Legislative Update, April 17, 2021

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).
 

The philosophy of the school room in one generation will be the philosophy of government in the next.......Abraham Lincoln

 

FOR YOUR PRAYER LIST:
As these days 'dwindle down to a precious few', you will want to be praying that the lawmakers would act with great wisdom, insight, and thoughtfulness as they support what is good public policy for our state and that they would enact laws that will follow God's commands.
Of course, you will want to continue praying for Rep. David Byrd and Rep. Mike Carter in their long journeys toward restored health, but this week I want to ask you to ESPECIALLY pray for their dear wives:  Sherry Byrd and Joan Carter.  If you have ever had a very sick spouse or family member you KNOW  about the enormous demands - physical, mental and emotional - that are made on the caregiver. 

THIS HAS CERTAINLY BEEN THE 'HOT TOPIC' BILL THIS WEEK: 

FORCING INSURANCE COMPANIES TO COVER ELECTIVE SERVICES:
SB 0425 by *Massey , Watson, Akbari, Swann, Briggs, Haile, Walley, Bowling, Reeves 
HB 1379 by *Kumar , JERNIGAN, WHITSON, LAMAR, HAWK, HELTON, GILLESPIE, THOMPSON, HICKS G, LYNN, MITCHELL, HODGES, WINDLE, GARRETT, VAUGHAN, RAMSEY, WARNER, ALEXANDER, WHITE, BAUM, POWELL, RUSSELL, FREEMAN
Insurance, Health, Accident - As introduced, increases from 21 days to 30 days the time within which a health insurance entity must pay on or notify a provider regarding a claim received by electronic submission
First, this was CAPTION BILL, meaning that the caption on the legislative website had nothing to do with what the bill would become.
Second, the text of this fertility treatment legislation which forces insurance companies to pay for this elective treatment has gone through many versions, the latest of which is Amendment #6666, and it was very cleverly named the "Tennessee Pro-Family Building Act." Who could be against that? A number of legislators signed onto the bill initially but as they have learned more about it, have removed their names as sponsors.

      Of course, wanting to have a baby and not being able to is a very heartbreaking issue and one with which I am not unfamiliar. So in case you think I don't understand, let me say that in 1964, I had a baby boy who was born three days before he was due and died three days before he was born.  Fourteen months later, I had a little girl who lived three weeks and died. I GET IT!!  Ultimately, we went on to adopt our wonderful daughter. This issue simply cannot be about the wants and needs of our hearts, but about developing and passing what is good policy for our state.
          

WEBSTER'S DEFINITION OF INSURANCE:  Coverage by contract whereby one party undertakes to indemnify or guarantee another against loss by a specified contingency or peril.

This bill does not fit that definition.  Should this bill pass, we learned that our insurance premiums will go up to pay for it. In addition, what kind of precedent does the put in place for the next effort to force insurance coverage; there is nothing in the bill to restrict the treatment to married men and women; and the cost is enormous per treatment.  

 

YOU WILL WANT TO READ THIS ARTICLE;  Commercial Surrogacy in Tennessee and a Pot of Gold -- D. Joy Riley, M.D., M.A.

 

STATUS:  HB1374 (Amend.#6666) was in the Insurance Committee on Tuesday. After about an hour of testimony and debate, the vote was called for and the voice vote was taken. [When will the voice votes be STOPPED?] The yays and nays were extremely close whereupon a ROLL CALL vote should have been called. Unfortunately, the gavel went down giving the voice vote to the yays and it moved out.  It is now to the House Ways and Means Subcommittee. 

STATUS:  SB425 is on the Senate Commerce & Labor Committee Calendar for Wednesday. We don't know what version will be used, but nevertheless, despite the understandable pull on our hearts, this is not wise and good public policy for the state.

ACTION:  please contact the members and urge them to vote NO on SB425
Sen. Paul Bailey sen.paul.bailey@capitol.tn.gov , Sen. Art Swann sen.art.swann@capitol.tn.gov , Sen. Frank Niceley sen.frank.niceley@capitol.tn.gov , Sen. Jack Johnson sen.jack.johnson@capitol.tn.gov , Sen. Shane Reeves sen.shane.reeves@capitol.tn.gov , Sen. Steve Southerland sen.steve.southerland@capitol.tn.gov , Sen. Bo Watson sen.bo.watson@capitol.tn.gov , Sen. Ken Yager sen.ken.yager@capitol.tn.gov .

 

UNBORN CHILD DIGNITY ACT:
SB 0828 by *Bowling - HB 1181 by *Rudd , LAMBERTH, SHERRELL, KUMAR, HALL, BOYD, TERRY, SMITH, MOODY
Abortion - As introduced, requires disposition of aborted fetal remains to be by burial or cremation; requires the department of health to promulgate certain rules and forms; and makes certain other changes regarding the disposition of fetal remains
STATUS: SB828 is on the Senate floor Monday night; HB1181 is on the House floor Monday night.
ACTION: Please click on the floor links, find your Senator and find your House member and urge him or her to support the important bill. House to Vote Monday on Requiring Cremation or Burial of Aborted Fetal Remains .

 

PROTECTING STUDENTS FROM FORCE COVID IMMUNIZATION:
SB 1313 by *Hensley - HB 1421 by *Grills
Education - As introduced, prohibits a school from forcing, coercing, or requiring a student to receive an immunization for COVID-19; prohibits a school from taking an adverse action against a student who refuses to receive an immunization against COVID-19; prohibits a school from immunizing students against COVID-19 unless the student or the student's parent or guardian, if a minor, consents in writing to the immunization.
STATUS:  HB1421 is in the Health Committee on Wednesday.
ACTION:  Please contact these members and urge them to vote for this bill. Rep. Bob Freeman rep.bob.freeman@capitol.tn.gov , . Rep. Yusuf Hakeem rep.yusuf.hakeem@capitol.tn.gov , Rep. Gary Hicks rep.gary.hicks@capitol.tn.gov , Rep. Pat Marsh rep.pat.marsh@capitol.tn.gov , Rep. Bob Ramsey rep.bob.ramsey@capitol.tn.gov . Rep. Sam Whitson rep.sam.whitson@capitol.tn.gov.

 

PROTECTING INDIVIDUAL FREEDOM:
SB 0320 by *Hensley- HB 0794 by *Lynn [ Now Jay Reedy]
Business and Commerce - As introduced, prohibits a person from denying an individual the full and equal enjoyment of goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages, and accommodations of a place of public accommodation, resort, or amusement on the grounds of the wearing or use of a medical device, or whether the individual has received medical treatment.
STATUS:  SB320 is in Senate Commerce on Wednesday.
ACTION: Please contact them committee members urging them to vote for this important bill.
Sen. Paul Bailey sen.paul.bailey@capitol.tn.gov , Sen. Art Swann sen.art.swann@capitol.tn.gov , Sen. Frank Niceley sen.frank.niceley@capitol.tn.gov , Sen. Jack Johnson sen.jack.johnson@capitol.tn.gov , Sen. Shane Reeves sen.shane.reeves@capitol.tn.gov , Sen. Steve Southerland sen.steve.southerland@capitol.tn.gov , Sen. Bo Watson sen.bo.watson@capitol.tn.gov , Sen. Ken Yager sen.ken.yager@capitol.tn.gov .

 

 

PROTECTING PARENTAL RIGHTS:
SB 1229 by *Rose , Jackson, Pody - HB 0529 by *Moody , GRIFFEY, GANT, RAGAN, DOGGETT, HASTON, HOWELL, WEAVER, CEPICKY, LAMBERTH, RUDD, HALL, SEXTON J, WHITE, HULSEY, HURT, REEDY, CASADA, WARNER, LITTLETON, SHERRELL, TODD, WRIGHT, RUDDER, ALEXANDER, KUMAR, BRICKEN, GRILLS, SMITH, TERRY, COCHRAN, POWERS
Education, Curriculum - As introduced, requires an LEA or public charter school to notify a student's parent or guardian prior to commencing instruction of a sexual orientation or gender identity curriculum; permits a parent or guardian to excuse the parent's or guardian's student from a sexual orientation or gender identity curriculum, and prohibits the LEA or charter school from penalizing an excused student
STATUS: SB1229 passed the Senate floor 24-6.
Senators voting aye were: Bailey, Bell, Bowling, Crowe, Gardenhire, Haile, Hensley, Jackson, Kelsey, Massey, Niceley, Pody, Powers, Reeves, Roberts, Rose, Southerland, Stevens, Swann, Walley, Watson, White, Yager, Mr. Speaker McNally; Senators voting no were: Akbari, Campbell, Gilmore, Kyle, Robinson, Yarbro 
HB529 passed the House floor 64-23
Representatives voting aye were: Alexander, Baum, Boyd, Bricken, Campbell S, Carr, Carringer, Casada, Cepicky, Cochran, Crawford, Curcio, Darby, Doggett, Eldridge, Faison, Farmer, Gant, Griffey, Grills, Halford, Hall, Haston, Hawk, Hazlewood, Helton, Hicks G, Hicks T, Holsclaw, Hulsey, Hurt, Johnson C, Keisling, Kumar, Lafferty, Lamberth, Leatherwood, Littleton, Lynn, Marsh, Moody, Moon, Powers, Ragan, Ramsey, Reedy, Rudd, Rudder, Russell, Sexton J, Sherrell, Smith, Sparks, Terry, Todd, Vaughan, Warner, Weaver, White, Williams, Windle, Wright, Zachary, Mr. Speaker Sexton C;  Representatives voting no were: Beck, Camper, Chism, Clemmons, Dixie, Freeman, Hakeem, Hardaway, Harris, Hodges, Jernigan, Johnson G, Lamar, Love, Mannis, McKenzie, Miller, Mitchell, Parkinson, Powell, Shaw, Stewart, Towns.
It is on its way to the Governor for his signature. 

 

 

 

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