Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee is looking to address the state’s growing population alongside conservation efforts.
During his annual State of the State address Monday night, Lee laid out next steps for his administration — and touted the results of a special session last month. Lee gained statehouse approval for his yearslong push to bring school vouchers statewide and his plan for immigration enforcement.
As Lee mentioned support for removing “dangerous criminals” from Tennessee’s communities, a member of the crowd shouted, “Immigrants belong here!”
Outside the House chamber where Lee delivered his speech, protestors could be heard chanting critiques of the governor’s school voucher and immigration legislation.
With the passage of both bills, the governor is now turning focus to energy, economy and the environment.
Housing
Tennessee ranks in the bottom five states when it comes to the loss of starter homes, Lee said. He proposed $60 million in no-interest loans for the building of new, single-family homes.
Lee also touted the Rural and Workforce Housing Tax Credit, a measure signed into law last year that offers tax credits to businesses or landowners with projects located in an eligible rural area.
“We should continue looking for more solutions that are fiscally responsible to finally address the issue of housing — through innovation, not through regulation,” Lee said.
Energy, conservation and population growth
“To grow Tennessee, we have to conserve Tennessee,” Lee said. “Our state is home to the most biologically diverse freshwater river in all of North America. The Duck River is a scenic, natural treasure.”
The Duck River, which currently supplies water for 250,000 people, was named one of the most endangered rivers in the country, as surrounding towns and businesses draw more and more water from it. Lee touted an executive order signed in November to conserve the river, and proposed $100 million to create a regional water supply strategy that he said “will solve this problem once and for all.”
Lee also stressed the need to preserve farmland in the state.
“Our state is losing 10 acres of farmland per hour, which is a staggering number when agriculture is our No. 1 industry,” Lee said. “That’s why we are, again, proposing a grant program for farmers who voluntarily preserve and protect their land for future generations.”
Lee also pledged to invest $60 million in the state’s nuclear energy, alongside a possible $800 million in federal grants for the Clinch River Nuclear Site in East Tennessee.
“We’ve laid the groundwork. We have a willing partner in the White House,” Lee said. “Now is the time to develop the Clinch River Site and build the nation’s first small modular reactor on Tennessee soil.”
Lee said that nuclear energy also matters to working class families and will grow the state’s workforce.
“Economic development stops and job creation stops if we don’t have energy,” Lee said. “I meet with companies all the time, from across the country and around the world, that are looking to move to the Southeast, and their decision hinges on two questions: Do you have the energy, and do you have the workers?”
To meet the demand for workers, Lee proposed a Tennessee Works Scholarship to send more Tennesseans to vocational college.
Childcare and education
Lee proposed more money for childcare and teacher salaries. That includes $11 million for the Boys and Girls Club to create “tens of thousands of new daycare spots across rural and urban Tennessee” and more than $580 million for public education.
“We don’t need to start a new government program to solve the childcare problem,” Lee said. “We need to empower tried-and-true community partners who know what they’re doing and are already making a difference.”
Lee is also looking to expand on a state-created civics program at the University of Tennessee. Lee said he’d like to bring the Institute of American Civics to K-12 schools.
“Innovation does not change tradition — it strengthens it. One way we strengthen tradition is by teaching civics and American exceptionalism,” Lee said. “This year, I am proposing funding to expand the Institute’s reach and make sure Tennessee children — from kindergarten to 12th grade — learn about the founding principles that make America the greatest country on Earth.”
