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's a tendency to throw aside old values as belonging to an earlier generation. Don't discard those values that have proven, over the period of time, their value. Just believe in those values that made our nation great and keep them: faith, family, hard work, and, above all, freedom.
Ronald Reagan, Speech at Illinois State Fair, Springfield, Illinois, August 12, 1986. |
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FOR YOUR PRAYER LIST:
Thankfully, Lt. Gov. Randy McNally continues to improve from his ankle surgery. However, his wife, Jan, had to have abdominal surgery on Wednesday. Please remember her in your prayers. Rep. Kelly Keisley was out today. We should remember him too.
The deadline for filing House bills was Wednesday (1,369 bills are now filed); for the Senate, the deadline was Thursday. That means we are about to have a 'bill explosion.' Please pray for the lawmakers as they wade through these and that they will make good, useful, helpful decisions for the citizens of TN.
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JOEL'S CORNTER:
I noticed this week that the fine details of the legislative process are very complex and detailed. It reminds me of gears in a clock, many distinct parts and many varying components, all of which have a purpose. It is fascinating to me that the complexity is intentional, a helpful blend of checks and balances designed to keep legislators accountable. Our government is nowhere near perfect, but it was formed in a very thoughtful way.
NICK'S CORNER:
During this past week at the Tennessee State Capitol, I had the privilege of sitting in on several different committee meetings. I also had the honor of hearing personal testimony as notable people gave their convincing statements. I enjoyed learning the process of what a bill must go through before ever making it to the chamber floor -- thus learning the strong effort that must be put into every single bill.
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UNCONDITIONAL SUPPORT FOR ISRAEL
HJR 0688 by *Todd, White, Rudd, Keisling, McCalmon, Barrett, Garrett, Howell, Hawk, Cochran, Grills, Williams, Alexander, Littleton, Sherrell, Moody, Martin B, Hicks T, Doggett, Crawford, Terry, Lafferty, Butler, Capley, Power
General Assembly, Statement of Intent or Position - Affirms support for Israel and condemns Hamas
PLEASE NOTE: HJR 688 was scheduled for Tuesday in the House Public Service Committee. It was 'taken off notice', which means it was postponed.
Rep. Chris Todd appreciates your support and sends this explanation:
"After consultation with the Israeli consulate in Atlanta and discussions with House members, the decision was made to hold my HJR 688, which is a strong condemnation of Hamas, as well as a strong show of support for Israel, and instead attempt a bipartisan resolution. Senator Hensley had recently filed SJR 870 as a strong show of support by our state for Israel that is expected to have bipartisan support in both Chambers. Once it passes the Senate, I will immediately sponsor it in the House and push it as hard as I can. When, not if Hamas perpetrates another horrendous act against our Israeli friends, I will put HJR688 on notice and run it through as fast as possible."
We will keep you posted.
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Gov. Lee to Deliver Sixth State of the State Address on February 5
Monday, January 22, 2024 | 06:09am
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Today, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee announced he will deliver his sixth State of the State address to the General Assembly and fellow Tennesseans on Monday, February 5 at 6 p.m. CST. The joint session will take place in the House Chamber of the Tennessee State Capitol.
“Tennessee is continuing to lead the nation as a beacon of opportunity, security and freedom,” said Gov. Lee. “Every Tennessean has an important role to play as we strengthen and secure our state’s future, and in the coming year, I look forward to working with the General Assembly to accomplish our legislative priorities and make life better for all.”
The address can be found on Lee’s Facebook and YouTube channels and will be aired statewide.
[It is expected that the Governor will give a lot of attention to the Education Freedom Scholarship Act].
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
NOTE: This bill's 'caption' language (meaning that this language is a 'placeholder' for the language that will be amended into this bill after it is fully developed) is HERE. Very different from the original eight pages we saw a few days ago. Now the fun begins!!
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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: SB1641 was heard in Senate Health and Welfare Committee on Wednesday. Two amendments were added, but for some reason they are not on the Legislative website. There was an extended discussion. Both Zack Blair from the TN Hospital Association and Holt Whitt, Dept. of Health, Governor's office, testified against the bill.
ACTION: SB1641 is once again in the Senate Health and Welfare Committee on Wednesday, February 7th. Please contact committee members and urge them to vote YES on this bill.
Sen. Rusty Crowe sen.rusty.crowe@capitol.tn.gov
Sen. Ferrell Haile sen.ferrell.haile@capitol.tn.gov,
Sen. Shane Reeves sen.shane.reeves@capitol.tn.gov,
Sen. Joey Hensley sen.joey.hensley@capitol.tn.gov
Sen. Ed Jackson sen.ed.jackson@capitol.tn.gov
Sen. Becky Massey sen.becky.Massey@capitol.tn.gov,
Sen. Art Swann sen.art.swann@capitol.tn.gov
Sen. Bo Watson sen.bo.watson@capitol.tn.gov
Sen. Jeff Yarbro sen.jeff.yarbro@capitol.tn.gov
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FIRE ALARM ACTIVATION:
SB 1679 by *Haile - HB 1644 by *Lamberth , SLATER, SHERRELL
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.
STATUS: HB1644, as AMENDED, is on the House Floor on Thursday, February 8th.
ACTION: Please contact your House member and urge him or her to vote YES on this legislation.
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KNOWN AS "JULLIAN'S LAW."
SB 1769 by *Lundberg - HB 1640 by *Lamberth , WILLIAMS, SHERRELL, BRICKEN, RUSSELL, GILLESPIE, HOWELL
Mental Illness - As introduced, expands the definition of "adjudication as a mental defective" to include a person who has been found incompetent to stand trial in a criminal proceeding and requires the clerk of court in such a proceeding to collect and report any such finding to the federal bureau of investigation-NICS Index and the department of safety; establishes a rebuttable presumption that a person who has been charged with a criminal offense and found incompetent to stand trial poses a substantial likelihood of serious harm; prohibits the purchase or possession of a firearm by a person who has been adjudicated as a mental defective. - Amends TCA Title 16; Title 33; Title 37; Title 39 and Title 40
House Majority Leader William Lamberth, R-Portland. filed House Bill 1640 following the murder of Jullian Ludwig, who was fatally shot while walking in a Nashville park on Nov. 7. Her killer, Shaquille Taylor, was a repeat violent offender prosecuted in April 2023 for a separate crime of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. The case against Taylor was dismissed after three court-appointed physicians testified he was incompetent to stand trial and was released from custody.
STATUS: HB1640 passed out of Criminal Justice Subcommittee last Wednesday and is on the calendar in Criminal Justice Full Committee on Tuesday.
ACTION: Please contact these committee members who are not on the subcommittee, and THANK THEM for their anticipated YES vote:
Rep. Michele Carringer rep.michele.carringer@capitol.tn.gov
Rep. Andrew Farmer rep.andrew.farmer@capitol.tn.gov
Rep. Ronnie Glynn rep.ronnie.glynn@capitol.tn.gov
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OBSCENE LIBRARY MATERIALS ACT
SB 2173 by *Hensley - HB 1661 by *Ragan
Libraries - As introduced, enacts the "Restricted Access by Minors to Obscene Library Materials Act." - Amends TCA Title 10, Chapter 1 and Title 10, Chapter 3
STATUS: HB1661 is in Departments & Agencies Subcommittee on Wednesday
ACTION: Please contact the committee members and urge them to support this effort:
Rep. John Holsclaw rep.john.holsclaw@capitol.tn.gov
Rep. Rush Bricken rep.rush.bricken@capitol.tn.gov
Rep. Michele Carringer rep.michele.carringer@capitol.tn.gov
Rep. Jessej Chism rep.jesse.chism@capitol.tn.gov
Rep. Kirk Haston rep.kirk.haston@capitol.tn.gov
Rep. Kelly Keisling rep.kelly.keisling@capitol.tn.gov
Rep. Mary Littleton rep.mary.littleton@capitol.tn.gov
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