State Rep. Greg Vital, R-Harrison, celebrated the passage of his first bill as a member of the Tennessee General Assembly
State Rep. Greg Vital, R-Harrison, has passed his first bill as a member of the Tennessee General Assembly.
House Bill 1704 updates the conflict of interest provisions in the County Purchasing Law of 1957 to be consistent with existing state law. It was unanimously approved in the House chamber with 93 votes.
“I appreciate my colleagues working with me through the committee process on this important bill,” Rep.
Vital said. “This has been a unique experience and I look forwarded to passing more legislation on behalf of good government and transparency in Tennessee in the future.”
House Bill 1704 clarifies direct and indirect conflicts of interests for certain county officers. It also improves transparency by establishing a process for individuals who are not a member of a governing body to publicly disclose any indirect interest related to the purchase of supplies, materials, equipment or contractual services for the county.
Anyone who violates the provisions would be removed from office and required to forfeit all of the compensation they received, according to the legislation. They would also be ineligible to hold the same or similar position for 10 years. The current penalty for violators is a Class D felony.
A Hamilton County native and entrepreneur, Rep. Vital won a special election to represent House District 29 in September. He filled a vacancy left by the death of former State Rep. Mike Carter, an Ooltewah Republican who lost his battle with cancer in May of 2021.
More information about House Bill 1704 can be found here.
Greg Vital represents House District 29, which includes part of Hamilton County. He is a member of the Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee, Commerce Committee, Transportation Committees and Business & Utilities Subcommittee. He can be reached at rep.greg.vital@capitol.tn.gov or 615-741-3025.