Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, Lt. Governor Randy McNally, Speaker Cameron Sexton issue Joint Statement

Nashville, TN – Today, Monday, March 16th, 2020, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, Lt. Governor Randy McNally and Speaker Cameron Sexton issued the following statement:

“Over the last week, we have remained in close contact with the state’s health leaders, and we have continued to carefully monitor the complex and aggressive COVID-19 (Coronavirus) virus in Tennessee.”

“The latest guidance from both the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) and the Tennessee Department of Health requires us to take unprecedented action. In the best interests of public health, we have jointly decided to limit all remaining legislative business to fulfilling our constitutional requirement of passing a balanced budget, and any associated actions that will ensure Tennessee can keep its doors open.”

“This is a serious time for our state and country, and we all must make adjustments in response to this threat. Our approach will take into account the unique public health challenges this complex virus presents, as well as the economic disruption likely to occur as a result of its spread.”

“Passing an amended budget now and recessing will allow the General Assembly to focus on an immediate plan of action, while still determining needs down the road. This pathway forward should only be reserved for extraordinary circumstances. We will continue operating out of an abundance of caution and take additional action if it becomes necessary.”