WHAT: The Associated Press-Tennessee Press Association Legislative Planning Session.
WHEN: Thursday, Feb. 14.
WHERE: Sheraton Nashville Downtown Hotel, 623 Union St., Ballrooms 2 & 3 (second floor).
Following is a schedule of events for the day. Media are invited to attend all sessions.
• 9 a.m. — Welcome by Adam Yeomans, bureau chief, Associated Press, Tennessee.
• 9:05 a.m. — Frank Gibson, executive director, Tennessee Coalition for Open Government, Nashville.
• 9:15 a.m. — Ann Butterworth, director, Office of Open Records Ombudsman. The newly appointed ombudsman will discuss her office’s efforts to help citizens obtain public records.
• 9:30 a.m. — John Morgan, comptroller of the Treasury. Morgan and Matt Murray, associate director of the Center for Business and Economic Research at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, will discuss “Education at the Crossroads,” a new report that looks at the value of an education to the individual, community and state. CBER and the Comptroller’s Office are releasing the report today.
• 10 a.m. — Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey.
• 10:30 a.m. — Phil Bredesen, governor of Tennessee.
• 11 a.m. — Sen. Jamie Woodson, Senate education chairwoman, and Rep. Les Winningham, House education chairman, will discuss legislation affecting lottery scholarships and other education issues.
• 11:30 a.m. — Sen. Thelma Harper, chairwoman of Senate Government Operations Committee, and Rep. Gary Odom, House Democratic leader.
• Noon — Gray Sasser, chairman, Tennessee Democratic Party, and Robin Smith, chairwoman, Tennessee Republican Party.
• 12:30 p.m. — Ken Blake, director, Middle Tennessee State University Poll, Murfreesboro.
• 1 p.m. — Legislative Planning Session ends.
• 7 p.m. — Banquet and keynote address by University of Tennessee President John Petersen. (Speaker will begin about 7:45 p.m.)
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Contacts:
Amy Blakely, media relations, (865) 789-1692, amy.blakely@tennessee.edu