State Senators Randy McNally and Becky Duncan Massey both took a break from
the General Assembly in Nashville to talk with Knoxville voters at a
breakfast forum organized by the League of Women Voters of Knoxville/Knox
County.
One of the first things the two Republican senators made clear is
what's going on inside Tennessee's Capitol is nothing like what's been
happening on Capitol Hill.
State Senator Duncan Massey, who represents the 6th District, said, "We
do work together. Probably 90 percent of all legislation passes almost
unanimously, if not unanimously."
State Senator McNally, who represents the 5th District, said, "It's a
lot less partisan. There are a few partisan issues that come up. Of course it's
a much smaller body than Washington and that makes it easier, I think, to
manage."
The senators say there are several key issues facing the state in the
current session. One of the biggest issues is healthcare.
"We had moved up to 39th in the country in health from, I think, 42nd
so we are moving in the right direction. We have a lot of room to grow,"
said State Senator Becky Duncan Massey.
State senators are also continuing discussions on preventing prescription
drug abuse.
"Nationally, I just heard this statistic, there are more people who die
from overdoes than die from automobile accidents," said State Senator
Randy McNally.
State Senators McNally and Duncan Massey say Tennessee's General Assembly
will also have to work together to balance the state's budget, which is a
constitutional mandate.
State Senator McNally said, "We have a $32 billion budget and we'll
have to pass a new budget sometime in March."
State Senator Duncan Massey said, "We do have to sit down at the end of
the day and say 'okay, if we have let's say $100, we can't spend $105'. And as
the governor told me last year, typically we spend $95."
The League of Women Voters of Knoxville / Knox County say they also invited
District 7's Republican State Senator Stacy Campfield, but he declined.