Legislative Update, January 14, 2023

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).

 

“On some positions, cowardice asks the question, is it expedient?  And then expedience comes along and asks the question—is it politic?  Vanity asks the question—it is popular? Conscience asks the question, is it right? And there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, not political, nor popular—but must take it because it is right.”   Last Sunday sermon given by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

 

FOR YOUR PRAYER LIST:
As the 2023 TN General Assembly convenes, we MUST be in prayer for all that will happen in the next four or five months. The Bible directs us to do that and we have the responsibility. The decisions made will impact all our lives in some way and they need to be well thought out and carefully crafted..   
1 Timothy 2:1-2 - I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people—  for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.
Senate Chief Clerk, Russell Humphrey missed the opening week with Covid, Please remember him.
 

FIRST WEEK:
The first week of the session is the 'organization session', meaning that these days don't count against the 90 legislative days the Constitution allows for over the two-year period. A 'legislative day' is a day when the lawmakers are in their respective chambers in the Capitol doing the business of the state.

20 Freshmen legislators to join 113th TN General Assembly .

The lawmakers are sworn in, the speakers elected,  the constitutional officers elected, the committees are appointed,etc. The body then recesses to give time to move office assignments around to adjust for committee assignments, accommodate other needs, etc. 

CLICK HERE FOR THE SENATE COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS.

CLICK HERE FOR THE HOUSE COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS.

This might be helpful: Glossary of Terms .

The General Assembly will reconvene January 20 - 21 for the inauguration of Gov. Bill Lee.

Click on the graphic to see the full schedule

Gov. Lee will take the oath of office for his second term at the inauguration ceremony on January 21 at 11:00 a.m. CT on Legislative Plaza in Nashville. The oath will be administered by Tennessee Supreme Court Chief Justice Roger Page. The event is a joint convention of the 113th General Assembly.

To celebrate the state’s rich history, Tennesseans are encouraged to schedule free tours of the Tennessee State Capitol and Tennessee State Museum in the days leading up to the inaugural weekend.

Session Schedule:  The Senate will begin regular meetings the week of the 23rd, the House will NOT meet that week. Both bodies will return for the week of the 30th for regular meetings. The final day for filing bills in the House is Jan 31st; in the Senate it is Feb 2nd. This means that we won't know the contents of perhaps 1,000 bills until a day or two after those dates. You can check bills HERE.

 

THESE ARE A FEW OF THE BILLS IN WHICH WE WILL CERTAINLY BE INVOLVED: 

 

PROHIBITING PROCEDURES RELATED TO GENDER IDENTITY 
SB 0001 by *Johnson , Yager, Haile, Bowling, White, Crowe, Bailey
HB 0001 by *Lamberth , SEXTON C, FAISON, GARRETT, RAGAN, ZACHARY, TODD, KUMAR, RUDDER, KEISLING, GRILLS, WHITE, RUDD, MCCALMON, SHERRELL, CAPLEY, WARNER, RICHEY, RAPER, LITTLETON, HELTON-HAYNES, COCHRAN, FRITTS, HICKS T, VITAL, BUTLER, ALEXANDER, HASTON, DARBY, MOON, CRAWFORD, DOGGETT, CEPICKY, MARTIN B, HULSEY, SLATER, HALE, HAWK, BRICKEN
Public Health - As introduced, prohibits a healthcare provider from performing on a minor or administering to a minor a medical procedure if the performance or administration of the procedure is for the purpose of enabling a minor to identify with, or live as, a purported identity inconsistent with the minor’s sex

 

DEPARTMENT ACCOUNTABILITY TO PERFORMANCE AUDIT REPORT
SB 0037 by *Roberts , Bowling, Haile - HB 0203 by *Ragan
Sunset Laws - As introduced, extends the department of children's services to June 30, 2024; requires the department to submit quarterly reports to the chairs of the government operations committees to provide updates on the department's progress in addressing performance audit findings; requires the department to appear before the education, health, and general welfare joint evaluation committee no later than June 30, 2023, to present information included in the department's six-month follow-up report submitted to the comptroller of the treasury

 

CONTROLLING ‘DRAG QUEEN’ PERFORMANCES
SB 0003 by *Johnson , Crowe, Bowling, Haile - HB 0009 by *Todd
Obscenity and Pornography - As introduced, creates an offense for a person who engages in an adult cabaret performance on public property or in a location where the adult cabaret performance could be viewed by a person who is not an adult.

 

PROHIBITING ABORTION TRAVEL FUNDS
HB 0090 by *Moody , Lamberth
Local Government, General - As introduced, prohibits local governments from expending funds for the purposes of assisting a person in obtaining an abortion.

OTHER ISSUES THAT WILL BE ADDRESSED:

$53M multiyear broadband expansion unveiled for rural Middle Tennessee .

Tennessee legislative preview: Key education issues to watch as lawmakers return .

Governor Lee Unveils $26 Billion ‘Transportation Modernization Act of 2023’ .

 

TN EAGLE FORUM WILL BE OPPOSING THESE BILLS:
 

“FREE ALL CANNABIS FOR TENNESSEANS ACT”:
SB 0168 by *Campbell - HB 0085 by *Freeman
Controlled Substances - As introduced, enacts the "Free All Cannabis for Tennesseans Act"; establishes a regulatory structure for the cultivation, processing, and retail sale of marijuana and marijuana products in this state to be administered by the department of agriculture

US CONSTITUTION REQUIRING TERM LIMITS
HJR 0005 by *Todd , Sparks, Warner
Constitutional Conventions - Makes application to Congress for the purpose of calling an Article V convention to propose an amendment to the United States Constitution to set a limit on the number of terms to which a person may be elected as a member of the Congress of the United States.

TN CONSTITUTION REQUIRING TERM LIMITS
HJR 0035 by *Richey
Constitutional Amendments - Proposes amendment to establish a term limit of 16 years for all state and local public officials

 

WE HAVE MUCH TO PRAISE THE LORD FOR -- THANK YOU TO THOSE WHO PRAYED FOR AND SENT CARDS TO REP. RON GANT.  In the middle of October, Ron was in a horrific automobile accident and life-flighted to the hospital. There was real concern about him surviving. Thankfully, he began to improve, but the prognosis was he might be able to stand up by January 1st.  Well, God was gracious and Ron worked really hard through a great deal of pain and I am so thrilled to say that he was at the Capitol on crutches, to be sworn in on Tuesday.  He expressed sincere gratitude for the prayers and the cards that he received from us at TN Eagle Forum.