Less Red Tape, More Freedom: Government Efficiency in the 114th General Assembly

One of the things I hear most often from small business owners and working families in District 38 is that government too often gets in the way. Regulations that made sense on paper create real burdens in practice. Bureaucratic processes that were designed to protect people end up slowing them down. This session, we did something about it.

The Regulatory Freedom Act was one of the most important pieces of government efficiency legislation we passed. This law ensures transparency and holds state government agencies accountable when they adopt rule changes that cost the private sector money. Government agencies should not be able to impose new costs on businesses and families without scrutiny and without justification. This law puts guardrails on that process.

We worked to improve Tennessee's vehicle insurance verification system, increasing penalties for uninsured drivers and expanding the state's ability to verify coverage. Uninsured drivers are not just a legal problem. They are a financial burden on responsible families who do the right thing and carry insurance. When an uninsured driver causes an accident, it is the insured driver who pays the price. We addressed that inequity.

We made it easier for military families to use out-of-state professional licenses in Tennessee. When a military spouse relocates to Tennessee under orders, they should not have to go through an entire relicensing process before they can go back to work. This change removes a real barrier for military families, and it is the right thing to do.

We passed the Jeff Burkhart Act, which allows counties to establish Central Business Improvement Districts. This tool gives local communities a way to fund services, marketing, and beautification projects that support economic development, particularly in rural downtown areas. It is a local solution to a local problem, which is exactly how it should work.

We also aligned local elections with state election cycles, which reduces the number of separate elections local governments must administer and saves taxpayer dollars. It is a common-sense reform that makes government more efficient without sacrificing any democratic accountability.

Government works best when it does the right things well and trusts citizens and communities to handle the rest. This session moved us closer to that ideal.