NASHVILLE, Tenn. (CLARKSVILLENOW) – State Representative Curtis G. Johnson (R-Clarksville) today announced his intention to run for re-election to an 8th term in the Tennessee House of Representatives. He was first elected in November 2004 to serve in the 104th General Assembly representing the 68th legislative district.
During the 110th General Assembly (2017-2018), he served as a member of the Business and Utilities Committee and Subcommittee. He also served on the very important Finance, Ways and Means Committee. He was again re-elected by his colleagues to be Speaker Pro Tempore of the House.
In 2017, Speaker Beth Harwell chose him to chair the Ad Hoc Committee on Opioid and Drug Abuse, a problem that has been described as an epidemic. Under his leadership, the Committee met with different department officials, law enforcement, doctors, pharmacists, representatives from pain clinics and addiction centers, and citizens on both sides of the issue plus many others interested in this subject. The Committee made recommendations to the House Speaker; and working in concert with the Tennessee Senate and the Governor has developed legislation to deal with this problem.
In 2013, he was elected Speaker Pro Tempore by his colleagues in the House of Representatives and was unanimously re-elected Pro Tempore in 2015 and 2017. Since joining the Republican Leadership team, he has helped achieve more than $800 million in tax cuts, including the Hall Income tax, the lowest unemployment rate in state history, and education advancements that have led to the fastest improving student test scores in
the entire country, as well as providing high school graduates and adults with two years of community or technical college free of tuition and mandatory fees.
Rep. Johnson has strong ties to Clarksville and Montgomery County. After graduating from Clarksville High School, he started at Austin Peay State University before enlisting in the United States Navy. After completing his military service, he re-enrolled and received his Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from Austin Peay. He later became President of the Austin Peay Governor’s Club and the Austin Peay Alumni Association. He served on Clarksville City Council from 1994 to 2002 and was Mayor Pro Temp in 1996-97.
Being a military veteran, he understood the importance of having a veterans’ home in Montgomery County. After a decade of hard work and sacrifices by many individuals, the Veterans Home in Clarksville was open to serve veterans in January, 2016. His sponsorship and support of legislation to help our military servicemen and veterans has been recognized by the Department of Defense who awarded him the Certificate of Appreciation for his “leadership on public policy changes positively impacting the quality of life of Service members and their families.”
In 2014, Rep. Johnson was honored as Legislator of the Year by the National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies and Tennessee Champion of Commerce Award presented by the Tennessee Chamber of Commerce and Industry. In 2015, he was named Legislator of the Year by the Greater Nashville Regional Council. In 2016, he was awarded the Guardian of Small Business by the National Federation of Independent Business.
“It has been an honor and a privilege to represent the citizens in the 68th district. I am humbled by their support and encouragement,” Johnson said.
Johnson and his wife, Marsha, have three sons, Curt, Josh, and Daniel (deceased) and four grandchildren, Jacob, Hannah, Maggie and Sean.