Bill HaslamHow Haslam is proposing the money be spent:
* $120 million to fund the state’s commitment to a new $160 million Tennessee State Museum, $40 million of which will be raised through private funds * $50 million for economic development projects bringing more high-quality jobs to Tennessee * $40 million to complete renovations of the Cordell Hull building * $36.5 million for the Rainy Day Fund in addition to the $36.5 million proposed in the original budget bringing the total reserve to 4.5 percent of state revenues * $12 million for maintenance and improvements to higher education facilities across the state * $5 million to fund new equipment in our Tennessee Colleges of Applied Technology to meet job training demands across the state * $1.9 million for the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services to fund adolescent residential alcohol and drug treatment grants
NASHVILLE — Tennessee schools would get an additional $30 million to increase state funding of health insurance for teachers under the governor’s just-unveiled amendment to his proposed Fiscal Year 2015-2016 budget.
Finance Commissioner Larry Martin told Senate Finance Committee members the money comes from $30 million more than anticipated in recurring state revenues.
The additional money for public K-12 education comes after school boards in Hamilton County and six nearby counties voted this month to sue the state over what they contend is inadequate funding for the state’s Basic Education Program funding formula.
State government’s share of health insurance funding is part of the criticisms lodged by the systems with board members saying Tennessee funds only 10 months of coverage while locals bear the entire load for the remaining two months.