.

TISL Bill 36 -- Requires Tennessee Board of Regents colleges to dispose of surplus library books by selling them to the public.

TISL Bill 39 -- Strengthens training of volunteer fire departments.

Executive Council Starts Year Quickly

The officers elected at the 37th General Assembly went to work promptly.

Gov. Ethan Netherly convened the first meeting immediately after the session adjourned, and officers returned to Nashville the following Saturday for an all-day session to begin planning the 38th General Assembly.

Governor Netherly has designated recruiting as a top priority for 2007. This year's budget is based on doubling the number of member schools from 12 to 24 and more than doubling the number of delegates from 68 to 150.