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| "All that we call human history - money, poverty, ambition, war, prostitution, classes, empires, slavery - is the long terrible story of man trying to find something other than God which will make him happy." "Mere Christianity," C.S. Lewis wrote: |
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FOR YOUR PRAYER LIST:
What is done is done. Now we will have to live with the decisions that were made by the 114th TN General Assembly. The outcome reminds me of something I have said for many years: You win some, you lose some, and some get rained out. Well, that certainly happened this year. We can pray that those things that need changing will come to light so that they can be addressed in the next session.
 Gwen Adams
TEF Ex. Dir. |
During the final vote on HB0322, Democrats began proposing amendments to weaken the bill. We had gained strong support meeting with so many legislators, answering questions and emphasizing the need for the different aspects of this legislation, that they did not waiver. This final attack at the very end failed too. Praise the Lord!
We’ve been asked why a smuggling law was needed. In the movie Sound of Freedom, the children are taken by boat to be purchased by abusers. The authorities have to wait until the purchase is being made to make the arrest, putting the children in grave danger. Now we can arrest the smugglers in the boat.
Purchase/sell = trafficking
Ransporting/holding = smuggling
HUMAN TRAFFICKING TO INCLUDE SMUGGLING
SB 0392 by *Taylor , Johnson, White, Rose, Harshbarger, Lowe, Seal, Southerland, Hatcher, Bailey, Bowling, Hensley, Jackson, Stevens, Walley, Watson
HB 0322 by *Todd , Lamberth, Leatherwood, Keisling, Doggett, Russell, Atchley, Gant, Hill, Carringer, Martin B, Hulsey, Sherrell, Reneau, Stinnett, Moon, McCalmon, Alexander, Powers, Reedy, Zachary, Capley, Burkhart, Maberry, Barrett, Davis, Butler, Bricken, Terry, Fritts, Cepicky
Criminal Offenses - As introduced, creates the offense of human smuggling; creates the offense of harboring or hiding, or assisting another in harboring or hiding, within this state an individual who the person knows or should have known has illegally entered or remained in the United States; authorizes the attorney general to take certain actions against a person or organization who commits or is about to commit a human trafficking offense or an aggravated human trafficking offense. - Amends TCA Title 39
After being on the calendar three times, as AMENDED, HB322 (please note the number of co-sponsors we have) we were Number 1 on the calendar on Tuesday morning.
AND.........we won. No, You won, no really the children and youth in Tennessee WON !!
This was one of the most difficult bills we have ever handled and only because some people were either paid, or just trained, to completely misrepresent what the bill was about and what it did. But with prayer, hard work, and good sponsors, the job was finally completed. Praise the Lord!!
The vote was 73-22:
Reps voting aye were: Alexander, Atchley, Barrett, Baum, Boyd, Bricken, Bulso, Burkhart, Butler, Capley, Carringer, Cepicky, Cochran, Crawford, Darby, Davis, Doggett, Eldridge, Farmer, Fritts, Gant, Garrett, Gillespie, Grills, Hale, Haston, Hawk, Helton-Haynes, Hicks G, Hicks T, Hill, Howell, Hulsey, Hurt, Jones R, Keisling, Kumar, Lafferty, Lamberth, Leatherwood, Littleton, Lynn, Maberry, Marsh, Martin B, Martin G, McCalmon, Moody, Moon, Powers, Raper, Reedy, Reeves, Reneau, Rudd, Rudder, Russell, Scarbrough, Sherrell, Slater, Sparks, Stevens, Stinnett, Terry, Todd, Vaughan, Vital, Warner, White, Williams, Wright, Zachary, Mr. Speaker Sexton -- 73.
Reps voting no were: Behn, Brooks, Camper, Chism, Clemmons, Dixie, Freeman, Glynn, Hakeem, Hardaway, Harris, Hemmer, Johnson, Jones J, Love, McKenzie, Miller, Mitchell, Parkinson, Powell, Shaw, Towns -- 22.
Now it will go to the Governor for his signature!!
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LIMITING GOVERNOR'S EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT POWERS:
SB 0027 by *Pody , Bailey, White - HB 0324 by *Grills , Hulsey, Warner, Burkhart, Capley, Howell, Fritts, Hurt, Martin B, Martin G, Davis, Carringer, Moody, Barrett, Reneau, McCalmon, Reedy, Zachary, Doggett, Sparks
You can click HERE, then on SUMMARY for more information.
"A bill targeting Tennessee governors' authority to issue executive orders during states of emergency became law Thursday without Republican Gov. Bill Lee’s signature.
The measure sponsored by Sen. Mark Pody, R-Lebanon, and Rep. Rusty Grills, R-Newbern, prevents executive orders, proclamations and rules issued by the governor from “contravening, suspending, or conflicting a provision of the Constitution of Tennessee.”
The Tennessee Journal, Andy Sher
SB27-HB324 became law WITHOUT the Governor's signature.
HOWEVER
Gov. Lee signs bill protecting IVF, contraceptives access, despite 11 House Republicans pushing for veto
ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT STUDENTS
SB 0836 by *Watson, Yager, Johnson, Stevens
HB 0793 by *Lamberth, Garrett, Capley, Butler, Todd, Martin G, Rudd, Zachary, Reeves, Lafferty, Doggett, Fritts, Cepicky
Local Education Agencies - As introduced, authorizes LEAs and public charter schools to refuse to enroll students who are unlawfully present in the United States. - Amends TCA Title 4 and Title 49.
Tennessee pauses bill targeting right to education regardless of immigration status
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Republican lawmakers in Tennessee have paused a bill meant to challenge the constitutional right for children to attend public schools regardless of their immigration status. Instead, with time waning in the legislative session, they are asking U.S. officials for guidance on whether the bill would jeopardize federal education funding.
The direction announced Monday by House Majority Leader William Lamberth, the bill sponsor, diminishes the chances for the bill to pass this year as lawmakers prepare for a likely adjournment this week. The Tennessee Journal first reported on Lamberth’s decision.
Hundreds of children have packed the Tennessee Capitol this year to oppose the bill that takes aim at the protection established by the landmark 1982 U.S. Supreme Court decision in Plyler v. Doe. That decades-old decision struck down a Texas law that sought to deny enrollment to any student not “legally admitted” into the country.
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"DISMANTLE DEI ACT":
SB 1083 by *Johnson - HB 0622 by *Maberry, Lamberth, Sexton, Faison, Reeves, McCalmon, Capley, Grills, Hill, Terry, Carringer, Davis, Sherrell, Littleton
Which, among other things, prohibits a county government, municipal government, metropolitan government, local education agency (LEA), public institution of higher education, and the state from basing an employment decision on any metric that considers an applicant's or employee's race, ethnicity, sex, age, or any other demographic characteristic, rather than on individual merit, qualifications, veteran status, or lawful eligibility criteria. [See more, click HERE, then SUMMARY for further details.]
Passed the Senate 27-6; Passed the House 73-24.
"DISMANTLING DEI DEPARTMENTS ACT"
SB 1084 by *Johnson , Hensley, Rose, Stevens, Watson, Bowling, Bailey, Crowe, Gardenhire, Taylor
HB 0923 by *Maberry , Sexton, Lamberth, Powers, Capley, Reedy, McCalmon, Todd, Davis, Reeves
Human Rights - As introduced, enacts the "Dismantling DEI Departments Act." - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 5; Title 6; Title 7; Title 8 and Title 49, Chapter 7
Prohibits units of state government, as well as counties, municipalities, metropolitan governments, and public institutions of higher education from using a discriminatory preference in an effort to increase diversity, equity, or inclusion or establishing or maintaining an office, division, or department for such purposes. All mandates, policies, programs, activities, guidance, regulations, enforcement actions, consent orders, or other declarations of a governmental or public entity subject to this amendment, or an office, division, or department thereof, in existence prior to the date that this bill becomes a law and that are in conflict with such prohibition will be void. [See more, click HERE, then SUMMARY for further details,]
Passed the Senate 27-6; Passed the House 72-25.
WHO, UN, WCF
SB 0263 by *Hensley - HB 0318 by *Rudd
State Government - As introduced, prohibits the enforcement and recognition of requirements or mandates issued by the World Health Organization, United Nations, or World Economic Forum in this state or its political subdivisions.
This bill clarifies that the World Health Organization, the United Nations, and the World Economic Forum have no jurisdiction in this state. This state and its political subdivisions must not be compelled to enforce, or collaborate with the enforcement of, requirements or mandates issued by the World Health Organization, the United Nations, or the World Economic Forum.
I am SO GLAD to report that this bill passed the Senate 25-6; and passed the House 72-25 and is now on its way to the Governor for his signature. This has been a national and local issue for Eagle Forum, so it is great to have TN as one of the states that has joined the battle.
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CREATE ELECTRONIC PORTALS - VERIFYING APPLICANT 'S ELIGIBILITY
SB 0133 by *Johnson , Yager, Lowe, Stevens - HB 0069 by *Lamberth , Barrett, Doggett, Bulso, Davis, McCalmon, Hicks T, Maberry, Sherrell, Rudd, Reeves, Moody, Eldridge, Terry, Howell, Lafferty, Cepicky, Todd, Bricken, Zachary, White, Hawk, Alexander, Jones R, Powers
Election Laws - As introduced, requires the coordinator of elections, in collaboration with the department of safety and Tennessee bureau of investigation, to create two electronic portals prior to January 1, 2028, for purposes of verifying an applicant's eligibility to vote based upon United States citizenship and conviction of a felony prior to registering the applicant to vote; requires department of safety to issue lawful permanent residents a temporary driver license, instead of a standard license, to aid in determining voter eligibility for someone who presents a Tennessee driver license as identification
Among other things, by January 1, 2028, this bill requires the coordinator of elections, in collaboration with the department of safety ("department"), to create a secure, electronic portal through which each county administrator of elections may access information to verify, prior to processing an applicant's application to register to vote, whether the applicant is a non-United States citizen based upon records on file.
Passed the Senate 32-0-1; passed the House 77-18. Now on the way to the Governor for his signature.
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PREFERRED NAMES OR PRONOUNS:
SB 0937 by *Rose , Bowling, Hensley, Jackson, Pody, Watson - HB 1270
by *Cochran , Hurt, Cepicky, Reneau, Capley, Moody, Sherrell, Grills, Bulso, Sparks, Howell, Martin G, Maberry, Littleton, Hawk, Todd, Davis, Powers, Atchley
Education - As introduced, specifies that certain individuals are not required to use another's preferred name or pronoun, if the preferred name or pronoun is not consistent with the individual's legal name or sex; insulates certain individuals from civil liability for using, or refusing to use, certain names or pronouns in reference to another; allows a civil action to be filed against certain employers and public schools that implement certain preferred pronoun policies or that allow certain names or pronouns to be used in reference to an unemancipated minor without first obtaining parental consent.
I am so happy to report that in the Senate,the BILL, plus the AMENDMENT received 27-6 votes; in the House, it received 77-18 votes.
WRONGFUL DEATH OF A UNBORN CHILD:
SB 0419 by *Hensley -(HB 0005) by *Bulso
Remedies and Special Proceedings - As introduced, increases the amount of compensation an injured plaintiff in a civil action may receive for noneconomic damages from $750,000 to $1.5 million; increases the amount of compensation an injured plaintiff in a civil action may receive for noneconomic damages, if the injury or loss is catastrophic in nature, from $1 million to $2 million.
As AMENDED, it passed the Senate 25-5; and, unfortunately, it appears that there was not a House Floor vote, so it could be brought back in 2026.
"TN REDUCTION OF UNLAWFUL MIGRANT ACT" or "TRUMP ACT"
SB 0268 by *Hensley - HB 0145 by *Bulso , Zachary, Cochran
Immigration - As introduced, requires a financial institution to verify the immigration status of a person sending funds electronically outside of the United States and its territories; changes the definition of resident or citizen of this state to mean citizens of the United States and aliens lawfully present in this state; requires the parent, guardian, or legal custodian of a pupil who is not lawfully residing in this state, but who attends a public school in this state, to pay tuition
Among other things, this bill would have prohibited a financial institution in this state from sending or transferring funds electronically to a person or account outside of the United States and its territories without verifying the immigration status of the person who intends to send or transfer the funds. A financial institution must comply with this bill by requesting from the person requesting to send or transfer funds a validly issued form of government identification and maintaining a copy of such identification for two years. The department of financial institutions may review these records at any time and request a mandatory report of these records annually.
Unfortunately, it FAILED in House Banking and Consumer Affairs Subcommittee.2-2.
Reps voting aye were: Darby, Lynn -- 2; Reps voting no were: Hemmer, Marsh -- 2.
The Senate bill was then assigned to General Subcommittee of Senate State and Local Government Committee.
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 114th General Assembly adjourns for 2025 |
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