From Mark's Desk:
26 May, 2004                           

FINIS!

The 103rd General Assembly finished its business at 4:30 p.m. Friday afternoon-- the earliest adjournment in 4 years!  It is good to get home to our farm in West Tennessee in time for the first cutting of hay.

As we began the 103rd 2 years ago, I committed to "Working together for West Tennessee."  We did precisely that.  With "Health, Wealth and Homesteads" as our focus, we met the major goals on my agenda as your State Senator.  We established these goals as a result of your input and the need for progress on crucial, quality of life issues affecting all Tennesseans. 
We passed major reforms in TennCare designed to preserve access to affordable healthcare for 25% of Tennesseans, fighting fraud and reducing state expenditures nearly $2 billion over the next 4 years (SB 3392; SB 3394).  My proposal to create a new, high-risk health insurance program was adopted and will ultimately provide access to health insurance coverage for thousands who are able to pay premiums but are deemed uninsurable by commercial carriers (SB 1884).  Tort reform took center stage as I pushed for caps on non-economic damages and alternative dispute resolution.  Although we passed several bills designed to reduce the number of frivolous and costly lawsuits, there is much more work to be done. 

We worked well together with Governor Bredesen to pass workers' comp reforms supported by Republicans and right-thinking Democrats but opposed by special interest groups.  These reforms will give employers a cost cutting boost while safeguarding employees who depend on existing jobs and the prospect of new job opportunities through economic development (SB 3424). 

I was proud to sponsor and pass into law the Tennessee Processing Cooperative Act
(SB 1161) designed to encourage and facilitate private investment in modern agricultural technologies which will boost the economy of West Tennessee. 

I supported and passed reforms for economic incentives for disadvantaged counties which will enable us to attract new jobs on competitive terms with surrounding states (SB 2415).

We increased funding for teachers in West Tennessee and funded capital improvements for institutions of higher learning whose facilities have gone unattended for too many years
(SB 3397 and SB 429).

We passed legislation making college savings accounts tax exempt under State law just as they are under Federal law (SB 2894).

We increased the requirements for college lottery scholarships and equalized the criteria to make lottery scholarships available for home-schoolers (SB 2114).

We strengthened law enforcement by increasing funding for district attorneys, increasing penalties for methamphetamine (SB 2143), and apprehending sex offenders who prey upon our children (SB 2473).  My bill against projecting obscene movies from motor vehicles received national attention this year and made Tennessee the model for several states now attempting to combat "drive by porn" (SB 176).

Everyone will benefit from the opportunity to vote on property tax relief for senior citizens.  I sponsored and passed SJR 71 by nearly unanimous votes in the Senate and House which sets in motion the process of amending our State Constitution to cap residential property taxes at age 65 potentially providing relief not only for seniors but the families which support them.  If we can succeed in keeping seniors in their own homes, we preserve their dignity and our ability to keep those in need self-sufficient.

It is my hope that these initiatives, and many others too numerous to summarize here, have helped to begin restoring trust in our ability to make real progress in Tennessee.  With your help and continued support, I look forward to better things to come in the 104th General Assembly, and I renew my pledge to you to continue the reform of state spending and the accountability you deserve.