Dr. Jeff Schoondyke has been on both the patient and provider sides of the medical world. He understands the needs of his patients and the desires of the providers in his practice to meet those needs. What he doesn’t understand is the burden that the certificate of need (CON) process puts on the provider, making... READ MORE
Dr. Dishmon, a cardiologist in the Whitehaven community of Memphis, was denied a certificate of need for an ambulatory surgery center in his community. Over the last 20 years, approximately 1 in 5 healthcare innovations that require CON approval were rejected in the state of Tennessee. As a result, many facilities have never opened their... READ MORE
Certificate of need (CON) laws are a regulatory, administrative, and financial burden on community-centered medical practices like Watauga Orthopedics in East Tennessee. Kim Marden shares Watauga’s story in this video and asks the question—are CON laws really necessary in Tennessee? READ MORE
As Beacon celebrates our 20th year of fighting for Tennesseans’ freedoms, we will be celebrating our heroes all year long. Debra Nutall is one of those heroes. Debra is an entrepreneur who advocated for the right of hair braiders to earn a living without onerous government restrictions. She continues to be an innovator and trailblazer... READ MORE
There’s a monster on the loose, and it’s wreaking havoc on the hard-working families of Tennessee. Its name is UPTI: the Unlimited Property Tax Increase monster. Do your part to vanquish the UPTI monster by visiting CaptheTaxTN.com. READ MORE
Roxanne Glass, a single mother in Memphis, is able to send her daughter Nicole to the school of her choice because of the education savings account program. Roxanne says, “she’s going to be great,” and we couldn’t agree more. To learn more and apply for the ESA program to give your child life-changing educational opportunities,... READ MORE
Charter schools give parents and students more public options to receive a life-changing, high-quality education. READ MORE
What is it going to take to make Tennessee the most business-friendly state in the country? Jason Schmitt, CEO of Old Time Pottery, gives his thoughts. READ MORE
Adam Jackson and TJ Chang share their experiences as innovators and make the case for the freedom to innovate in Tennessee. READ MORE
It is very important for Tennessee to remain a Right to Work State. Cheri Gensel from Pennsylvania—a non-right-to-work state—speaks to why worker freedom is so important from her personal experience. READ MORE
In 2018, Mark Janus took on AFSCME, a powerful workers union, in front of the U.S. Supreme Court, and he prevailed, protecting workers’ rights to free speech nationwide. Today, he joins Taylor to talk about why it’s important to protect worker freedom, specifically through Right to Work laws. READ MORE
Being a mother of 6 school-age children isn’t easy, especially when you are managing a full-time job and virtual schooling during a pandemic. Star Brumfield knows that feeling well, which is why she is a passionate advocate for school choice and education savings accounts in Tennessee. READ MORE
Evette Moore was released from her job at a private school at the beginning of the pandemic. When that happened, she could no longer provide for her third grader to continue going to school there. A fully functional education savings account program in Tennessee would change the lives of so many people, like Evette and... READ MORE
Elected—and unelected—officials need more accountability, especially during a pandemic. Lauren Orser explains the emotional toll that virtual learning has had on her children. READ MORE
Dr. Jeff Patton joins Taylor to talk about Tennessee’s CON laws, the consequences of them, and ideal reforms to have a freer system of health care in Tennessee. READ MORE
Kalandra Wiseman, like many Tennesseans, lost her job due to the pandemic. Now, to help provide for her family, she receives assistance from both public and private programs. Stories like Kalandra’s show us how we can encourage community partnerships to make support systems effective for the people who need them now. READ MORE
Lauren Herring is a Nashville mom who is advocating for a safe return to in-person school for all students. READ MORE
Matthew Kalish, Co-Founder and President of North America for DraftKings, talks to Mark and Justin about innovation, Tennessee’s economy, and what he is hopeful about as legal online sports gambling is introduced in Tennessee on November 1. READ MORE
Learn more about school choice options at beacontn.org/ed-choice READ MORE
Lieutenant Colonel Rob Tomsett of the Tennessee State Guard talks to Taylor about his experience in direct primary care, using telemedicine in the military, and what he thinks health care should look like in the future. READ MORE
In light of our new research “Poverty to Prosperity: Reforming Tennessee’s Public Assistance Programs,” Justin sat down with Representative Dan Howell to tell their personal stories and talk about their vision for Tennessee’s public assistance programs. Read the research here: https://www.beacontn.org/poverty-to-prosperity-reforming-tennessees-public-assistance-programs/ READ MORE
In order to get a license to braid hair in Tennessee, you must obtain 300 hours of schooling, take a test, and pay a fee to the state. To date, 22 other states do not require a license to braid hair, and numerous states have recently repealed their braiding license. If almost half the states... READ MORE
Elisha and Jesse Gaugh live under the same roof but are taking different education paths. This is just one example of the fact that one size does not fit all when it comes to education. Learn more at beacontn.org/ed-choice READ MORE