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The Tennessee Department of Agriculture’s Division of Forestry (TDF) is amending and extending the temporary restrictions of Franklin State Forest located in Franklin and Marion Counties. Public motorized vehicle use will continue to be prohibited while non-motorized traffic, such as hiking, horseback riding, and mechanical bicycles will be allowed through January 4, 2024.

Nashville, TN— Last week, Lizzette Gonzalez Reynolds was sworn in as the commissioner for the Tennessee Department of Education, effective July 1. Reynolds’ career reflects a deep commitment to high quality education for all students, including work in school choice, assessment and accountability, college and career pathways and education policy.

The Federal National Mortgage Association has discontinued its free market auction system for commitments to purchase conventional home mortgages. Therefore, the Commissioner of Financial Institutions hereby announces that the maximum effective rate of interest per annum for home loans as set by the General Assembly in 1987, Public Chapter 291, for the month of August, 2023 is 7.85 percent per annum. The rate as set by the said law is an amount equal to four percentage points above the index of market yields of long-term government bonds adjusted to a thirty (30) year maturity by the U. S. Department of the Treasury. For the most recent weekly average statistical data available preceding the date of this announcement, the calculated rate is 3.85 percent.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Litter on Tennessee’s 96,167 miles of public roads – 4,022 of which are classified as scenic – is more than an eyesore. It’s an enormous burden to the state with impacts on public health and safety, the environment, and the economy. According to the Tennessee Department of Transportation’s (TDOT) latest Visible Litter Study, littering in Tennessee has decreased by 12 percent since 2016. While these findings are encouraging, there are still more than 88 million pieces of litter on the state’s roadways at any given time.

Nashville, TN – Today, the Tennessee Department of Education announced over $2.6 million in Perkins Reserve Grant (PRG) grant funds have been awarded to 32 school districts for the 2023-24 school year to support Career and Technical Education (CTE) across the state.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Today, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee signed an executive order to position Tennessee to lead the nation as the best state for service members, veterans and their families to thrive.

Today Secretary of State Tre Hargett, the Department of Health and the Department of Safety and Homeland Security announced a statewide partnership to distribute free Baby in the Back hangtags to help prevent heat-related child deaths in cars.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Today, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee announced appointees to a series of key state boards and commissions.

A listing of lane closures and road construction activities for 24 East Tennessee Counties.

The Tennessee State Museum will grant out $5 million to Tennessee museums for capital maintenance and improvement projects, the result of an appropriation the Tennessee General Assembly included for improvements to Tennessee museums in the 2023-24 Appropriations Act. Museums must be a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization or affiliated with a governmental entity. Grant applications are open now.