NASHVILLE, TN (SPECIAL TO WLAF) – The fourteenth week of the second session of the 113th General Assembly is now complete. Session will adjourn very soon, so the focus of these last few days will be passing legislation on the Senate floor. Below is information on bills that I am sponsoring or supporting. 

TOP PHOTO: Senator Ken Yager hosts a town hall meeting at Jacksboro in March.

Ben Kredich Act aims to prevent impaired driving by those treated with Narcan

The Senate passed legislation this week which I am a cosponsor of to clarify that patients who have been treated for a drug overdose with Narcan could still be impaired and charged with driving under the influence, as drugs would still be present in their system. Senate Bill 2116 instructs first responders who administer an opioid antagonist such as Narcan to an individual experiencing a drug overdose may provide information on the risk of driving within a 24-hour period.

The legislation is named after Ben Kredich who tragically lost his life after being struck by a driver who fell asleep at the wheel after being administered Narcan in a hospital earlier that day. The driver was unaware of possible side effects of Narcan and that the drugs causing the overdose would remain in his system for at least 24 hours.

The education provided under the Ben Kredich Act will help curb accidental deaths and DUI offenses, hopefully preventing another situation like the one that happened to Ben.

The companion bill is still advancing through committee in the House of Representatives.

Helping rural utility operations

I co-sponsored Senate Bill 129 which will help rural counties with utility depreciation. Many rural counties cannot afford to accept block grants because the state’s expectations of depreciation prevent rural municipalities from upgrading their utility systems.

This bill aims to help rural counties provide adequate utility infrastructure to Tennesseans. By providing a depreciation holiday of one year following installation of infrastructure, this bill will provide some relief to rural counties.

Currently, the municipality is responsible for paying depreciation immediately, which is costly and burdensome for rural counties. This also makes it even harder to replace the systems once its life has ended. The bill allows for a one-year reprieve of paying depreciation after installation, and still keeps the municipality in compliance with accounting standards.

The bill passed the Senate floor this week and is moving through committee in the House of Representatives. 

It is an honor to serve as the State Senator for nine of the finest counties in the state of Tennessee. If I can ever be of assistance to you, please contact me at 615-741-1449 or sen.ken.yager@capitol.tn.gov. (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED – 04/23/2024-6AM)

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