Legislative Update, February 11, 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).

 

A Constitution of Government, once changed from Freedom, can never be restored. Liberty, once lost, is lost forever.   John Adams, letter to Abigail Adams, July 17, 1775

 

FOR YOUR PRAYER LIST:
Lt. Gov. Randy McNally was hospitalized Thursday at Vanderbilt University Medical Center after falling ill during the morning legislative session and being diagnosed with heart issues. On Friday he had pacemaker surgery, which went smoothly.  Sen. Mark Pody's wife, Barbara, had surgery on Monday that went very well and they are now awaiting the results of some tests.Continue to pray for the First Lady as she continues her cancer treatment. Remember these needs as well as the ongoing legislative session as it is really heating up now!!  

 

ANDREW'S CORNER:
This week was interesting. On our journey to meet all the new freshmen legislators we met four wonderful Christian men. It was wonderful to see their passion for their special interests. It is always lovely to see people making a change for the better whenever they are given an opportunity to do so.

 

Please don't forget!  Tennessee Eagle Forum has been representing YOU at the General Assembly for a long time --  having now  started our 36th year, will you help us continue to be successful by supporting our work? You can DONATE on line, or mail a check to 3216 Bluewater Trace, Nashville, 37217.

 

 

CONTROLLING ACCESS TO ADULT PERFORMANCES
SB 0003 by *Johnson , Crowe, Bowling, Haile,  Yager, Bailey, Jackson - HB 0009 by *Todd, RICHEY, MCCALMON, CEPICKY, MOON, BARRETT, BULSO, Raper, Howell, Hawk, Vital, Moody, Davis, Sherrell, Gant, Fritts
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
Tenn. Senate passes bill criminalizing public drag performances .
STATUS:  I am thrilled to report that SB0003, as amended, passed the Senate  26-6.
HB0009 is scheduled in Criminal Justice Committee on Tuesday where it is expected to pass.

 

 

PROHIBITING TENNCARE CONTRACTORS FROM COVERING TRANSGENDER PROCEDURES: 
SB 1339 by *Johnson - HB 1215 by *Sexton
Managed Care Organizations - As introduced, prohibits any managed care organization that contracts with the bureau of TennCare to provide medical assistance from providing reimbursement or coverage for a medical procedure if the performance or administration of the procedure is for the purpose of enabling a person to identify with, or live as, a purported identity inconsistent with the person's sex, or treating purported discomfort or distress from a discordance between a person's sex and asserted identity.
STATUS:  HB1215 is in Insurance Subcommittee on Tuesday
ACTION:  Please contact these members and URGE them to support this bill.
Rep. Esther Helton rep.esther.helton@capitol.tn.gov
Rep. Kip Capley  rep.kip.capley@capitol.tn.gov
Rep. Caleb Hemmer  rep.caleb.hemmer@capitol.tn.gov
Rep. Scott Cepicky rep.scott.cepicky@capitol.tn.gov 
Rep. Gary Hicks rep.gary.hicks@capitol.tn.gov 
Rep. Sabi Kumar rep.sabi.kumar@capitol.tn.gov
Rep. Justin Lafferty rep.justin.lafferty@capitol.tn.gov
Rep. Brock Martin rep.brock.martin@capitol.tn.gov
Rep. Bo Mitchell  rep.bo.mitchell@capitol.tn.gov
Rep. Tim Rudd rep.tim.rudd@capitol.tn.gov
Rep. Iris Rudder rep.iris.rudder@capitol.tn.gov
Rep. Bryan Terry rep.bryan.terry@capitol.tn.gov

 

 

PRIVATE SCHOOLS SPORTS AND BIOLOGICAL SEX
SB 1237 by *Hensley - HB 0306 by *Bulso
Schools, Private - As introduced, authorizes a private school to create a policy to regulate a student's participation in the school's athletic activities or events based upon a student's biological sex.
STATUS:  HB306 is in K-12 Subcommittee on Tuesday.
ACTION:  Please contact these members and urge them to support this bill.
Rep. Kirk Haston rep.kirk.haston@capitol.tn.gov
Rep. Bryan Richey rep.bryan.richey@capitol.tn.gov
Rep. Chris Hurt  rep.chris.hurt@capitol.tn.gov
Rep. William Slater  rep.william.slater@capitol.tn.gov
Rep. Robert Stevens  rep.robert.stevens@capitol.tn.gov
Todd Warner rep.todd.warner@capitol.tn.gov.
Rep. Mark white rep.mark.white@capitol.tn.gov

 

 

OH -- AND ABOUT THAT THIRD GRADE RETENTION ISSUE?

On Tuesday, at 4:30pm in House Hearing Room II, 14 bills are on the calendar to be heard.

 

 

NOTE:  Both Eagle Forum at the federal level and the state level have been opposed to ARTIFICIAL term limits since the idea arose a number of years ago for the Congressional level.
We have 'term limits' -- they are called ELECTIONS every two, four and six years.
This Resolution and Bill deal with local government term limits. 

As I understand it, some other states have adopted term limits and they have proven to be very unsuccessful. 
Two states have overturned their term limits. In four states, the courts have overturned term limits.

Artificial term limits can transfer power and influence to others who are NOT accountable to the voters.

ACTION:  Let's not go down this road. 
PLEASE click on the committee links and ask them to vote against these bills.

TN CONSTITUTIONAL ESTABLISHING TERM LIMITS
 HJR 0045 by *Richey
Constitutional Amendments - Proposes amendment to establish a term limit of 16 years for all state and local public officials, except for the governor, for whom a term limit is established of eight years
STATUS:  HJR45 is in Public Service Subcommittee on Tuesday

 

LOCAL TERM LIMITS?
SB 0580 by *Pody - HB 0118 by *Richey
Local Government, General - As introduced, establishes a referendum process by which the electorate of a local government in this state may vote to establish 16-year term limits for the public officials of the local government.
STATUS: HB118 is in Elections & Campaign Finance Subcommittee on Wednesday.
 

 

 

THE PROTECTING CHILDREN FROM GENDER MUTILATION ACT
SB 0001by *Johnson , Yager, Haile, Bowling, White, Crowe, Bailey, Hensley, Jackson, Reeves
HB 0001 by *Lamberth , SEXTON , 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, WILLIAMS, BULSO, DAVIS, CARRINGER, MARSH, HOWELL
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

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:

Matt Walsh Testifies Before Tennessee House Committee About Anti-Child Mutilation Bill - 2/8/2023 .

Matt Walsh - Fox News - Tucker Carlson, 2.9.23 .

STATUS: SB0001 is on the Senate floor Monday evening; HB001 is in Civil Justice Committee on Wednesday.
NOTE: Please stay tuned: Some more possibly needed changes are still being discussed

Game-Changer? Tennessee En Route to Reject Federal Education Money 

Tennessee House speaker considers rejecting federal education money.

 

ADDITIONAL NOTE:  There is a lot of discussion around about SB105-HB88 bringing in toll roads. Please know that, and I have double checked - THE GOVERNOR CLEARLY STATED: "And hear me when I say this: toll roads are not on the table".