Legislative agenda up for approval at tonight’s commission meeting

The county supports legislation for a full-service driver service center or equivalent services in Campbell County

By Charlotte Underwood

JACKSBORO, TN (WLAF)- The 2025 legislative agenda is up for approval today at 6 pm county commission meeting, focusing on topics such as hotel/motel tax, in increase in funding for housing state inmates, more funding for Veteran’s Affairs, a shorter property tax reappraisal and more.

The Beer Board meets this afternoon at 5:30 at the courthouse followed by the regular monthly meeting of the Campbell County Commission.

According to a “Legislative Overview”, the county’s legislative agenda “supports legislation that would enable the Department of Revenue to collect the Hotel/Motel tax on behalf of Counties”, as well as support legislation “that would reduce the administrative fee charged to Counties by the Department of Revenue for collecting the sales tax.”

Commissioners also support action that would increase daily reimbursements to counties for housing state inmates from $41 a day to $48. Commissioners will also vote on a resolution on Monday requesting the state of Tennessee increase State Prisoner Board reimbursement to counties for housing state inmates to at least $48 daily per inmate.

Support for the extension of the Ground Ambulance Assessment Act is also on the legislative agenda, as is support for more funding “to aid in operating the Veteran’s Affairs Office.”

A resolution requesting the extension of the ground ambulance service provider assessment act will be up for approval on Monday as well. The act is set to expired in June of 2025 “if not extended by the Tennessee General Assembly.” 

Other items the county “supports” include legislation that would allocate more state dollars to counties, along with legislation that would extend the tuition fee waiver and tuition fee discount to county employees and dependents to ensure that county employees have access to similar benefits that are provided to state employees and teachers.

Commissioners support legislation that would require “shorter reappraisal cycles” as well as legislation that would “require the Division of Property Assessments within the Comptroller of the Treasury to finalize the certify tax rate sooner in reappraisal years.”

A resolution requesting the General Assembly “adopt legislation requiring the division of property assessments within the office of the Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury to complete the reappraisal process in a timelier manner to ensure efficient and timely adoption of the county annual operating budget will also be voted on at the commission meeting.

The county also supports legislation for a full-service driver service center or equivalent services in Campbell County.

Final legislative agenda items include the opposition to “legislation that would place an unfunded mandate on counties” and opposition to legislation “that would aid urban counties at the expense of rural counties.” (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED-10/21/2024-6AM)