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!!
“There are more instances of the abridgment of th freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power than by violent and sudden usurpation.”
James Madison
JOEL’S CORNER:
I was very encouraged from my day at the capital this week. We got to have several meaningful conversations with legislators. What stood out the most was that not one, but two freshmen legislators expressed their surprise at the amount of Godly people in the state capitol. It is not a perfect system by any means, but I truly do believe that there are many men and women in the legislature that truly do want to do what is right.
NICK’S CORNER:
This week at the Tennessee State Capitol, I had the honor and privilege of meeting the TN Attorney General. I am constantly enamored by the faith and work ethic some of these people that I get to meet truly have and embody. As I sat in different committee meetings and met with different legislators, I immersed myself in learning new topics I had never previously considered — growing my overall appreciation for this incredible state.
FIRE ALARM ACTIVATION:
SB 1679 by *Haile – HB 1644 by *Lamberth, SLATER, SHERRELL, ALEXANDER, GARRETT, HARDAWAY, GANT, ZACHARY, HICKS G, RUSSELL, RICHEY, MOON, LEATHERWOOD, BRICKEN, LITTLETON, MOODY, DAVIS, WRIGHT, POWELL, TODD, WHITSON, CARRINGER, MCCALMON, ELDRIDGE, RAGAN, MARSH, HAWK, MILLER, RAPER, STEVENS, LOVE, BEHN, HOWELL, HELTON-HAYNES, COCHRAN, TERRY, CARR, KUMAR, HICKS T, HURT, CEPICKY, POWERS
Safety – As introduced, requires each LEA, public charter school, private school, and church-related school to develop a procedure to determine the cause of a fire alarm activation, including the potential of an active shooter event; requires each LEA to coordinate with appropriate safety teams to incorporate the procedure; specifies that the procedure must be implemented no later than July 1, 2024.
This bill was in response to the Covenant School shooting in Nashville on March 27
STATUS: Something you rarely see in the Legislature but, as AMENDED, HB1644 PASSED THE HOUSE FLOOR UNANIMOUSLY, 97-0!!
ACTION: SB1679 is scheduled in the Senate Education Committee on Wednesday. Please go HERE, find your senator and make sure he/she knows about the UNANIMOUS vote in the House and urge him/her to vote for SB1679.
More good news:
HUMAN TRAFFICKING VICTIM
SB 0181 by *Walley – HB 1384 by *Ragan
Criminal Offenses – As introduced, deletes the criminal offense of aggravated prostitution and permits a person to have a prior conviction for aggravated prostitution that was the result of the person’s status as a human trafficking victim expunged if the person meets certain conditions
STATUS: SB181, as AMENDED, passed the Senate floor 33-0!!
ACTION: HB1384 will soon be on the House floor. Unfortunately, since votes are NOT recorded in House committees, we don’t know how strong the support for this bill is but you can help by contacting your House member HERE urging him/her to vote FOR this important bill.
PROTECTING OUR STATE:
SB 2859 by *Roberts – HB 1841 by *Ragan
Public Contracts – As introduced, prohibits certain foreign entities from submitting bids for contracts with the state or a political subdivision of the state; requires entities bidding on contracts to make certain disclosures and certifications related to the entities’ business relationship with certain foreign entities; provides for civil penalties if the disclosures or certifications are false. – Amends TCA Title 4; Title 9 and Title 12.
STATUS: HB1841 is in the Public Service Subcommittee on Tuesday.
ACTION: Please ask the members to vote YES on this proposal
Rep. Iris Rudder- (615) 741-8695; rep.iris.rudder@capitol.tn.gov
Rep. Rebecca Alexander – (615) 741-2251; rep.rebecca.alexander@capitol.tn.gov
Rep. Vincent Dixie- (615) 741-1997; rep.vincent.dixie@capitol.tn.gov
Rep. Rick Eldridge- (615) 741-6877; rep.rick.eldridge@capitol.tn.gov
Rep. Curtis Johnson- (615) 741-4341; rep.curtis.johnson@capitol.tn.gov
Rep. Kelly Keisling- (615) 741-6852; rep.kelly.keisling@capitol.tn.gov
Rep. Dennis Powers- (615) 741-3335; rep.dennis.powers@capitol.tn.gov
UNCONDITIONAL SUPPORT FOR ISRAEL
SJR 0870 by *Hensley, Stevens, Yager
General Assembly, Statement of Intent or Position – Expresses support for State of Israel and condemns recent attacks on Israel.
STATUS: SJR870 is in Senate Finance Ways and Means on Tuesday.
ACTION: Please contact these committee members and urge him/her to vote YES on this important resolution.
Sen. Bo Watson – (615) 741-3227- sen.bo.watson@capitol.tn.gov .
Sen. Ferrell Haile – (615) 741-1999 – sen.ferrell.haile@capitol.tn.gov .
Sen. Jack Johnson – (615) 741-2495 – sen.jack.johnson@capitol.tn.gov.
Sen. London Lamar – (615) 741-2509 – sen.london.lamar@capitol.tn.gov.
Sen. Bill Powers – (615) 741-2374 – sen.bill.powers@capitol.tn.gov.
Sen. Page Walley – (615) 741-2368 – sen.page.walley@capitol.tn.gov.
Sen. Dawn White (615) 741-6853 sen.dawn.white@capitol.tn.gov.
Sen. Jeff Yarbro – (615) 741-3291 – sen.jeff.yarbro@capitol.tn.gov.
LIMITING GOVERNMENT AUTHORITY:
SB 1641 by *Pody, Haile, Hensley – HB 1883 by *Capley
Hospitals and Health Care Facilities – As introduced, creates the right of an attorney in fact designated to make healthcare decisions under a durable power of attorney for health care to conduct at least one in-person visitation with the principal for each day the principal is in a hospital; permits the hospital to require the attorney in fact to submit to non-invasive health and safety protocols; prohibits the visitation right from being terminated, suspended, waived, or otherwise limited during a declared disaster or state of emergency. – Amends TCA Title 34; Title 63 and Title 68
Sen. Pody: “I don’t want to have to take a shot to visit someone in the hospital’.
STATUS: As amended,SB1641 is on the Senate Floor on Monday. Please contact your Senator HERE and urge him/her vote YES on this important bill.
EDUCATION FREEDOM SCHOLARSHIP ACT:
SB2787 Johnson – HB2468 Lamberth
Education – As introduced, requires the department of education to study the school choice programs available in other states and to submit a report of the department’s findings at the conclusion of the study to the Governor, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the Speaker of the Senate no later than January 1, 2025. – Amends TCA Title 49
PLEASE NOTE: Despite what we are CONTINUALLY hearing from all over the place about what this bill does and doesn’t do, IT IS NOT IN PRINT NOR HAS IT BEEN FILED YET!!!
It is possible that the language may be released this coming week and then the ‘sausage making machine’ can start!!