With 23 years of legislative service, Roy understands the difficult issues that Tennesseans face every day. Roy is committed to finding long-term, bipartisan solutions to the problems that affect our families.
Keeping and Creating Jobs
Roy’s top priority is keeping and creating jobs.
With unemployment numbers in some counties reaching levels unseen since the Great Depression, Tennessee needs good paying jobs. As the senator who represents Perry County, where unemployment quadrupled when 90% of the automotive manufacturing jobs disappeared, Roy worked with Governor Bredesen to create an innovative program that brought new jobs to the county. He also pushed to create and pass legislation creating the West Tennessee Megasite, which will bring jobs, including "green jobs," to Tennessee.
Roy will work to create similar jobs in other Tennessee counties. He will continue fighting to 1) keep the jobs we have, 2) expand jobs in existing industries, and 3) recruit industries and companies – like Hemlock and Volkswagen – that can create new opportunities for Tennessee families.
Improving Education and Our Children’s Future
If keeping and creating jobs is Roy’s top priority, Roy believes education is the best means of achieving it.
As the father of three who attended public schools, Roy is passionately committed to improving education for all Tennesseans.
Roy knows that the days when we could make a good living with a strong back and a strong work ethic are almost gone. Now and in the future, it’s still going to take a strong work ethic, but the good-paying jobs will go to those with strong minds. Roy believes education is the key to preparing Tennesseans to compete in the information age and global economy.
In the General Assembly, Roy supported K-12 education reform and sponsored legislation that helps our public schools recruit and retain the best and brightest teachers. As Chair of the Select Committee on Children and Youth, he fought for better education, and as a member of the Broadband Task Force, he is still working to increase internet access to students and schools all over the state. Roy believes access to technology is crucial to preparing Tennesseans for the jobs of the future.
Roy will continue working to improve pre-K programs and K-12 education by attracting and rewarding good teachers and increasing access to technology. Roy will also work to increase access to colleges and universities and ensure opportunities for those who want to pursue vocational or technical training.
Roy believes education is the key to new and better jobs and a better and brighter future for Tennessee.
Making Health Care Affordable and Accessible
Roy knows the importance of health care.
After injuries in World War II, Roy’s father would not have survived without the wonderful care of doctors, nurses, and hospitals that helped him survive to walk and work again. And after complications during pregnancy, Roy and Nancy's twins would not have lived without excellent health care.
As a legislator, Roy has fought to improve our health care system by increasing access to quality care. Roy has served on, and chaired, committees addressing health care, including the General Welfare, Health and Human Resources Committee; the TennCare Oversight Committee; and the Select Committee on Children and Youth. He has sponsored legislation to expand access to generic prescription medications, and he sponsored the Tennessee Rural Health Act, which brings needed medical care to underserved areas while expanding access to higher education for those studying to become health care professionals.
Roy believes good health care is grounded in good stewardship of our resources – using them efficiently to help those in need. Herron also believes we should protect those who work hard and play by the rules. Roy has authored laws to strengthen penalties against Medicaid fraud and protect whistleblowers who expose Medicaid and health insurance fraud.
Roy will work to make sure all Tennesseans have access to affordable health care while fighting fraud and abuse.
Safe Communities
Roy is dedicated to making our communities safe.
As a legislator, Roy has fought crime and led efforts to crack down on meth and drunk driving. He helped sponsor the Meth-Free Tennessee Act, which reduced the number of meth lab incidents in Tennessee by over 50 percent. He has sponsored measures to mandate that drunk drivers install ignition interlocks and promoted public education to discourage drunk driving.
Herron has also worked not only to fight crime but to protect victims. He sponsored the Crime Victim Bill of Rights, a constitutional amendment which ensures that victims of crime are protected from harassment, compensated for their pain, informed of the release or escape of their offenders, and able to have their voices heard throughout the criminal justice process.
Roy will continue working to ensure that our families and communities are free from drug abuse and safe from crime.
Good Stewardship
As a farm owner and outsdoorsman, Roy knows that we are blessed with a beautiful and bountiful state. But with this blessing comes the duty to be good stewards.
Roy will protect and conserve our environment for our children and grandchildren while finding ways to make clean and safe use of our abundant resources.
Roy is committed to growing “green jobs” and making Tennessee a leader in both energy and conservation. In the Senate, Roy supported a bill to bring new green jobs to Tennessee. He will continue his commitment to creating jobs while conserving our environment.
