Friends of Doug Overbey
Media Advisory

January 16, 2008

For Immediate Release:

State Representative Doug Overbey (R-Maryville) announced today his intention to seek the Republican nomination for the State Senate – 8th District.

“This decision comes after seeking the advice and counsel of a lot of folks in Sevier and Blount counties and thoughtful consideration and prayer,” Overbey said.

“All across the district,” Overbey said, “I hear people saying they want a senator who will stand up for them, represents their conservative values, and has the ability to work effectively to bring about positive change in our State.”

“I began my term of service in the House of Representatives wanting to make a positive difference in our State, and I hope to be able to continue to do that as State Senator representing Sevier and Blount counties,” Overbey concluded.

Rep. Overbey was elected to the House of Representatives in 2000 and begins his eighth year of service in the General Assembly. While in the legislature, Rep. Overbey has championed the causes of greater protections for the elderly and children. He has also worked to strengthen Tennessee’s trauma system, make heath care more accessible and affordable, protect state funding of our local school systems, and make common sense changes in the educational lottery scholarship program.

During his tenure in the legislature, Rep. Overbey has been an ardent supporter of veterans and legislation that supports veterans, such as the law that allows all service-related totally disabled veterans to qualify for property tax relief. In 2006, Rep. Overbey sponsored and gained passage of a bill granting property tax relief to surviving spouses of members of the Armed Services killed in combat.

Other major accomplishments are the role Rep. Overbey played as Chairman of the House Health Care Facilities Subcommittee in guiding and sponsoring legislation requiring smoke detectors and sprinkler systems in all long-term care facilities and passage of the Safe Haven Law.

Rep. Overbey has represented the 20th house district in the 102nd, 103rd, 104th, and 105th General Assemblies, where he is a member of the Finance, Ways & Means Committee, Health & Human Resources Committee, Select Committee on Ethics, and Joint Select Committee on Children and Youth. He is Chairman of the House Health Care Facilities Subcommittee and a member of the Budget Subcommittee.

Rep. Overbey and wife, Kay, reside at 1105 N. Heritage Drive, Maryville, TN 37803. He graduated magna cum laude from Carson-Newman College in 1976 with a B.A. degree and first in his class from the University of Tennessee College of Law in 1979, where he was named to the Order of the Coif and Phi Delta Phi, Roosevelt Inn, Graduate of the Year. Rep. Overbey served two terms on the Blount County Commission (1982 – 1990).

This entry was posted on Wednesday, January 16th, 2008 at 1:06 pm and is filed under In The News.
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