Public Acts of 1979 Chapter 46

WHEREAS, on Friday, July 21, 1978, the people of Monroe County, the 22nd Legislative District, and the State of Tennessee lost a great friend and dedicated public servant in the untimely death in a traffic accident of William C. Watson of Madisionville, then a member of the Tennessee House of Representatives; and

WHEREAS, Representative Watson served five terms as a State Representative, embracing the beginning of the Eighty-sixth General Assembly in 1968 and the concluding of the Ninetieth General Assembly in 1978; and

WHEREAS, Bill Watson rapidly rose to leadership positions in the House of Representatives, serving as Chairman of the Conservation and Environment Committee in his last two terms and having served, over the course of his career, on the General Welfare, State and Local Government, Education, Government Operations, Legislative Council, and Calendar and Rules Committees; and

WHEREAS, he was instrumental in passing legislation strengthening the surface mine laws, creating the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, expanding the Department of Tourism, securing the improvement of local highways, and enacting other measures to improve the economic life and standard of living for all Tennesseans; and

WHEREAS, it is appropriate for this body to recognize the accomplishments of Bill Watson and to provide for a fitting tribute to his memory; now, therefore,

SECTION 1. The Visitors/Interpretive Center to be constructed at the Fort Loudon State Historic Area is hereby named the “William C. Watson Visitors/Interpretive Center”.

SECTION 2. The Department of Conservation shall cause an appropriate sign to be erected at such center.

SECTION 3. This Act shall take effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.

PASSED: March 12, 1979.