From left to right: Greg Martin, TN State House of Representatives for District 26; Corey Whittaker, VP of First Horizon Bank, Northgate; Greg Taylor, Friends of Hixson president; Lisa Taylor, Friends of Hixson VP; Bo Watson, TN State Senator for District 11; Susan Crowell; Mark Harrison, Friends of Hixson board member; David Queen, Friends of Hixson board member; Joe Smith, Friends of Hixson board member.
State Senator Bo Watson, chairman of the Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee, discussed how the budget drives policy decisions for the Tennessee Legislature at Wednesday's Friends of Hixson Monthly Coffee Meeting.
Senator Watson noted that Tennessee has a AAA credit rating and the state’s fiscal health is the third best in the U.S.
As the special legislative session approaches in August, Senator Watson said school safety discussions were already underway as the most recent legislative session began last January, resulting in new programs that provide funding for all schools to have an SRO Officer, funding of over 100 Homeland Security Agents, multi-tiered accountability plan to ensure exterior doors are locked at schools, active shooter training for private school guards, behavioral health teams and support services for schools and funding for private school security updates.
As the special legislative session begins in August, Senator Watson said he looks forward to hearing about Governor Lee’s safety plan as the session begins.
Senator Watson was presented with a thank you note from some of the attendees for his work securing the legislation designating the North Chickamauga Creek as a "Scenic River.” This designation provides additional protection for this scenic waterway.