State Senator Todd Gardenhire (R-Chattanooga) took the oath of office on Tuesday in Nashville as the 108th General Assembly was gaveled into session. The oath was administered by Supreme Court Justice William C. Koch, Jr. during the legislature’s three-day organizational session which will end on Thursday.
"Taking the oath of office is both an exciting and humbling experience,” said Senator Gardenhire. “I look forward to representing the citizens of the Hamilton and Bradley counties in the 10th District in our State Senate and welcome their input on the issues we face."
Senator Gardenhire is one of eight new state senators in the General Assembly. This is the largest number of freshmen in the Tennessee Senate since 1969.
Other organizational tasks that will be taken up this week include the adoption of Senate rules, election of the state’s constitutional officers and election of the members of the General Assembly’s Joint Fiscal Review Committee. The General Assembly will then recess for two weeks to allow for office assignments.
Representative Ron Travis (R-Dayton) also took the oath of office this week in Nashville and was officially sworn into the Tennessee House of Representatives.
Legislators are looking to build upon the success of the previous session that saw wasteful government spending cut from the budget, taxes cut for all Tennesseans, measures passed to encourage job growth, and numerous government reforms.
“I’m proud to be a part of the Tennessee General Assembly,” said Rep. Travis. “Tennesseans have put their trust in us to work together and develop solutions that move Tennessee forward. I know we are going to have a great year working on issues that reflect the principles and values of everyday Tennesseans.”
Lawmakers have already signaled clear goals of balancing the budget, lowering the grocery tax, and ensuring every Tennessee student has access to a high quality education.
Speaker Beth Harwell said, “Representative Travis joins an impressive group in the Tennessee General Assembly this year and I am excited about the opportunity to work with him to pass meaningful legislation that positively impacts all Tennesseans.”