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).
DON’T KNOW WHO YOUR SENATOR OR REPRESENTATIVE IS? Just go HERE and you can find out!!
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:
State Sen. Steve Southerland (R-Morristown) was wheeled off the Senate floor and taken to the hospital Monday after experiencing some sort of medical emergency. As I understand it, he had some metabolic imbalances and is better now, but we still want to pray for his complete healing.
Former State Rep.(2002-2018) and present Mayor of Coffee County, Judd Matheny was found dead on Tuesday. Judd was a great leader, a personal friend and friend of Eagle Forum. We worked together on and passed some significant legislation. He will be buried in Tullahoma on Tuesday, his 54th birthday. Please remember his family, friends and constituents, and others who will always remember him and miss him greatly.
JOEL’S CORNER: Joel was under the weather this week, and we missed him.
NICK’S CORNER:
This week at the Tennessee State Legislature, I had the wonderful opportunity to be reminded about just how much one person can make a positive impact on the environment around them. This is why it is so vital for us to be faithful in the small things and to continue to show up to those places to which God has called us, because you never know how He might use us. I also had the privilege of witnessing God’s miraculous provision when it came to one specific piece of legislation. The legislation was received far better than we could have imagined, and it also reminded us that God is in the details.
For 37 years, Tennessee Eagle Forum has represented you, your family, and other Tennesseans at the TN General Assembly. It has been our pleasure and honor to do what we can do to ‘make a difference’ and have been blessed to create a good ‘track record’.
However, we cannot do that without the necessary financial support. As the 113th Tennessee General Assembly winds down, would you PLEASE make a DONATION to our work?
We need your help and would be VERY GRATEFUL.
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US CONSTITUTION REQUIRING TERM LIMITS
HJR 0005 by *Todd, Sparks, Warner, Zachary, Bricken, Hawk, Lynn, Richey, Garrett, Powers, Capley, Carr, Vital
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
NOTE: HJR005 was on the Senate floor for its final vote on Thursday, but, for some reason, was moved to the coming Monday floor session. That means we have one more opportunity to make our voices heard.
I know, I KNOW, it seems so simple. EVERYONE is really fed up with what is going on in DC, and we WANT to see change and sending them home looks like the perfect option. However, the potential consequences of that choice cannot be ignored. This decision is far too important to ignore what it could really mean. PLEASE review the information below. Let’s not do something we might regret.
Please carefully read ARTICLE V of the US Constitution:
The Congress, whenever two thirds of both Houses shall deem it necessary, shall propose Amendmentsto this Constitution, or, on the Application of the Legislatures of two thirds of the several States, shall call a Convention for proposing Amendments, which, in either Case, shall be valid to all Intents and Purposes, as Part of this Constitution, when ratified by the Legislatures of three fourths of the several States, or by Conventions in three fourths thereof, as the one or the other Mode of Ratification may be proposed by the Congress; Provided that no Amendment which may be made prior to the Year One thousand eight hundred and eight shall in any Manner affect the first and fourth Clauses in the Ninth Section of the first Article; and that no State, without its Consent, shall be deprived of its equal Suffrage in the Senate
Once ‘called’, CONGRESS is in charge, there are no rules regardless of what may have been passed at the state level. The number of amendments cannot be limited. The method of ratification cannot be controlled. The fact that the proposed amendments have to go back to the states for ratification DOES NOT mean only to the state legislatures, they can also be sent to a convention– made up of whom, put in place how, never to really be accountable to the voter?? And….can you even imagine the social media CIRCUS for either would become, or the money that might be invested to influence the outcome?
Please read: THE PROBLEMS WITH ARTIFICIAL TERM LIMITS
Here’s a look at congressional tenure, by the numbers:
The average years of service for Members of the 117th Congress, as of January 3, 2021, when the Congress convened, was 8.9 years for the House and 11.0 years for the Senate. In comparison, the average years of service for Members of the 116th Congress, as of January 3, 2019, when the Congress convened, was 8.6 years for the House and 10.1 years for the Senate.
The way to effectively reform Congress lies in supporting and voting for candidates who uphold the belief in a stronger local government rather than a stronger national government. Term limits will not achieve the reform that is needed in our federal government because term limits will NOT RESTRAIN the power of our federal government.
ACTION: Please contact the Senators below and URGE them to OPPOSE HJR0005:
Lt. Gov Randy McNally – (615) 741-6806 – lt.gov.randy.mcnally@capitol.tn.gov
Sen. Rusty Crowe – (615) 741-2468 – sen.rusty.crowe@capitol.tn.gov
Sen. Todd Gardenhire – (615) 741-6682 – sen.todd.gardenhire@capitol.tn.gov
Sen. Ferrell Haile – (615) 741-1999 – sen.ferrell.haile@capitol.tn.gov
Sen. Joey Hensley – (615) 741-3100 – sen.joey.hensley@capitol.tn.gov
Sen. Jack Johnson – (615) 741-2495 sen.jack.johnson@capitol.tn.gov
Sen. Becky Duncan Massey – (615) 741-1648 – sen.becky.massey@capitol.tn.gov
Sen. Bill Powers – (615) 741-2374 – sen.bill.powers@capitol.tn.gov
Sen. Shane Reeves (615) 741-1066 sen.shane.reeves@capitol.tn.gov
Sen. Kerry Roberts (615) 741-4499 sen.kerry.roberts@capitol.tn.gov
Sen. Steve Southerland (615) 741-3851 sen.steve.southerland@capitol.tn.gov,
Sen. Art Swann – (615) 741-0981 – sen.art.swann@capitol.tn.gov
Sen. Bo Watson – (615) 741-3227- sen.bo.watson@capitol.tn.gov
“EDUCATION FREEDOM SCHOLARSHIP ACT”
SB 0503 by *Johnson – Lamberth- HB 1183
by *Lamberth , WHITE, CEPICKY, MOODY, SLATER, GARRETT
Education – As introduced, extends from October to November, the time within which a public institution of higher education that receives funds from the distribution of credit cards to students or any percentage from the use of cards bearing the college or university name or logo must report the amount of such funds or percentage received as well as how the funds were expended during the previous fiscal year to the education committee of the senate and the education administration committee of the house of representatives. – Amends TCA Title 4; Title 8 and Title 49
STATUS: SB503, AS AMENDED, was scheduled inSenate FW&Mthis week, but was postponed until April 9th. HB1183, AS AMENDED, has been scheduled in House FW&M sub on April 10th.
Do we have ” A BILL” yet? NO! The two amendments are still very far apart in plan and in cost.
WHAT ABOUT MY $7000 CHECK?. by Dr. Eric Potter
THE “STRINGLESS” SB503: WHAT ABOUT SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES? by
Dr. Eric Potter
School Choice is More than Universal Vouchers, by JC Bowman
The assessments just above might be helpful to you. To contact each committee, click on the RED links above to call the committee members or send an email.
RIGHTS FOR PARENTS?
SB 2749 by *Haile – HB 2936 by *Faison
Children – As introduced, enacts the “Families’ Rights and Responsibilities Act.” – Amends TCA Title 33; Title 36; Title 37; Title 49; Title 63 and Title 68.
STATUS: On March 28, SB2749, AS AMENDED, passed the Senate Floor 24-6.
Sens. voting aye were: Bailey, Crowe, Gardenhire, Haile, Hensley, Johnson, Lowe, Lundberg, Massey, Niceley, Pody, Powers, Reeves, Roberts, Rose, Southerland, Stevens, Swann, Taylor, Walley, Watson, White, Yager, Mr. Speaker McNally — 24. Sens, voting no were: Akbari, Bowling, Campbell, Kyle, Oliver, Yarbro — 6.
STATUS: On April 3rd, AS AMENDED, HB2936 was voted out of the House Civil Justice Committee on a voice vote.
This version of the bill is better than the original, but there is at least one thing that really received a lot of attention, and is found on Page 4:
(3) This section does not apply when:
(A) A parent of the minor has given blanket consent authorizing
the person or entity to perform an activity listed in subsection (c);
Parents are asked to sign a ‘blanket consent’ in many places for their children – school, sports, medical treatment, etc. Most probably don’t even think of how broad that consent is nor what could be involved, where it might be involved, who might end up with the relinquished consent.
ACTION: HB2936 is scheduled on the House floor on Thursday. You will want to contact your legislator and urge him or her to make it very clear to parents exactly what ‘blanket consent’ means, how far it goes, and that they can withdraw that permission when they desire.
Also, to be kept in mind is that we have the Mature Minor Doctrine in Tennessee, which could play a role in this entire situation.
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LAW ENFORCEMENT, ETC., “SHALL” COOPERATE IN VARIOUS IMMIGRATION TASKS
SB 2576 by *Taylor – HB 2124 by *Grills
Immigration – As introduced, requires, rather than authorizes, law enforcement agencies to communicate with the appropriate federal official regarding the immigration status of any individual, including reporting knowledge that a particular alien is not lawfully present in the United States or otherwise cooperate with the appropriate federal official in the identification, apprehension, detention, or removal of aliens not lawfully present in the United States. – Amends TCA Title 7, Chapter 68
STATUS: SB2576-HB2124, as AMENDED, has been sent to the Governor for his signature.
The passage of this bill has caused quite a stir. The Governor has 10 days to VETO, sign, or not sign the bill. If he chooses not to sign the bill, it will still become law without his signature. But let’s encourage him to sign it! We can call 615-741-2001 and leave a polite message asking him to sign this bill.
Hundreds protest new immigration bill on Gov. Lee’s desk.
PRAISE THE LORD!!!
Titans bill to make Sunday bar hours start at 8 a.m. fails in House
(The Center Square) – A bill that would allow Nashville to open bars at 8 a.m. on Sundays failed in the Tennessee House.
House Bill 1672 failed with a 33-46 vote with 13 members marked present but not voting.
The bill suggested by the Tennessee Titans to allow fans to head to bars earlier on Sundays when the NFL holds games in Europe.
House Reps. Tom Leatherwood, R-Arlington, and Bud Hulsey, R-Kingsport, objected to the bill, saying it was contradictory to Senate Bill 1798, which required bartender alcohol awareness training to include training to recognize a person could be under the influence of a date rape drug and signs of human trafficking.
SB 1798 passed on a 91-4 vote after being amended and will now head back to the Senate.
“I don’t see the two as living in the same world,” said Rep. Bob Freeman, D-Nashville. “You should be able to drink responsibly without being raped.”
Freeman said the bills are mutually exclusive, saying Gov. Bill Haslam had signed legislation in the state to allow for alcohol sales on Sundays but put different hours on alcohol sales than any other day of the week.
Currently, bars can begin alcohol sales at 10 a.m. on Sundays and 8 a.m. on every other day.
“Once again, we are saturating this state with alcohol, from one end to the other,” said Rep. Ron M. Gant, R-Piperton. “I just want us to begin to think about every time we approve alcohol starting at 8 o’clock in the morning. Where does it end?”
