Legislative Update, February 4, 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).
 

“Discernment is not a matter of telling the difference between right and wrong; rather it is telling the difference between right and almost right.” — Charles H. Spurgeon

 

FOR YOUR PRAYER LIST:
It was announced on Friday that the First Lady, Marie Lee, will be undergoing a bone marrow transplant. Please pray that this procedure will be totally successful and that her health will be completely restored. Senator Mark Pody said this morning at the Bellevue Breakfast Club that his wife, Barbara, was diagnosed with cancer on Thursday. She is having surgery on Monday. Please keep them both in your prayers. Also, be praying for the lawmakers and staff members' health and safety.  Some have had potentially serious health problems and, of course, they have to drive in all this terrible, unpredictable weather we have and we want them to be safe.

 

Yes it is true, this is my 36th year at the Capitol.  I know, I can't believe it either!!! I have had fun wearing this button and answering the questions about it, especially from someone teasing by asking if I was 36 years old!!  

As you know, there is 'no free lunch'. It takes financial support to keep Tennessee Eagle Forum SERVING YOU!  

There are two ways to help.  You can make an online DONATION, or you can mail a check to 3216 Bluewater Trace, Nashville, 37217.

How about making a donation of $36.00 or some multiple of that amount??

 

 

Rep. Chris Todd

House Committee room

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.

STATUS: SB0003 was in Senate Judiciary on Tuesday, where an AMENDMENT was adopted that re-wrote the bill and the bill passed 7-1
Sens voting aye were: Gardenhire, Lundberg, Roberts, Rose, Stevens, Taylor, White -- 7.
Sen. voting no was: Lamar -- 1
It will be on the Senate floor Monday evening where it is expected to pass.
STATUS:  HB0009 was in House Criminal Justice Subcommittee on Tuesday, where the AMENDMENT was adopted that re-wrote the bill and after pretty much a 'circus' debate, it passed  with a Voice Vote - Ayes Prevail Rep. Johnson G. requested to be recorded as voting No and will be in the Criminal Justice Committee on Tuesday.
NOTE: Despite all the frivolous arguments against this bill, the goal is to make sure that Tennessee's HARMFUL TO MINORS LAW [incidentally a law that I helped to pass in 1989] is actually enforced in these settings.

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
STATUS: SB001 was in the Senate Health and Welfare Committee on Wednesday, where an AMENDMENT was added that completely re-wrote the bill. After hearing the witnesses, the committee passed the bill 8-1: Sens voting aye were: Crowe, Haile, Hensley, Jackson, Massey, Reeves, Swann, Watson -- 8.     Sen. voting no was: Yarbro -- 1. It is scheduled in Senate Judiciary on Tuesday.
STATUS: HB001 was in Health Subcommittee on Tuesday, where an AMENDMENT was added that completely re-wrote the bill. After the various testimonies, the bill was passed by  Voice Vote - Ayes Prevail Rep. Mitchell requested to be recorded as voting No. It is scheduled in House Health Committee on Wednesday, where it is expected to pass.
NOTE: Some more possibly needed changes are being discussed. 
 
 

DEFENDING THE INTEREST OF THE STATE:
SB 0487 by *Stevens - HB 0038 by *Bulso , POWERS
Attorney General and Reporter - As introduced, specifies that when, in the judgment of the speaker of the house and the speaker of the senate, the interest of the state requires additional counsel to the attorney general and reporter, the speaker of the house and the speaker of the senate shall retain additional counsel to prosecute an action on behalf of the state if the representation does not result in an increase in state expenditures

TN Eagle Forum gives big shout out to Gino Bulso, a freshman legislator from Williamson County, on his first bill HB38 which we strongly endorse! For those who were around when we were trying to get our 10th Amendment lawsuit off the ground, if it hadn’t been for the determination of the legislature and the public interest law firm - The Thomas Moore Law Center, we would never have been able to file this suit: Game On: Tennessee to Sue Feds Over Unconstitutional Refugee Resettlement .

Bulso’s bill will provide a way for the elected legislators who appropriate state funds and whose exclusive authority in this specific arena, can be appropriately asserted.

Then TN AG Herb Slatery refused to represent the state. While our eventual petition to the U.S. Supreme Court was ultimately denied, we do believe that it would have been granted by the current court and, given that the pertinent law was on our side, we would have had a legitimate chance to prevail. The TN Eagle Forum was one of the several organizations that filed an amicus brief in support of the petition to the Supreme In case anyone wants to refresh on the fundamental 10th amendment issue that was and is still at stake you can read the case HERE .
STATUS:  HB38 is in Public Service Subcommittee on Tuesday
ACTON: Please contact these legislators and ask them to support this bill: 
Rep. Iris Rudder rep.iris.rudder@capitol.tn.gov , 
Rep. Rebecca Alexander rep.rebecca.alexander@capitol.tn.gov , 
Rep. Vincent Dixie rep.vincent.dixie@capitol.tn.gov, 
Rep. Rick Eldridge rep.rick.eldridge@capitol.tn.gov , 
Rep. Dennis Powers rep.dennis.powers@capitol.tn.gov , 
Rep. Curtis Johnson rep.curtis.johnson@capitol.tn.gov, 
Rep. Kelly Keisling  rep.kelly.keisling@capitol.tn.gov

 

 

SUPERVISION FOR LIFE:
SB 0287 by *Haile - HB 0701 by *Doggett
Sexual Offenses - As introduced, adds the act of soliciting a minor to engage in conduct that would be statutory rape by an authority figure to the offense of solicitation of a minor; requires a person convicted of continuous sexual abuse of a minor to be sentenced to community supervision for life in addition to any other punishment
This bill adds the offense of continuous sexual abuse of a child to the list of qualifying criminal misconduct that is sentenced to community supervision for life in addition to any other statutorily imposed punishment.
STATUS:  HB0701 is in Criminal Justice Subcommittee on Tuesday.
ACTON:  Please contact these legislators and urge them to support this bill: 
Rep. Scotty Campbell rep.scotty.campbell@capitol.tn.gov, 
Rep. Elaine Davis  rep.elaine.davis@capitol.tn.gov, 
Rep. John Gillespie rep.john.gillespie@capitol.tn.gov. 
Rep. Dan Howell rep.dan.howell@capitol.tn.gov , 
Rep. Bud Hulsey rep.bud.hulsey@capitol.tn.gov ,
Rep. William Lamberth rep.william.lamberth@capitol.tn.gov,
Rep. Debra Moody  rep.debra.moody@capitol.tn.gov, 
Rep. Lowell Russell rep.lowell.russell@capitol.tn.gov ,  
Paul Sherrell rep.paul.sherrell@capitol.tn.gov, 
Joe Townes rep.joe.towns@capitol.tn.gov.

 

NOTE: Because of the icy roads on Wednesday, my intern, Andrew, was unable to be with me.

 

Gov. Lee to Deliver Fifth State of the State Address on Feb. 6

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Today, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee announced he will deliver his fifth State of the State address to the General Assembly and fellow Tennesseans on Monday, February 6 at 6 p.m. CT. The joint session will take place in the House Chamber of the Tennessee State Capitol.

“Tennessee is leading the nation, and I look forward to sharing my budget and legislative priorities for the upcoming year that will ensure we remain a standard bearer for opportunity, security and freedom,” said Lee. “I believe our state’s best days are ahead, and together with the General Assembly, we will continue working to make life better for all Tennesseans.”

The address can be found on Lee’s Facebook and YouTube channels and will be aired statewide.