Serving Our Communities: A productive start to the Legislative Session
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Serving Our Communities:
A productive start to the Legislative Session
By State Senator
Ken Yager
The Tennessee General Assembly has now completed its fourth week of session. Despite losing valuable time due to severe winter weather across our state, we are back up to speed and fully engaged in the important work Tennesseans sent us here to do.
The deadline to file legislation has now passed, and the Senate’s nine standing committees are beginning the careful process of reviewing bills. In the Senate, a bill must pass a committee before it can be considered by the full Senate. That makes committee action one of the most important steps in the legislative process. I encourage citizens to follow legislation as it moves through committees and calendars. You can find this information on the General Assembly’s website.
I have personally filed 56 bills this General Assembly covering a variety of issues that affect our communities. I would like to highlight a few proposals that are particularly important for our district and for rural Tennessee.
To improve TennCare reimbursement rates for local ambulance services providing non-emergency transportation, I have introduced Senate Bill 748. This legislation raises payments from about 67.5% of the Medicare rate to 100%. This change would provide much-needed financial stability for rural ambulance providers.
In an effort to increase support for economically distressed districts, I am proposing Senate Bill 2477. If passed, the bill would adjust the school funding formula, helping rural systems better meet student needs despite limited local tax bases.
Lastly, Senate Bill 2175 would give rural counties a more competitive edge when applying for water infrastructure grants, helping communities secure funding for critical projects that support public health and economic development.
While legislation is a major part of my role, constituent service remains just as important. Our office operates with a simple philosophy, reflected in what I like to call the shortest employee handbook in the legislature: “Constituents come first.”
If you have any questions or would like to set up a visit to the Capitol, reach my office at: [email protected] or at (615) 741-1449.