13 chambers endorse Lee’s roads plan
Thirteen chambers of commerce from around the state are endorsing Gov. Bill Lee’s $3.3 billion roads plan, including its public-private partnerships and paid express lanes.
The chambers represent businesses in and around Nashville, Blount County, Bristol, Jackson, Kingsport, Knoxville, Memphis, Lawrence County, Clarksville, Williamson County, Rutherford County, Chattanooga and Maury County.
Here’s the release:
NASHVILLE, Tenn. –Chambers of Commerce from across Tennessee announced Monday their support of Governor Bill Lee’s Transportation Modernization Act of 2023. The proposed statewide infrastructure plan would approve public-private partnerships to rapidly expand infrastructure development and relieve congestion in the state’s rapidly growing urban and rural communities.
“As prosperity continues to expand, infrastructure investment becomes crucial to livability,” said Ralph Schulz, President and CEO of the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce. “The Governor’s proposal creates investment without debt or new taxes while fostering faster project completion, faster travel times for all drivers, and modern transportation options for all citizens.”
“As Tennessee continues to attract record-breaking investment, we must ensure our infrastructure is modern and resilient enough to match our growth. Chambers of Commerce across the state support Governor Bill Lee’s Transportation Modernization Act to ensure we continue to build on our state’s record-breaking growth,” said Charles Wood, President and CEO of the Chattanooga Chamber of Commerce. “Our state’s sound economic policies and high quality of life have made Tennessee the seventh-fastest growing state in the country, and the Governor’s innovative transportation modernization plan accommodates for our state’s rapid growth.”
“Tennessee has seen a population increase of nearly 9% in the past decade, with a net gain of 137,100 jobs year-over-year,” said Paul Latture, President of the Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce. “The business community depends on reliable transportation systems to ensure that citizens, freight, and visitors aren’t sitting in avoidable congestion. The Transportation Modernization Act tackles the transportation issues of today while accounting for future growth across our state.”
“Under the proposed Transportation Modernization Act, public-private partnerships allow the business community to take a proactive role in tackling our community’s most pressing transportation needs,” said Kyle Spurgeon, CEO of the Greater Jackson Chamber of Commerce. “This legislation fixes roads and expands exits in rural communities, while also making it easier for our citizens to work and shop in urban metros without losing hours in preventable congestions.”
“Governor Lee’s proposed Transportation Modernization Act ensures that businesses and residents alike maintain adequate access to key markets,” said Ryan Egly, President & CEO of the Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce. “These public-private partnerships are good for Tennesseans and especially essential for sustaining economic development in rural Tennessee.”
“Chambers of Commerce have a long-standing support of public-private partnerships, and we look forward to the positive effects that Governor Lee’s plan will have on the alleviation of road congestion and safety in our state’s rural and urban areas,” said Wil Evans, President of the Maury County Chamber and Economic Alliance. “This legislation connects communities previously separated by unnecessary congestion, expanding economic access and increasing quality of life for rural citizens.”
“The Transportation Modernization Act is providing historic investments in our region’s roadways to build more exits in rural communities, ease traffic congestion, and make our infrastructure safer and stronger for generations to come,” said Miles Burdine, President and CEO of the Kingsport Chamber of Commerce. “Thank you to Governor Lee and the state for ensuring that our region has the infrastructure it needs to continue to support business growth and creation.”
The Transportation Modernization Act of 2023 was announced by Governor Bill Lee on January 5, 2023.
Chamber to offer seminars on trying to comply with conflicting COVID-19 rules
With federal guidance handed down this week requiring companies with 100 employees to ensure their workers are fully vaccinated by Jan. 4, the state Chamber of Commerce is offering seminars on how to try to comply with that rule while trying not to run afoul of a state bill passed in a special legislative session last week to outlaw most vaccine mandates in Tennessee.
One method may be a federal provision allowing regular testing instead of vaccines. The state bill did not address the question of tests.
The Chamber opposes all vaccination, masking, and testing mandates, but businesses still have to try to follow the law.
“We understand that recent federal orders and state legislation can result in confusion and costly litigation,” Chamber CEO Bradley Jackson said in a release. “Employers have to know how to comply.”
Here’s the release from the Chamber:
Nashville, TN – The Tennessee Chamber of Commerce & Industry announced it will be hosting a series of free compliance seminars to assist all businesses with navigating compliance of Tennessee‘s newly passed COVID-19 requirements for employers. The essential seminars are intended to assist all employers by providing clarity as they attempt to maintain compliance with both state and federal COVID-19 mandates. “We are working to get the word out across Tennessee to all employers and assist every business that needs guidance to steer through the complexities of both state and federal policies. It is our obligation to ensure all employers understand their requirements under law. We understand that recent federal orders and state legislation can result in confusion and costly litigation. Employers have to know how to comply,” said Chamber President and CEO Bradley Jackson. The Tennessee Chamber has expressed opposition to both federal and state mandates relative to vaccination, masking and testing mandates for businesses.
The first compliance seminar will be held at 10 AM CST on Tuesday, November 9. The virtual meeting series is free to attend and will have no registration expense or limit. Legal experts will be on hand to step through the complexities of the measures and address questions of employers. This recently enacted legislation could be effective as late as November 13th and Tennessee businesses of all sizes and sectors across our great state who are not in compliance are subject to penalties and litigation exposure. “The compliance curve on this particular mandate is extremely steep. We want to make sure there is no business in Tennessee that doesn’t fully understand their obligations and options.” noted Jackson.
The Tennessee Chamber will be hosting a subsequent seminar on November 17 to focus on the exemption process for qualified employers. In addition a final compliance seminar will take a closer look at expected OSHA emergency rules.
To register, visit www.tnchamber.org/complianceseminar
Tennessee Chamber weighs in on special session
The Tennessee Chamber of Commerce is weighing in on next week’s special session called in response to federal mandates on COVID-19 vaccinations and masks.
Several GOP lawmakers are interested in enacting laws banning companies from requiring customers or employees to be vaccinated, a potential move raising flags with the Chamber.
“We do not believe government, at any level, should unnecessarily interfere with health, safety and operational decisions of private businesses,” the Chamber said in a statement.
Here’s the full release:
As the Tennessee General Assembly returns for a special session to address COVID-19 related policies, the Tennessee Chamber looks forward to working with the Tennessee General Assembly. We hope to collaborate and work through their concerns to ensure legislation considered during the special session does not negatively impact our business climate or employers in our great state. We are thankful to our government leaders who have worked to set our state on a trend that has made Tennessee the best state in the nation for both economic growth and business regulations, especially during the recent pandemic. This has been achieved through a strong tradition of balancing and limiting government intervention into the operations of businesses. Tennessee businesses need the discretion, with limited government interference, to operate their business in a way they believe is most appropriate for their individual operations.
Regarding federal vaccine mandates, in September, the Tennessee Chamber voiced concerns regarding announced OSHA emergency standards from the Biden administration which requires all employers of 100 or more to mandate and enforce employee COVID-19 vaccination and testing protocols. Our position has and will remain consistent at all levels of government. We do not believe government, at any level, should unnecessarily interfere with health, safety and operational decisions of private businesses. We look forward to discussing this with our elected leaders in the Tennessee General Assembly who have expressed their commitment to ensuring that Tennessee remains one of the best states in the country to do business.
Sponsor denounces ‘misinformation’ on property assessment bill, withdraws measure from vote
Sen. Kerry Roberts blasted opponents of his bill to change property assessment appeals in comments on the Senate floor, but the Springfield Republican then withdrew the measure from a scheduled vote before the General Assembly goes into recess amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Business groups like the state Chamber of Commerce and the National Federation of Independence Business had taken issue with effort to ram the bill through while the Capitol complex has been closed to lobbyists and advocates.
“For the past 24 hours there’s been tremendous amount of misinformation sent to members about this bill, claiming it would result in a tax increase,” Roberts said. “I want every member in this body to know exactly what they’re voting for, so I’m going to make a motion in a minute to send it back to Calendar, because I do anticipate we’re going to be back in session a little bit later in the year..
“As an inactive certified public accountant, I can tell you this is a very complicated issue, but there’s also a very good explanation and a very good reason for this,” he said. “And I want to have the opportunity to talk to each and every one of you, so when you cast your vote, you will fully understand that this issue is trying to solve.”
