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HJR 1428

Memorials, Retirement - Robert "Bob" Batson -

114th Regular Session (2025-2026) Introduced by Becky Jo Alexander

Ceremonially honors Bob Batson for 35 years as TFDA director and decades of leadership in funeral service, disaster response, and public policy nationwide.

Adopted, Ayes 90, Nays 0, PNV 2
#memorials #retirement
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Bill Summary · HJR 1428

Summary of House Joint Resolution 1428 (HJR 1428) — Tennessee, 114th General Assembly

Objective

HJR 1428 is a memorial resolution honoring and congratulating Robert “Bob” Batson on the occasion of his retirement. It recognizes his decades of service to the funeral service profession, public safety, disaster response, and public policy in Tennessee and nationwide.

Key Provisions and Provisions’ Effects

  • Recognition and Commendation

    • The resolution formally honors Bob Batson for his 35-year leadership role with the Tennessee Funeral Directors Association (TFDA) and his broader contributions to families and communities during times of grief and crisis.
    • It acknowledges Batson’s career trajectory from licensed funeral director/embalmer to executive director of the TFDA since September 1991.

  • Professional and Public Service Highlights

    • Batson’s role as executive director of TFDA: manages association affairs, represents funeral service professionals before the Tennessee General Assembly, educates legislators, oversees finances, coordinates the annual tradeshow, and directs the association’s for-profit subsidiary (Tennessee Funeral Securities, Inc.).
    • Public safety and disaster response roles:
    • Mass Fatalities Management Instructor for the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency (TEMA).
    • Certified EMI (Emergency Management Institute) Train-the-Trainer Instructor.
    • Disaster Mortuary Operational Response Teams (DMORT) involvement since 1993, including leadership positions such as Family Assistance Section Leader and Morgue Operations Section Leader in multiple major events (e.g., 9/11 aftermath, Hurricane Katrina, Hurricane Rita, the Haiti 2010 earthquake, and hurricanes Irma/Maria in Puerto Rico).
    • Leadership and policy impact:
    • Served as chairman of the National Council of Funeral Executives (currently) and chairman of the Tennessee Council of Medical Examiners (board member since 2017), shaping policy and standards in public safety, funeral service, and medical examiner practices.
    • Involvement in continuing education for funeral directors and embalmers, contributing to Tennessee’s development of first-of-its-kind continuing education requirements in the state.

  • Personal and Family Context

    • Highlights his personal biography, including his education (Associate of Applied Science in Mortuary Science from Jefferson State Community College) and his 45-year marriage to Ruby, along with his roles as a father and grandfather.

Who Is Affected

  • Immediate recipient: Robert “Bob” Batson, in formal recognition by the Tennessee General Assembly.
  • Broader communities impacted by his work:
    • Tennessee Funeral Directors Association and its members.
    • Tennessee public safety and emergency management communities (particularly TEMA and DMORT networks).
    • Policy-makers and medical examiners in Tennessee through Batson’s leadership roles.
    • Families served by funeral service professionals and disaster response efforts, who benefit from higher standards, education, and coordinated responses.

Procedural and Timeline Aspects

  • Status: Passed by the Tennessee House (unanimous yes votes reported: 90-0 with 2 present not voting) and moved to the Senate for concurrence.
  • Effective Date/Publication: As a concurrent memorial resolution, it does not enact new law or funding; it serves as a ceremonial acknowledgment.
  • Formatting Note: The final resolution would be presented with the customary language omitting the House/Senate designation once printed.

Summary

HJR 1428 is a ceremonial resolution recognizing and congratulating Bob Batson on his retirement after 35 years as TFDA executive director and decades of public service in disaster response, funeral service regulation, and public policy. It underscores his leadership, professional contributions, and commitment to education and public safety, while outlining his impact on Tennessee and national standards in funeral services and disaster management.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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