NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Gov. Bill Haslam says he's uncertain whether he would seek approval from fellow Republicans in the Tennessee General Assembly about potential plans to privatize state operations.
The governor told reporters after a Veterans Day event in Nashville on Tuesday that he wants to see what the final form of the outsourcing proposal looks like before deciding whether to bring it before lawmakers. Haslam stresses that no decision has been made on whether to pursue privatization.
Senate Speaker Ron Ramsey supports transferring more maintenance work in state parks and on the campuses of public colleges to the private sector. But the Blountville Republican has nonetheless urged the governor to seek "buy-in" from lawmakers by bringing any proposal to a vote in the Legislature.
Lawmakers earlier this year rejected Haslam's Medicaid expansion proposal.