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The treat of the day was to get to see and visit Rep. Timothy Hill!! He was a former state representative and was re-elected to fill Scotty Campbell's seat. He is a great legislator and will be an asset to his district and to the state.
Anti-Human Trafficking Bill Passes Senate Judiciary Committee During Tennessee Special Session
August 23, 2023 Peter D'Abrosca
During the special session of the Tennessee General Assembly Tuesday, the issue of human trafficking took center stage.
The Senate Judiciary Committee Tuesday passed SB 7088, which as introduced would require the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) “to submit a report on child and human trafficking crimes and trends in this state, based upon data available to the bureau, as well as current programs and activities of the bureau’s human trafficking unit, to the governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, and the speaker of the senate by December 1, 2023, and by each December 1 thereafter.”
Seven members of the committee voted in favor of the bill, none voted against it and two, State Sen. London Lamar (D-Memphis) and State Sen. Jon Lundberg (R-Bristol), abstained.
State Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson (R-Franklin) (pictured above, left) introduced the anti-trafficking bill.
During the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing Tuesday, Johnson yielded to State Sen. Ken Yager (R-Kingston) (pictured above, right), the second line sponsor of the bill.
Yager immediately moved to put the bill before the committee.
Aaron Gulbransen, executive director of the Tennessee Faith and Freedom Coalition, served as a witness to bring the bill before the committee.
“I speak in support of this legislation, and again, I appreciate being before you,” he said. “We have modern day slavery in the United States that is known as child and human trafficking, and most of you have voted and championed legislation that combats it.”
Gulbransen urged swift action on behalf of the committee to pass the bill.
State Sen. Paul Rose (R-Covington) asked Gulbransen whether he knew how many victims of human trafficking were coming over the southern border.
Gulbransen said an estimated 150,000 unaccompanied minors could be victims of the practice, and noted that according to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), 13 percent of all human trafficking occurs at the southern border, but that 87 percent of human trafficking is conducted domestically.
Patrick Powell, a police director for the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI), was then called by Lamar as a witness. Lamar asked whether human trafficking statistics included statistics about labor trafficking.
Powell answered affirmatively.
The roll call vote was then taken, and the bill passed the committee.
The bill is expected to be voted upon Wednesday in the State Senate
Monday, August 21, 2023 - Sunday, August 27, 2023
Monday, August 21, 2023 - Sunday, August 27, 2023
Growing divide between House and Senate
A marathon House subcommittee meeting on Tuesday illustrated what may be a growing divide between House and Senate ambitions for the special session.
Hours after the Senate Judiciary Committee killed all but three pieces of legislation it had on its afternoon agenda, the House Criminal Justice Subcommittee met for four hours to consider a 33-item agenda, passing many of the items on to the full committee.
NOTE: I was there in this committee room when all this transpired yesterday.
There are rules about behavior and activities in the committee rooms just as there are for the Senate and House floors.
People are informed that when the committee is gaveled open, the signs are to be put down.
A large group of anti-gun visitors and some women from Covenant School were in the committee room. When asked to put their signs down, all the people did but one lady. She refused to the point that the troopers had to remove her.
Then the clapping started -- loud and long!! This means that the committee activity is interrupted and those of us trying to hear the debate can't hear. The people were asked to stop a couple of times and refused to do so. So that the work of the committee could continue, the Chairman asked that ALL of us be removed from the room.
So those people who REFUSED to cooperate with the guidelines RUINED it for the rest of us. That was very selfish in my view.
When removed from the room, we can no longer keep up with the bills being heard, what the debate is, etc.
IN SENATE JUDICIARY YESTERDAY, THIS BILL WAS' LAY[ED] ON THE TABLE.' and taken 'off notice' in the House Committee.
SB 7087 By Johnson - HB7015 by Lamberth
Criminal Procedure - As introduced, expands, from certain violent offenses to any felony offense, the offenses for which a person who has been arrested is required to have a biological specimen taken for the purpose of DNA analysis to determine identification characteristics specific to the person if probable cause exists for the arrest. - Amends TCA Section 40-35-321.
As you recall, Rep. Bryan Richey, R-Maryville, proposed a resolution to adjourn the special session. Here is the recorded vote on HJR7040
HOUSEFloor and Committee Votes
HJR7040 by Richey - FLOOR VOTE: MOTION TO SUSPEND THE RULES 8/21/2023
Failed
Ayes................................................6
Noes...............................................85
Representatives voting aye were: Capley, Hill, Keisling, Lynn, Richey, Warner -- 6.
Representatives voting no were: Alexander, Baum, Boyd, Bricken, Bulso, Burkhart, Butler, Camper, Carr, Carringer, Cepicky, Chism, Clemmons, Cochran, Crawford, Darby, Davis A, Davis E, Eldridge, Faison, Farmer, Freeman, Fritts, Gant, Garrett, Gillespie, Glynn, Grills, Hakeem, Hale, Hardaway, Harris, Haston, Hawk, Hazlewood, Helton-Haynes, Hemmer, Hicks G, Hicks T, Holsclaw, Howell, Jernigan, Johnson C, Johnson G, Jones, Kumar, Lafferty, Lamberth, Leatherwood, Littleton, Love, Marsh, Martin B, Martin G, McCalmon, McKenzie, Miller, Mitchell, Moody, Moon, Parkinson, Pearson, Powell, Powers, Ragan, Raper, Reedy, Rudd, Rudder, Russell, Shaw, Sherrell, Sparks, Stevens, Terry, Thompson, Todd, Towns, Travis, Vaughan, White, Whitson, Williams, Zachary, Mr. Speaker Sexton -- 85.
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