Legislative Update, March 5, 2022
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).
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FOR YOUR PRAYER LIST:
Well, we are entering what is referred to as the 'crazy' time in the session. Committees are closing down and/or publishing their FINAL CALENDAR. Next week's Senate Calendar was 73 pages, the House Full Committee Calendar was 37 pages, and the House Subcommittee Calendar was 112 pages. Yes, I read them all and we CERTAINLY need prayer as these important decisions are made in the final days of the 112th General Assembly.
Galatians 6:9 -- Eternal Father, we pray that You will give every leader strength, so they do not grow weary in their leadership role. Father, the tasks may seem overwhelming and exhausting, but we pray that every leader will recognize that they are assigned to do Your will. Therefore, we know that at the right time, they will reap the harvest/rewards if they do not give up. Lord, we pray for divine strength for every leader and that they will not rely on themselves, but on You. Amen
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PROTECTING STUDENTS FROM DIGITAL OBSCENITY AND PORNOGRAPHY IN SCHOOLS:
SB 2292 by *Bell - HB 2454 by *Weaver
Obscenity and Pornography - As introduced, redefines "obscene" to include material that has educational value; makes various changes to the internet acceptable use policy LEAs are required to adopt; requires providers of digital and online resources to ensure that users cannot access certain obscene material; requires a local board of education to establish a mechanism for parents, legal guardians, or students to report failures of the technology selected by the LEA to filter, block, or otherwise prevent access to pornography or obscenity through online resources and to submit an annual report to the state board of education regarding same.
WE HAD TO POSTPONE THE BILL FROM THIS PAST WEEK TO THE COMING WEEK TO MAKE A FEW NEEDED CHANGES - You know -- that 'sausage making' process.
HERE IS THE NEW LANGUAGE.
Concerns have been raised that too many Tennessee children are being exposed digitally to material that is obscene or otherwise harmful. Unfortunately, this exposure is facilitated by an exception to prosecution that exempts actors from criminal liability when the exposure is for educational purposes.
SB 2292 – HB 2454 seeks to protect children from these obscenities by revising the exception and requiring LEAs to filter and block obscenity through online resources.
The most important thing to remember here is that, while TEL does have filters, you can get to databases like GALE that bypass the filters. Our bill will stop that.
STATUS: SB2292 is scheduled in Senate Judiciary on Tuesday afternoon.
ACTION: Please contact the members of the Judiciary Committee and urge them to support the legislation that will protect our students from digital obscenity and pornography
Sen. Dawn White sen.dawn.white@capitol.tn.gov
Sen. Paul Rose sen.paul.rose@capitol.tn.gov
Sen. Jon Lundberg sen.jon.lundberg@capitol.tn.gov
Sen. Kerry Roberts sen.kerry.roberts@capitol.tn.gov
Sen. John Stevens sen.john.stevens@capitol.tn.gov
Sen. Todd Gardenhire sen.todd.gardenhire@capitol.tn.gov
Sen. Sara Kyle sen.sara.kyle@capitol.tn.gov
STATUS: HB 2454 is scheduled in House K-12 Subcommittee on Tuesday
ACTION: PLEASE contact the committee members and urge them to support the legislation that will protect our students from digital obscenity and pornography
Rep. Kirk Haston rep.kirk.haston@capitol.tn.gov
Rep. Michele Carringer rep.michele.carringer@capitol.tn.gov
Rep. Glen Casada rep.glen.casada@capitol.tn.gov
Rep. Scott Cepicky rep.scott.cepicky@capitol.tn.gov
Rep. Chris Hurt rep.chris.hurt@capitol.tn.gov
Rep. John Ragan rep.john.ragan@capitol.tn.gov
Rep. Robin Smith rep.robin.smith@capitol.tn.gov
Rep. Mark white rep.mark.white@capitol.tn.gov
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PROTECTING STUDENTS FROM OBSCENE MATERIALS:
SB 1944 by *Hensley - HB 1944 by *Cepicky
Obscenity and Pornography - As introduced, excludes local education agencies, public schools, and employees and private contractors of LEAs or public schools from the exception to certain obscenity offenses if the LEA, public school, employee, or private contractor possesses obscene material that is harmful to minors on public school premises; prohibits an LEA or public school from making obscene materials or materials harmful to minors available to students in the school libraries control
STATUS: HB 1944 was in House Criminal Justice Subcommittee on Wednesday morning where over two hours of very frank testimony took place (see it HERE) where it passed 7-3: Representatives voting aye were: Doggett, Farmer, Griffey, Howell, Lamberth, Moody, Sexton J -- 7. Representatives voting no were: Beck, Curcio, Hardaway -- 3.
ACTION: HB1944 will be in House Criminal Justice Committee on Wednesday.
Please urge these members to vote YES: Rep. Scotty Campbell rep.scotty.campbell@capitol.tn.gov , Rep. David Hawk rep.david.hawk@capitol.tn.gov , Rep. Bud Hulsey rep.bud.hulsey@capitol.tn.gov , Rep. Lowell Russell rep.lowell.russell@capitol.tn.gov , Rep. Paul Sherrell rep.paul.sherrell@capitol.tn.gov .
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HEALTHCARE RECIPIENT RIGHTS ACT:
SB 2276 by *Pody - HB 2486 by *Warner
Health Care - As introduced, changes the date by which TennCare must annually submit a report on quality and outcomes in perinatal care from March 1 to March 30.
STATUS:
SB2276 is in the Senate Health and Welfare Committee on Wednesday. Please click on the committee link, then the pictures and urge the Senators to vote YES on this bill.
THE BAD NEWS: HB2486 was in the House Health Subcommittee on Tuesday. Before dealing with a bill there needs to be a MOTION and a SECOND to get it before the committee. After setting up some guidelines, Chairman Ramsey called for a MOTION and at first there wasn't even that, but finally one member made the MOTION, but there was no SECOND, meaning that the committee could not move forward with the discussion or hear witnesses. This was an absurd action. The room exploded and the chairman called them down and adjourned the committee.
THE GOOD NEWS: HB2486 is BACK ON THE HOUSE HEALTH SUBCOMMITTEE on Tuesday, the 8th.
ACTION: PLEASE CONTACT EVERY MEMBER OF THIS COMMITTEE AND ASK THEM TO GIVE THE BILL AND FAIR HEARING AND TO VOTE FOR THE BILL.
Bob Ramsey (Chair) – rep.bob.ramsey@capitol.tn.gov – (615) 741-3560
Clark Boyd – rep.clark.boyd@capitol.tn.gov – (615) 741-7086
David Byrd – rep.david.byrd@capitol.tn.gov – (615) 741-2190
Mark Hall – rep.mark.hall@capitol.tn.gov – (615) 741-1350
Pat Marsh – rep.pat.marsh@capitol.tn.gov – (615) 741-6824
Paul Sherell – rep.paul.sherell@capitol.tn.gov – (615) 741-1963
Robin Smith – rep.robin.smith@capitol.tn.gov – (615) 741-2548
Bryan Terry – rep.bryan.terry@capitol.tn.gov – (615) 741-2180
Outraged Tennesseans Denied Opportunity To Testify Regarding Patient’s Rights Bill
The Tennessee Conservative [By Paula Gomes] –
Tennesseans were outraged when a patients' rights caption bill failed on Tuesday before they had a chance to speak. Doctors and citizens from all over Tennessee traveled to the Nashville Capitol, packing the Health Subcommittee room and hallways, to testify on behalf of the bill sponsored by Representative Todd Warner (R-Lewisburg-D92).
The Healthcare Recipient Rights Act would ensure that patients are allowed visitation by family members and advocates in the case of inability to make one’s own medical decisions. In addition, it requires informed consent for treatments that are authorized for emergency use only
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QUALIFYING TO BE A CANDIDATE:
SB 2616 by *Niceley - HB 2764 by *Wright
Political Parties - As introduced, prohibits a person from being nominated as a candidate for United States senator or member of the United States house of representatives unless the person has voted in the three previous elections in this state.
STATUS: As amended, SB2616, passed the Senate floor with only Sen. Gardenhire voting no.
STATUS: HB 2764 is in Local Government Committee on Tuesday.
ACTION: Please click the committee link, then the pictures and urge the members to vote YES on this bill.
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LEGALIZING MARIJUANA??
SB 1973 by *Kyle - HB 1634 by *Griffey
Election Laws - As introduced, requires county election commissions to include three non-binding questions related to the legalization of marijuana on the November 2022 ballot; requires the secretary of state to compile the results of the public policy opinion poll and forward the results to the members of the general assembly.
STATUS: Thankfully, this silly idea failed in Elections & Campaign Finance Subcommittee , but now it shows up as: Deferred to Special Calendar to be Published with Final Calendar in Elections & Campaign Finance Subcommittee. Grr.
NEWS OF INTEREST:
Indicted senator cites ‘exciting change’ in personal life in deciding agaisnt re-election bid .
Rep. Glen Casada's former top aide declines to testify in campaign finance probe, cites 5th Amendment rights .
State Senator Frank Niceley Expects Senate-Passed Legislation Establishing Residency Requirements for Federal Candidates in Primaries to Pass in the House .
Former Nashville Mayor Phil Bredesen Admitted in 1997 That Direct Economic Impact Benefits Couldn’t Justify Taxpayer Funding for a Football Stadium .
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