April 17th, 2009
Legislation helps children in state custody with post-adoption services
(NASHVILLE, TN), April 17, 2009 — Legislation that aims to improve Tennessee’s success rate in adopting children who were previously in state custody has received the unanimous vote of the State Senate. The bill, which is sponsored by Senator Doug Overbey (R-Maryville), clarifies state law to provide post-adoption services for child welfare adoptions.
The bill, SB 1702, applies to adoptions when children have been taken into state custody for being unruly or delinquent and parental rights from the biological parents have been terminated. Overbey said these are some of the most difficult adoption placements for the Department of Children’s Services. However, the rate of success improves if post-adoption services are offered.
“Tennessee beats the national average on child adoption placements and we want to see that our success rate improves,” said Senator Doug Overbey (R-Maryville), sponsor of the bill. “These services are proven to help in providing a healthier atmosphere for both the child and adoptive parents.”
A few of the services include crisis intervention, family and individual counseling, support groups for parents and children, case management services, and networking of families and community providers.
The bill is sponsored by Rep. Joe McCord (R-Maryville), in the House of Representatives, where it is pending action in the House Children and Family Affairs Committee.
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January 22nd, 2009
Knoxville Focus, January, 2009
State Sen. Tim Burchett, Laura Comas, and State Sen. Doug Overbey with the first plate.
Tennessee honors women veterans with license plate Tennessee becomes one of the first states in the nation to honor women veterans with a license plate according to Laura Comas, a former U. S. Army Sergeant who began working on the effort more than three years ago. Although a number of veteran plates were available at the time, none specifically recognized the contribution of women. After being contacted by Comas, then state Rep. Doug Overbey (R-Maryville) and state Sen. Tim Burchett (R-Knoxville) introduced legislation creating the specialty plate honoring women veterans and the bill was enacted in 2007.
“Women have been serving our country in the military since the Revolutionary War and in every conflict since,” said Comas, herself a Desert Storm veteran. “I am grateful to Sen. Burchett and Overbey for their interest and willingness to see to it that those women who have sacrificed for our state and nation are honored in this way.”
The plate, designed by Tom Walker, a military historian and graphic designer in the Knoxville area, depicts the image of Molly Pitcher, one of the first women acknowledged to have taken up arms in the Revolutionary War. Tennessee was the first state in the country to pass legislation commemorating women veterans with their own distinguishable plate. Kentucky previously allowed their state’s women veterans to purchase a red sticker designation applied over their existing veteran plates. West Virginia has also created a plate honoring women veterans.
The plates are available at each County Clerks Office across the state to any woman veteran with a DD214.
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December 22nd, 2008
Please click the play button to listen to a special holiday message from State Senator Doug Overbey.
Holiday Greetings
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November 10th, 2008
A new state senator Nov 08, 2008
It looks as if Sevier County will have an attentive state senator who will surely look after our needs as much as any nonresident possibly can. Rep. Doug Overbey defeated incumbent Raymond Finney in the August Republican primary, then easily won election on Tuesday as expected with an easy win over independent candidate Ira Lapides of Gatlinburg.
The Senate district includes all of Sevier and Blount counties. Because our population is so much smaller than Blount’s, it’s virtually impossible for us to have an elected senator who lives here. Until the district lines are redrawn one day, we’ll have to work hard to elect legislators who may not live here but will represent us well. Overbey appears destined to do that. Read the rest of this entry »
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November 5th, 2008
Article published Nov 5, 2008
Overbey relieved following victory
By Joel Davis
of The Daily Times Staff
State Rep. Doug Overbey, R-Maryville, looked tired.
At the end of the night, Overbey defeated Ira “Doc” Lapides, 61,227 to 13,682 in the state Senate 8th District race, which includes Blount and Sevier counties.
Facing the successful end of his campaign for the state Senate seat occupied by state Sen. Raymond Finney on Tuesday night, Overbey said he was relieved.
“I think the first sensation is relief,” Overbey said. “It’s been a long, hard campaign since we announced back in January. There has been a lot of hard work and effort put into the campaign by a lot of friends, supporters and family. Right now we’re happy that our message apparently resonated with the voters of Sevier and Blount Counties.” Read the rest of this entry »
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November 3rd, 2008
State senate candidates respond on the issues
Nov 03, 2008
1. What skills and experiences would you bring to the office of state senator?
LAPIDES: I have been a teacher at the university level and have worked in government and private business and I have been a participant in the local economy for the past 30 years I have been in the area. I am not owned by any political interest group and can be involved in changing things.
OVERBEY: First, I bring a lifetime of commitment to my community. Over the past 30 years, I have worked to make a positive difference in my community through many charitable, community, church and civic organizations such as the Johnson Girls Group Home, the Blount County Library Board, the Blount County Children’s Advocacy Center, Success By Six, A Secret Safe Place for Newborns of Tennessee, the Knoxville Museum of Art, and the Chamber of Commerce. Second, I bring the experience of nearly 30 years in the practice of business law. As a practicing lawyer, I have the experience of standing up for and representing my clients. This sort of advocacy is exactly the experience needed in the State Senate. Third, I bring nearly two decades of experience as a Republican elected official. I served eight years on the Blount County Commission in the “80s and now eight years in the House of Representatives in the General Assembly. During my service as a State Representative, I have demonstrated an ability to work effectively with members of both Houses of the General Assembly and members of both parties to accomplish important conservative objectives, which contributed to my being rated as the most effective Republican representative in the legislature. Read the rest of this entry »
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