6,250 subscribers www.TML1.org Volume 72, Number 1 Jan. 18, 2021 Mumpower elected new TN Comptroller; Hargett, Lillard re-elected to another term Members of the Tennessee Senate and House have elected Jason Mumpower as Tennessee’s 35th Comptroller of the Treasury. The vote by acclamation was taken during a joint session of the 112th General Assembly on Jan. 13. Members also re-elected Da- vid Lillard as the state treasurer and Tre Hargett as secretary of state. Mumpower will be respon- sible for leading the Office of the Comptroller of the Treasury, which comprises 12 divisions Members of the 112th Tennessee General Assembly convened Jan. 12 to swear in lawmakers and and more than 560 employees, elect leadership positions in preparation of a new legislative session. Lt. Gov. Randy McNally was and ensuring the office fulfills its Jason Mumpower formally re-elected for a third term as Speaker of the Senate. Rep. Cameron Sexton was re-elected mission to make government work Comptroller of the Treasury to a second term as Speaker of the House. better. He joined the Comptroller’s Office in December 2010, serving as former Comptroller Justin P. Wilson’s deputy comptroller and 112th TN General Assembly convenes; chief of staff. Prior to his service with the McNally, Sexton re-elected Speakers Comptroller’s Office, Mumpower served in the Tennessee General The 112th Tennessee General During the two-day organi- his proposed budget and provides Assembly as the state represen- Assembly was gaveled into ses- zational session, appointments of information about his legislative tative for Sullivan and Johnson sion Tuesday, Jan. 12, to swear in legislative committee and sub- agenda, is scheduled for Feb. 8. counties. He was first elected to legislators and to formally elect committee chairmen, as well as Both speakers have released office at age 23. During his 14-year leadership positions. committee assignments were made. COVID-19 protocols, repeating tenure, he held the positions of Lt. Gov. Randy McNally was A special legislative session many of the same procedures set in House Majority Leader and House formally re-elected for a third term called by Gov. Bill Lee is scheduled place last session, but adding new Minority Leader. as Speaker of the Senate. Rep. to begin Jan. 19. The special session ones as well. Visitation to the state The 112th General Assembly Cameron Sexton was re-elected will focus on education with teacher Capitol and Cordell Hull Building also re-elected Tre Hargett as sec- to a second term as Speaker of the pay, student literacy, testing, and the will be restricted and by appoint- retary of state to his fourth four- Tre Hargett House. Both called for unity amidst difficulties caused by COVID-19 ment only. Annual Days on the Hill year term. Hargett was first elected Secretary of State the backdrop of national unrest, a among the issues to be addressed. by various organizations will not be in 2009 to serve as Tennessee’s global pandemic, and the Christmas The governor’s annual State of allowed to further limit the number 37th secretary of state. day bombing in Nashville. the State address, when he releases of individuals on Capitol grounds. Secretary Hargett is the chief executive officer of the Depart- ment of State with oversight of more than 300 employees. He also Cities could still benefit from opioid serves on 16 boards and commis- sions, on two of which he is the suit after new TN Supreme Court ruling presiding member. The services and oversight found in the Secre- BY KATE COIL tary of State’s office reach every TML Communications Specialist department and agency in state government. The Tennessee Supreme Court Hargett served in the Tennes- has ruled that opioid manufactur- see House of Representatives for ers can be sued under the state’s a decade representing District 97 2010 Drug Dealer Liability Act, (Bartlett and Memphis) and was David Lillard allowing a suit originally filed by twice elected Republican Leader State Treasurer seven district attorneys general on by his colleagues. behalf of children born addicted to David Lillard was re-elected Treasury Department to provide opioids and local governments to to his seventh, two-year term as Tennesseans with financial tools move forward. state treasurer. needed to lead a better quality of The state supreme court ruling In his official capacity, Trea- life. directly addresses a lawsuit filed surer Lillard oversees the Tennes- Treasurer Lillard has ex- jointly by Knox County District see Treasury Department and its tensive professional experience Attorney Charme Allen, Anderson more than 270 employees. The in public and private corporate County DA Dave Clark, Eighth Treasury Department internally finance transactions, municipal District DA Jared Effler, Ninth manages more than $55 billion in finance, governmental budgeting District Attorney Russell John- state and local government funds. and related fields. son, and Tenth District Attorney Treasurer Lillard has cham- Both the comptroller and the Stephen Crump. The lawsuit was pioned issues of financial literacy treasurer serve two-year terms; brought on behalf of governments and strives to find new ways to whereas, the secretary of state in their districts and two children improve the financial lives of serves four-year terms. All are born addicted to opioids. The Tennesseans. Since first elected elected to their positions by a joint suit alleges opioid manufacturers in 2009, he has worked with the convention of the House and Senate. Purdue Pharma, Endo Pharmaceu- Attorney J. Gerard Stranch IV speaks after the Tennessee Supreme Court announced its ruling over a suit brought against opioid man- ufacturers by several district attorneys general on behalf of two unnamed children born addicted to opioids and numerous county and municipal governments across the state. ticals, Teva Pharmaceuticals, and Mallinckrodt were fully aware that their products were being diverted to illegal uses and were marketed in a misleading manner. Mallinckrodt and Purdue Pharma have since filed for bank- ruptcy and were granted a stay of litigation, but the suit against the remaining companies remains active. Funds from Mallinckrodt and Purdue Pharma may still result from federal settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice. A unanimous opinion, au- Jared Effer thored by Justice Sharon G. Lee, Eighth District DA on behalf of the court found hat the look forward to presenting our case drug companies could not “invoke to a jury as soon as the COVID-19 The Tennessee Department of Health has updated the Tennessee COVID-19 Vaccination Plan and their status as otherwise lawful pandemic allows us to do so.” its phased approach for administering COVID-19 vaccines to Tennesseans. For more information, go companies to avoid civil liability” J. Gerard Stranch IV, a Nash- to : https://covid19.tn.gov/covid-19-vaccines/ for intentionally flooding “commu- ville-based lawyer who repre- nities in East Tennessee with highly sented the district attorneys at the addictive opioids they knew would state supreme court, said local State launches plan for vaccine roll out be sold in the illegal drug market.” governments still stand to benefit The Tennessee Department dividual risk and age-based phases. users to opt-in to receive updates Following the ruling, Eighth from the lawsuit, which covers of Health has released a plan and Phases will vary by county based and notifications about their vaccine District DA Jared Effler released a 47 counties and the municipalities schedule for how the vaccine will on vaccine supply. phase and provides risk-based and statement on the court’s findings. located within them. be distributed. A new digital tool is available age-based phase information at the “I am pleased that the Tennes- “The Tennessee Supreme Vaccines are now available in on the state website to help inform county level. see Supreme Court has affirmed Court affirmed our theory that all 95 counties. But because the Tennesseans when they will be Additional information about our long-held position that the the all the opioid manufacturers vaccine supply is limited, vaccines eligible to receive the COVID-19 the vaccines can be found at https:// Drug Dealer Liability Act applies are liable under the Drug Dealer will be prioritized based upon in- vaccine. The eligibility tool allows covid19.tn.gov/covid-19-vaccines/ to Big Pharma,” Effler said. “We See RULING on Page 4 www.TML1.org 2-TENNESSEE TOWN & CITY/JAN. 18, 2021 review with the U.S. Food and Cleveland cuts ribbon Drug Administration (FDA) for glabellar (frown) lines and is being evaluated in other aesthetics and on Taylor Spring Park therapeutic indications, including cervical dystonia and adult upper COLUMBIA growing facility in the company. limb spasticity. The city of Columbia is pleased to Headquartered in Rushville, Ind., announce it has received a clean au- Fraley and Schilling was founded in NASHVILLE dit with no findings or irregularities 1955. The company specializes in The city of Nashville will fund up to reported by Henderson, Hutchin- lightweight equipment for hauling $13.8 million in public infrastruc- son & McCullough for the fiscal heavy products such as tin for Bush ture cost facilitate the River North year ending June 30, 2020. During Beans and aluminum for Arconic. It development along the Cumber- the fiscal year, the city’s total was named one of Knoxville’s Top land River’s East Bank as part of a governmental revenues increased Workplaces in 2019. new agreement with developers. In by 12.1%, totaling $4.7 million. addition to the city’s contributions, Highlights from the yearly audit KNOXVILLE Monroe Infrastructure, LLC, will include, an increase in taxes in the Two independent financial rating contribute more than $7.1 million general fund by $1.3 million, a 5% services have reaffirmed the city in public infrastructure costs as property tax revenue that increased of Knoxville’s credit ratings, which well as 5.5 acres of development by 2.8%, totaling $12.3 million, remain at the highest level in the land for public roads and at least 4 and a local sales tax revenue that city’s history.