Regional Issues

Business Issues

• Support the Knoxville Metropolitan Airport in their quest to secure a low-fare carrier to McGhee Tyson Airport to further encourage competition and low air fares  (Local & Federal) KMA received a $500,000 grant to help with their efforts.
• Oppose Unfunded Health Care Mandates - (State & Federal) Oppose bills that would madate employers to spend a set amount on health care benefits.  The business community is eager to work with Congress to reform the health care system, however, the recently passed health care bill does not improve the health care system.  There are three major areas of concern.  A government-run plan that would increase costs and limit choice; an employer mandate that would kill jobs and lower wages; and a lack of any real effort to lower costs.  Additionall, the bill may prove to be unconstitutional. 
• Support Blount Memorial Hospitals Request to off-set cuts by the State for Tenncare - (State) Chamber adopted a resolution to support BMH's request and forwarded to our legislators. Passed.  Will help BMH address losses in TennCare funds.
• Chamber opposes Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act of 2009 HR 413. (Federal & Local Issue)
  Summary: If approved, this legislation woudl mandate collective bargaining rights for police, fire and emergency personnel in states where such activity is now prohibited under state law and would supersede the existing collective bargaining laws that are currently in place in other states.
  Status: A formal resolution was adopted by the Board of Directors on March 2, 2009 and sent to our federal delegation.  Currently, HR 413 is under consideration by the House Committee on Education and Labor.  Senator Alexander offered an amendment to the bill in May that would provide that no collective bargaining mandate would be imposed on local communities that certify that this law would lead to higher taxes and cuts in services.  Continuing to monitor bill and take appropriate action when alerted on any changes in the status of the bill.
• Chamber opposes Employee Free Choice Act/Card Check -  Card Check (Federal Issue)
  Summary: The legislation will strip employees of a private ballot in union organizing drives, intefere with a worker's ability to deal directly with their employer, and force unfair mandates on businesses.
  Status:The Board of Directors sent letters to our federal delegation opposing the legislation.  The bill was introduced in March and referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor.  Because of strong constituant opposition to the bill, it has stalled in Congress.  There do not appear to be votes in the Senate to pass the Bill.  Although no further action is expected this session, the Chamber will continue to voice our opinion to lawmakers.
  The Chamber has been informed that a large and potentially influential group of investment companies are supporting passage of unionization re-write based on International Labor Organization protocols.  this is an exceptionally sophisticated form of what traditionally has been known as a "corporate compaign."  The unions are pulling out all the stops to pass a bill to make inionization easier. The legislation could be the most significan change in the laws regulating union management-relations since 1935.  It is important that our members of Congress continue to hear from our members. 
• Support S 158 that expands access to industrial development bonds to assist small and medium sized companies in high-tech industries -  (State) S158 would be a great boost for companies in new employment areas such as software development and biotechnology.
  Status:  The TN Department of Economic and Community Development has increased their efforts to support high-tech companies.  TN Investco, past last year, allows compnies to access needed capital.  The Governor plans to expand the program this year.  The Chamber will continue to monitor.
• Support Energy, Science and Technology - (Local, State and Federal) Support Innovation Valley efforts.
• Workers Compensation (State Issue) - The Chamber supports meaningful workers' compensation reform.  The state passed a landmark reform bill in 2004 and the chamber continues to monitorworkers comp legislation.  Activity around workers comp legislation remains slow this session as many bills have been referred to the Workers Comp Advisory Council for recommendation.
  Status: For complete details - see 2010 Regional Legislative Agenda - Workers' Compensation. 
• Air Quality Non-Attainment Status (Local, Federal & State Issue)
  Summary: The Blount County Chamber opposes any changes to the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQSs) for ozone.  Blount County is currently disignated as non-attainment for EPA ozone standards along with six other counties in East Tennessee.  Many changes have already been made to reduce emissions.  The Chamber does not feel it is in the best interests of our nation for the federal government to lower current ozone standards.  Doing so could provide a major blow to our national economy and further encourage businesses to depart for other nations with less burdensome regulations.
  Status:  The EPA announced in March 2008 that the standards are changed from .84 parts per million for ozone to .75 parts per million.  More than 30 counties in Tennessee fail to meet the new standards.  In the Knox region, made up of seven counties, many changes have already been made to address emmission reductions  They include: Emmission reductions by TVA, lower speed limits on federal highways, free bus rides in Knox County on air-alert days, idling reduction, biodiesel innitiatives and pollution reduction at truck stops through electric comfort stations.  Additional measures will be considered to address the new standards.  The new standards require a new State Implementation Plan by 2011.  The Regional Clean Air Coalition continues to monitor and provide input into the plan along with the local county goverments impacted by the change in standards. Mandatory inspections and maintenance of vehicles in the non-attainment area may be required in the near future.  The Chamber continues to issue ozone alerts throughout the ozone season.
• Small Business Fairness in Contracting Act – HR 1873 (Federal Issue)
  Summary: Reauthorizes the programs and activities of the Small Business Administration relating to procurement and other purposes. The Blount Chamber lobbied to include a provision in the Senate version to include removing all Fortune 1000 companies from the federal database of small businesses and recommended an annual recertification provision that would require all firms with existing federal contracts to recertify their status.
  Status: No current activity on the bill this year.  Contacted Senator Alexander and Corker with our request.  Bill has been referred to Senate Committee: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship. For more information, visit www.asbl.com.
• Fair Share Bills (State and Federal Issue)
  Summary: Fair Share bills would mandate employers to spend a set amount on health care benefits. Instead of encouraging employers to manage health care costs, the bills actually encourage maintaining above average health care costs. Additionally, the bills do not address provider access to affordable health care insurance.
  Status: The Chamber is monitoring Fair Share Bills during this legislative session and will update information as bills are introduced that may come to the floor for a vote.  The Blount Chamber successfully lobbied to avoid the passage of any Fair Share bills during the 105th General Assembly. The Chamber will continue to lobby against bills that are unfair to businesses and that require unfunded mandates by the government. For more information on specific bills introduced during the 105th General Assembly, Click Here Visit www.uschamber.com on federal issues involving unfunded mandates by the federal government.
• Right-to-Work Laws/”Employment at Will” (State Issue)
  Summary: Tennessee is known as an “Employment-At-Will” state. Generally, this means that an employer may legally hire, suspend or discipline any employee at any time and for any reason. However, employer may not discriminate against any employee on basis of race, sex, age, religion, color, national origin, or disability.
  Status: The Chamber will monitor bills that threaten the "Employment at Will" status for Tennessee.  We will update information as bills are introduced this session and alert chamber members when a bill comes out of committee for a vote on the floor. The chamber successfully lobbied against any changes in Tennessee’s current Right to Work/Employment at Will laws during the 105th General Assembly, for more information on specific bills introduced during the 105th General Assembly, visit www.legislature.state.tn.us. The Tennessee Chamber plans to continue to support no changes in the next legislative session.

Education Issues

• Resolution opposing elected school superintendents (State Issue)
  Summary:  The resolution opposes any change in current law to allow for the election of school superintendents.
  Status: A bill was presented and made it out of the K -12 house subcommittee.  The bill has since died.  No other activity this legislative session.
• Oppose mandatory merger of schools systems within Tennessee Counties  (Local and State Issue)
  Summary: Blount County has three seperate school systems and chooses to maintain the current systems.  It is not in the best intersest of the students in the systems to force the merger of the three systems.
  Status: No activity this legislative session.
• Oppose BEP 2.0 - (Local and State)This new funding formula for education severly impacts our local school systems.  The new formula reduces the amount the state contributes to our local systems.
  Status: Formula passed and has forced the local schools to seek funds from other sources.

Infrastructure Issues

• Alcoa Highway ( Local & State)
  Summary: The Alcoa Highway project consists of four different projects. The Blount Chamber supports the completion of the entire project which serves as the most direct route from Knoxville to McGee Tyson Airport in Blount County. All projects will widen the existing road to three lanes in each direction. Specifically, the Chamber supports the redesigned Alcoa Parkway section of the highway located in Blount County. The portions of SR-115 and SR-335 to the proposed interchange at McGee Tyson Airport would be widened to eight lanes. The proposed section is 5.5 miles in length.
  Status: An environmental impact study had to be redone and is currently underway.  Alcoa Highway Right of Way is programmed for 2010 for $28-30 million dollars. From Blount County line to Maloney-the proposed construction start date is 2010.  For more information, visit www.tdot.state.tn.us/, www.knoxtrans.org/ or www.cityofalcoa-tn.gov/business .
• Completion of Pellissippi Parkway to Highway 321. (Federal, Local)
  Summary:TDOT proposes to extend and construct Pellissippi Parkway from SR 33 to SR 73 (US 321). The completion of Pellissippi Parkway is approximately 4.4 miles. The project was included in TEA-21 as a high priority project.
  Status: Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) is preparing an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) under the National Environmental Policy Act. TDOT projects the EIS to be completed in 2010.  More public imput meetings will be held during the process.

For more information contact: www.tdot.state.tn.us or
Tennessee Department of Transportation
Suite 700, James K. Polk Building
505 Deaderick Street
Nashville, TN  37243-0332

Pellissippi Parkway Extension EIS Project Vicinity Map

475/Knoxville Parkway (Regional and State)
Summary: The proposed Knoxville Parkway would connect I-40/-I-75 southwest of Knoxville to I-75 north of Knoxville. The Parkway is proposed as a divided highway that could only be accessed by interchanges.

Status: Supplemental Draft Impact Study is currently under development by the Tennessee Department of Transportation.  For more information, visit www.tdot.state.tn.us/ or www.knoxtrans.org/ .

Additional Links:

Federal:
www.uschamber.com/ – US Chamber of Commerce and Federal Issues
www.senate.gov/ Federal Senate Bills and Members
www.house.gov/ – Federal House Bills and Members
www.alexander.senate.gov/ Senator Alexander Newsletter
www.corker.senate.gov/ Senator Corker

State:
www.tdot.state.tn.us/ – Tennessee Department of Transportation – State Road Projects
www.state.tn.us/ – Tennessee State Government
www.legislature.state.tn.us/ Tennessee State Bills/Public Chapters and Members
www.state.tn.us/education Tennessee Department of Education
www.legislature.state.tn.us/bills -Tennessee State Bill Research
www.state.tn.us/tourdev/ Tennessee Department of Tourism

Local:
www.cityofalcoa-tn.gov/business - City of Alcoa
www.maryvillegov.com/ – City of Maryville
www.blounttn.org/ - Blount County Government
www.knoxtrans.org/ – Knoxville Regional Transportation Planning Organization – State Road Project