Legislative Update, January 27, 2018

Tennessee General Assembly information, click HERE. For information on State Senators, including phone numbers and email addresses, click HERE; for House members, click HERE. For information on legislation, click HERE.
Don't forget that you can now watch the Senate committee meetings and floor sessions online by going HERE; House committee meetings and floor sessions online HERE.
Phone calls can go to the legislative Switchboard at 615-741-3011 or to the Toll Free number 1-800-449-8366+1 last four digits of office phone number (available online).
 

"In all my affairs may I distinguish between duty and anxiety, and may my character and not my circumstances chiefly engage me." Valley of Vision.

FOR YOUR PRAYER LIST: 
You will want to remember former Senator and Gubernatorial candidate Mae Beavers and her family. Her mother died a few days ago.  Also, please pray for Rep. Mary Littleton. She had a hip replacement that did not go well, and will have to be re-done in February. In the meantime she is in a lot of pain and having to use a wheelchair. Continue to pray over the legislative session.  It seems that this session continues to move pretty slowly to be the second year.  This is very interesting since everyone KNOWS that the lawmakers will be in a hurry to get out to be able to raise money and start their official campaigning.  I keep wondering when everything will break out and start moving at the speed of sound.

LUKE'S CORNER:
My second day of the internship was much more eventful. Mrs. Bobbie and I went to a House Committee meeting sexual harassment in schools. In was extremely entertaining to hear everyone opinions on the subject and the different ideas on how to fix the problem. We ventured to a completely empty 8th floor and found that we had never been to the 4th floor. All in all it was much more fun and interesting than the first day and it was a wonderful experience.

JONATHAN'S CORNER: Jonathan was at a debate conference in Arkansas this week, but will be back with us next week


INTRODUCING OUR WEDNESDAY INTERN:
LauraBeth Morgan is a high school junior and has been homeschooling since the second grade. She has been involved with 4-H since fourth grade, earning several awards for her talents in sewing and cooking, and winning first place in several speech and demonstration competitions within 4-H. She has been an active Teen Leader, attending numerous classes and camps to teach and guide younger students to live up to the 4-H motto, “To make the best better.” She attended the 2017 Tennessee 4-H Congress as a senator from Rutherford county. Miss Morgan traveled to Washington, D.C. with Mrs. Frances Arthur in 2016. While in Washington D.C. she attended several classes hosted by the Leadership Institute and plans to return this summer. She is preparing for her senior year of high school and hopes to earn a bachelor’s degree in college, possibly in Advertising. Miss Morgan lives in Christiana, Tennessee with her family, three cats, and a dog. She enjoys sewing her own clothing and is currently trying to figure out what, exactly, stoichiometry is, and why her chemistry teacher insists that she know about it.


LAURABETH'S CORNER:
The day I spent at the capitol with Mrs. Bobbie was absolutely thrilling! I shook hands with nearly every representative we met and got a warm welcome from every single one, and I was told many times that working with Mrs. Bobbie will be the best learning experience I could ever have. Just going by this first day, that statement is absolutely true! With her guidance we strolled around the new Cordell Hull building and, while I was told numerous times how absolutely awful the building is, I had so much fun running into people Mrs. Bobbie knew, and listening to her talk to representatives and others about our current legislation was just amazing. I simply can not wait for next Wednesday when I get the chance to see her in action again!


DRIVER'S LICENSES FOR NON-CITIZENS:
SB272 by Bowling, HB222 by Ragan
Driver Licenses - As introduced, requires the department of safety to print the language "NON U.S. CITIZEN" or "ALIEN" on driver licenses, permits, or other forms of identification issued or renewed for a temporary period to persons who are not United States citizens and not lawful permanent residents of the United States. - Amends TCA Title 55, Chapter 50
STATUS:  On Feb 27, 2017, SB272 passed Senate Transportation and Safety Committee 6-1; then was referred to Sen. Finance Ways and Means.  HB222 passed the House Finance, Ways and Means Subcommittee and is scheduled for the full Finance, Ways and Means Committee on Tuesday.
ACTION: Please click on this LINK , then click on the committee member's picture and their email link is below the picture where you can urge them to support this important bill.

TWO BILLS WE ARE EXCITED ABOUT:

STOPPING INSTATE TUITION:
SB 1682 by *Green
Education, Higher - As introduced, adds in-state tuition and fees and any use of money provided to the state through taxes to the definition of "state or local public benefit" in the Eligibility Verification for Entitlements Act.

OPTING OUT OF SMART METERS:
SB 1679 by *Green
Utilities, Utility Districts - As introduced, prohibits certain actions by electric and natural gas utilities regarding smart meters.


STAY TUNED:  Eagle Forum will be filing our three bills soon and then we can move forward with them.

HASLAM ANNOUNCES AGGRESSIVE, COMPREHENSIVE PLAN TO END TENNESSEE'S OPIOID EPIDEMIC NASHVILLE – Joined by leadership from the House and Senate and Chief Justice Jeff Bivins, Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam on Monday announced an aggressive and comprehensive plan to end the opioid epidemic in Tennessee by focusing on three major components: prevention, treatment and law enforcement. TN Together is a multi-faceted initiative that addresses the issue of opioid addiction through legislation, proposed funding in the governor’s 2018-19 budget and executive actions. TN Together is a collective effort and has been designed in partnership with the General Assembly through the Ad Hoc Opioid Abuse Task Force established by Speaker Beth Harwell and chaired by Speaker Pro Tem Curtis Johnson and a working group established by Haslam that included Harwell and Lt. Gov. Randy McNally’s appointee, Speaker Pro Tem Ferrell Haile.