NASHVILLE – Tennessee’s 111th General Assembly convenes Tuesday with new leadership in the House and Senate amid the greatest influx of freshmen in years where the House alone is bracing for its largest freshmen class in nearly a half-century.
The Republican-dominated House is also getting a new speaker. GOP representatives have nominated Rep. Glen Casada of Franklin, who is virtually guaranteed to be elected.
Add to that a new governor being sworn in on Jan. 19 – political newcomer and businessman Bill Lee – who is succeeding fellow Republican Gov. Bill Haslam.
Lee will be finding his political sea legs while pushing an agenda expected to include an emphasis on technical and vocational education in middle and high schools as well as new efforts to combat the tendency of convicted criminals to commit new offenses after leaving prison.
At the same time, there’s a large turnover of committee chairmanships in both chambers.