[{"_1":2,"_86":-5,"_87":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,74],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":-5,"_68":69,"_70":-5,"_71":72,"_73":72},"mediaId",6448833,"mediaKeyId","2577078-b78e1b150c236ac9cc3c1dbc996b086b","parentId",2577078,"title","Department of Safety seeks 117 new troopers, expanded SRO and radio maintenance funding in FY26 request","audioSeconds",3918,"startMs",3179000,"endMs",7097000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2577078-b78e1b150c236ac9cc3c1dbc996b086b&start=3179&end=7097","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2577078-b78e1b150c236ac9cc3c1dbc996b086b/thumbnail_3179000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6448833/Department-of-Safety-seeks-117-new-troopers-expanded-SRO-and-radio-maintenance-funding-in-FY26-request","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6448833-e76668a497bf1323d2f1451f5122ee0a/orig.mp4?Expires=1770649719&Signature=OTmVvB6-yJ5JsXkOtAT7F5XelUsbx1A7pQTKtlixlbKyhVDOJkpD8FYl2a6LUo52BZYznNDKqwhwKGpbHz0sGA~0F28bjjJj7uLIMkla4jTMXCBih9NchwRGttSggc7qlFBys43QzENThqOx2YLH88m33PsmOo6vPWZQi4rN7P1dq80ifoPp36TGjwHQfey7iuQSUZ9ZqwmkpOFg6ZZr9FuEwCeQKRsXzmyCPfCWp5d51C3MBxz2xjaAujdQv8CRMRSVlKKQR2JQZC5SgtP~Ua7mbZ19RjoxHTOoyFEdIXa-BO-4ItU7sNtKh5jETzjbdmHqnXjpVMF7iAKcANftSg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","TN State Legislature","date","2025-03-12T00:00:00Z","article","Commissioner Long, testifying to the House Finance, Ways & Means Committee on March 12, outlined the Department of Safety and Homeland Security’s FY26 budget requests, asking for additional trooper positions, salary adjustments and continued funding for school safety and communications modernization.

“Starting with this year's 2526 cost increase, number 1 is our statutory salary step raise for our state troopers,” Commissioner Long told lawmakers. He said the department is seeking multiple personnel and operations items, including funds for a salary survey adjustment, 117 new trooper positions and support staff, and continued grants for school resource officers.

Why it matters: Department officials described rising demands on the Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP) and homeland security units — including large deployments to disaster response, a 92% increase in THP calls for service over the past year and an increase in Memphis traffic stop volume — and said state investments are needed to maintain response capacity and complete a statewide interoperable radio buildout.

Key budget requests and program details presented to the committee included:

- Troopers and pay adjustments: A statutory step raise request (roughly $3.1 million) and a salary survey adjustment for THP ($4.24 million). The department asked for 117 trooper positions and associated support staff, a package the presentation listed at roughly $37.9 million.

- School resource officer (SRO) program: The department described the statewide SRO grant and recent allocations that cover 1,378 schools across 95 counties. Long said the SRO program has distributed about $103.35 million to date and requested $5 million to continue the statewide program.

- Houses of worship security grant: Continued funding was requested. Long said the program received broad demand (400 applications in one round) and the FY25 request raised the award pool from $500,000 to $750,000; FY26 funding request was listed in the presentation as $1.25 million.

- Radio and communications buildout and maintenance: Long described a multi‑phase effort to build a statewide interoperable network for first responders and reported work on roughly 200 prospective tower sites and a set of contracts that add new sites in 2025. The FY26 maintenance request included $1.5 million for the statewide radio system cybersecurity and annual maintenance and about $460,000 annually for site and generator upkeep.

- Driver services and customer flow: The department said it had reduced wait times in many offices and is adding a service center in Sumner County to relieve overflow from Davidson County. The department also noted expanded appointment availability for Real ID appointments ahead of the federal Real ID deadline.

- Equipment and special operations: Requests included upgraded robots and explosive‑entry equipment for special operations (approximately $866,200). Long also requested rent support for four new regional THP headquarters (about $1.037 million) and a $726,000 request to establish a Sumner County driver service center.

Committee Q&A and clarifications: Members asked whether vacant driver‑service positions could be reallocated rather than adding new hires for Sumner County; deputies replied that many vacancies are scattered statewide and the new positions address specific high‑volume needs. Colonel Matt Perry, Tennessee Highway Patrol, said the department now runs quarterly cadet classes (22 classes since the change) and that recruitment-to‑academy start typically takes about five months from application to class start. He said the most recent hiring round included offers to about 121 applicants and that graduating classes and attrition make precise vacancy counts fluctuate.

On school safety, Deputy Commissioner Greg Mays (Homeland Security) described the office’s approach: a network of a special agent assigned to each county to investigate threats and an SRO grant to ensure immediate on‑site response. Mays said the special agents focus on whether threatened students have capability and intent and estimated roughly 127 active investigative cases related to school threats at the time of testimony.

Public messaging and services: Department staff urged Tennesseans to use STAR‑THP (Star THP) to report non‑emergency road safety concerns and reminded residents that Real ID remains optional but encouraged to avoid airport screening issues after the federal deadline.

Ending: Department officials did not receive a vote at the hearing. Lawmakers praised recent recruitment and communications progress and asked for additional staffing and program details as the FY26 budget is finalized.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Finance, Ways, and Means Committee Mar 12, 2025\t7:31 AM","oneSentenceSummary","At a March 12 hearing, the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security requested funding for trooper recruitment and pay adjustments, additional statewide school resource officer support, houses‑of‑worship grants, regional Tennessee Highway Patrol headquarters, radio system maintenance and equipment upgrades for special operations.","taxTitle","taxId",0,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":-5,"_68":69,"_70":-5,"_71":72,"_73":72},6448838,"Tennessee health commissioner asks legislature to renew dental pilot, expand cancer screenings and boost rural care funding",3426,1162000,4588000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2577078-b78e1b150c236ac9cc3c1dbc996b086b&start=1162&end=4588","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2577078-b78e1b150c236ac9cc3c1dbc996b086b/thumbnail_1162000.jpg","/articles/6448838/Tennessee-health-commissioner-asks-legislature-to-renew-dental-pilot-expand-cancer-screenings-and-boost-rural-care-funding","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6448838-3563879f7769d4c51cffc0e62f67673e/orig.mp4?Expires=1770649719&Signature=DqGYtqe1JNTSmfi76lJJ5pjrYO3lKqZlu231II5V7siqevr230Khr3d~ZY2RSvGFnrlVQwo7Da7UxCFGAz5euOsH4TQn5kxpSBJCsUHwVusuiHSPNvkXwA0vwm84Mi8ocLgPxj4Vqkg6moTnlqHGzqfbKoTDTPnx4wdDsTMFSFFFntlRwinNXflEALAUzoYSu15T3VcRW~-hO~7v1hRtj0mevKC43AAqySO4QbXdsUG2ozc9za-9ilSd5jP2nnUnDLIGgZNlD-eZUGpG6eLvqdMD4eszbpO6hGPMQjwiV8hGa8rSYvfky-gVvSpAy5NsXR-EFPAZbdoc-7jzweJgpQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Tennessee Department of Health Commissioner Ralph Alvarado told the House Finance, Ways & Means Committee on March 12 that the department is seeking a package of recurring and nonrecurring budget increases for fiscal 2026 aimed at expanding dental education and services in rural and underserved areas, launching lung and colorectal cancer screening, automating syphilis testing and sustaining a set of rural-health initiatives funded from shared savings and ARPA dollars.

Alvarado said the Healthy Smiles pilot has expanded dental school capacity and clinical rotations and requested the scheduled fourth year of funding to sustain that progress. “The professional dental pipeline is expanding due to the pilot program investment,” Alvarado said. He listed university partners and said the University of Tennessee expanded class size from 100 to 130 students and increased dental hygienist enrollment from 30 to 45, while Meharry increased its dental class from 62 to 75. He also described Lincoln Memorial University’s progress from zero to 80 dental students in three years and the school’s goal of 120.

Why it matters: Health department officials said the funding supports student rotations in rural clinic sites and loan-repayment recruitment incentives aimed at placing dentists in shortage areas. Alvarado said the loan-repayment program has placed providers in rural Tennessee and that mounting class sizes and rotations are already producing clinicians who can serve county health departments and community clinics.

The budget packet included 11 listed cost increases. Highlights presented to lawmakers included:

- Dental pipeline and safety-net care: continued funding for the Healthy Smiles initiative and a nonrecurring grant proposal to continue Lincoln Memorial University’s program that, according to TDH, provided services in more than 33 counties, supported more than 38,000 dental screenings and delivered over 2,000 restorative and prosthodontic procedures in 2024. Alvarado said a minimum of 30% of LMU students must be Tennessee residents and many intend to remain in-state.

- Cancer screening expansion: a request for $2.2 million in recurring state funds to build a lung and colorectal screening structure modeled on existing breast and cervical screening programs. Alvarado said lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer incidence and mortality in Tennessee and that colorectal cancer ranks fourth by incidence and second by mortality. The department estimated the program would reach about 7,000 Tennesseans and include reimbursement for eligible screenings plus outreach and education.

- JUUL settlement funds for youth vaping prevention: TDH plans to spend five-year settlement proceeds in partnership with the attorney general’s office to run targeted campaigns and school-district cooperative agreements. The department told the committee it expects multimedia campaigns and programs to reach roughly 75,000 students with cessation messaging.

- Automated syphilis testing: officials described a marked statewide rise in syphilis and congenital syphilis. Dr. Tim Jones, TDH chief medical officer, told the committee the state performed about 64,500 syphilis tests in fiscal 2022 and said rates are at the highest levels since the 1960s. He and others asked for investment in upgraded test kits and supplies to automate testing, which they said will improve workflow and reduce errors at the state lab.

- Nursing facility grants using shared savings/ARPA: Alvarado described an ARPA-funded Health Care Resiliency Program that received more than $440 million in applications against roughly $250 million available and said the governor and legislature previously approved $50 million in shared-savings funds to support rural nursing facility grants. The proposed program would offer competitive grants for facility improvements, workforce development and care-delivery innovations targeted to vulnerable residents.

- Rural health continuation items: several requests using shared savings would extend work begun by the rural healthcare task force, including start-up funding for a Center of Excellence (COE) to provide tailored technical assistance to rural communities, planning and implementation grants tied to the COE, support for eConsult platforms to expand specialty care access by telehealth and incentives, and rural training programs that fund rotations, residencies and preceptor support to increase rural retention.

- Board of Pharmacy licensure: TDH asked for funding tied to Public Chapter 714, which created a licensing requirement for ambulatory surgical treatment centers and the fiscal note included one regulatory position to license roughly 150 centers.

Committee exchange and clarifying details: John Webb, TDH deputy commissioner, said participation shortfalls and documentation issues left an estimated $21 million in shared-savings ARPA funding unspent and reallocable after an initial nursing facility staffing grant round. On the new state public health laboratory, Alvarado said the $200 million project is on budget and on schedule and described the existing lab facility as outdated. He told lawmakers that Knox County had not yet claimed $20 million appropriated for a Knox County forensic center because the county was still awarding construction contracts; TDH expects reimbursements to follow the construction award.

Alvarado framed the requests against Tennessee’s health outcomes, noting the state ranks in the bottom 10 for overall health and saying public-health interventions are crucial to change that trajectory. He listed services operated by county health departments — primary care in county clinics, dental services, STI and HIV testing and treatment, TB services, immunizations, maternal-child health, WIC and emergency preparedness — and encouraged members to visit local health departments to see services firsthand.

Speakers during the hearing pressed for details on program reach and implementation. Representatives and chairs asked about the pipeline’s next steps, loan-repayment incentives, how the nursing facility grant rubric would be run, and whether future shared-savings rounds would restrict award size. TDH officials said award sizes had not been capped in prior rounds and that scoring emphasized rural and distressed counties.

What the department provided in detail: TDH presented counts and program outcomes for partner schools (UT, Meharry, LMU), an estimate of 125,600 high school students who had experimented with e-cigarettes statewide and an estimate that nearly half of those were current e-cigarette users (information TDH attributed to its tobacco prevention program). Dr. Tim Jones also gave the committee a statewide syphilis case count and congenital syphilis figure during Q&A (see clarifying details).

Ending: The committee did not vote on any of the requests during the hearing; members asked for follow-up and pledged to consider the proposals as part of the budget process. TDH officials said they would provide data from the pilot programs and grant rounds to help legislators evaluate continued funding.","At a March 12 House Finance, Ways & Means hearing, Tennessee Department of Health Commissioner Ralph Alvarado outlined 11 proposed cost increases for FY26 focused on expanding dental education and rural rotations, adding lung and colorectal cancer screening, automating syphilis testing and continuing ARPA-funded rural health investments.","actionData","errors"]

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Department of Safety seeks 117 new troopers, expanded SRO and radio maintenance funding in FY26 request

Tennessee health commissioner asks legislature to renew dental pilot, expand cancer screenings and boost rural care funding