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!!
LIVE VIDEOS
| One of the greatest mistakes is to judge policies and programs by their intentions rather than their results -- Milton Friedman. |
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FOR YOUR PRAYER LIST:
The most important thing we can pray for in the next few days is the inauguration of the 47th President of the United States, the safety of Donald Trump, his family, and all those there to share this important day. In addition, please make it a habit to pray for the 132 men and women in the Legislature as the session gets started for the season. Very important, life-changing decisions will be made for the citizens of TN.
INTRODUCTIONS:
Three new Senators and nine new House members: Sen. Bobby Harshbarger (R - Dis. 4),Sen. Tom Hatcher (R - Dis. 2), Sen. Jessie Seal (R - Dis.8), Rep. Fred Atchley (R - Dis 12), Rep. Shaundelle Brooks (D - Dis 60), Rep. Renea Jones (R - Dis 4), Rep. Aron Maberry (R - Dis 68), Rep. Lee Reeves (R - Dis 65), Rep. Michele Reneau (R - Dis 27), Rep. Gabby Salinas (D - Dis 96), Rep. Rick Scarbrough (R - Dis 33), and Rep. Tom Stinnett (R - Dis 20).
And...........I am so excited to introduce you to our new Executive Director, Gwen Adams, and I am very eager for you to get to know her.
"Day 1 serving officially alongside Bobbie Patray -- Huge honor, larger responsibility. Truly humbled, and blessed. The House of Representatives was sworn in, and leadership elections took place. I have already met with the representative who is introducing a bill that Bobbie presented. That makes me very proud to be the Executive Director of the Tennessee Eagle Forum.
"I first lobbied with Bobbie when my twin sons (now 22) were in first grade. Together we supported a bill that gives parents input on the decision to separate twins in the classroom. Dressed in their Boy Scout uniforms, the boys got to push the green vote button on the senate floor.
"This process opened my eyes to the power of a mom when she learns how to raise her voice and bring change. Over the years, I have joined Bobbie in the legislative halls as she worked, joining the conversations.
"As Executive Director for Tennessee Eagle Forum, I can combine my background in communication, public relations, project management, and non-profit management with a passion for the legislative process and a desire to challenge others to speak up with regard to the issues that affect each of us."
READY TO START:
Tennessee House sets rules to remove unruly lawmakers, members of public
By: Sam Stockard - January 16, 2025 4:10 pm
NASHVILLE — The Tennessee House adopted rules Thursday lowering the bill-filing limit and setting up harsher punishments that enable the banishment of lawmakers and members of the public deemed out of order.
The bill limit will be 12 for rank-and-file members, and committee chairs will receive five extra bills while subcommittee chairs will be able to file two extra bills. Democrats, who are in a superminority, oppose the move, saying their voices will be further silenced because Republicans hold all chairmanships and will be able to file more bills.
The Republican-controlled House adopted stringent rules in 2024 after three members led an anti-gun rally on the floor in the wake of the 2023 Covenant School shooting in which six people were killed.
The new rules take those a step further.
House members who are called out of order two times in the same day can be limited to two minutes of speaking. If called out of order again by the speaker, the member can be silenced, and further disruptions over two days can lead to removal from the chamber.
Members who net that sort of punishment would be allowed to go to a meeting room in the Cordell Hull Building where they could cast votes remotely. The ban could last for three legislative days.
House Speaker Cameron Sexton said Thursday he doesn’t think the removal of members to a separate area runs into constitutional problems. He said other states such as Montana, as well as Congress, use comparable measures that enable lawmakers to vote remotely.
When the House held an expulsion hearing two years ago for Reps. Justin Jones, Justin Pearson and Gloria Johnson for their roles in a floor protest, it had no options except to expel or censure lawmakers for such a rules violation, Sexton said.
Some of the floor rules are going to be difficult to enforce, but we shall see how that works. One concern that I had was reducing to 12 the number of bills that House members could file. One of my legislative friends has five counties in his district, which means five school boards, five governing bodies,etc. Another friend has one half of a county. Each rep can only file 12.
The bill filing deadline is February 6th.
NOTE: Thank you Rep. Garrett for bringing this important resolution. So glad that Gwen and I were there to see and hear the debate, but very troubled about some of what the opponents offered. Rep. Powell spoke in opposition, using the argument about the proposed Equal Rights Amendment and talking about the resolution he introduced in 2022, which we were able to defeat. He mentioned that Tennessee had ratified the ERA, but didn't sound like he was saying that Tennessee (thanks to the early Eagle Forum) also RESCINDED the ratification of the proposed amendment.
I was a bit disappointed that some other legislators didn't stand up and remind the members that Tennessee had taken that action.
I would suggest you go here - it is worth watching: https://tnga.granicus.com/player/clip/31010?view_id=775&redirect=true, look on the left side and scroll down to HJR 33 and watch this debate.
Republican Whip Johnny Garrett Leads Effort To Honor Riley Gaines, urges NCAA to reverse trans policy
House Republicans this week urged the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) to protect the integrity of women’s sports by immediately reversing its controversial decision to allow male athletes to compete as females. The request, signed by all 75 members of the Tennessee House of Representatives Republican Caucus, coincides with the NCAA’s annual convention held in Nashville.
The letter, sent by House Majority Whip Johnny Garrett, R-Goodlettsville, listed several concerns, including the risk of serious injury to female athletes and invasion of privacy.
“Americans have spoken loud and clear on this issue, and they do not want men entering their daughters’ locker rooms or bathrooms, stealing their scholarship opportunities and robbing them of their records and hard-fought victories. We are hopeful the NCAA will do the right thing; Men have no place in women’s sports,” Garrett said.
The House on Thursday voted 78-14 to pass House Joint Resolution 33, honoring University of Kentucky swimmer Riley Gaines of Sumner County for her advocacy against the inclusion of men in women’s sports. House Republicans have committed to protecting girls and women’s sports.
Republicans in the General Assembly remain firm in their mission to protect female athletes at every level.
This work began in 2021 with passage of a law that protected girls’ middle and high school interscholastic sports and continued in 2023 when Republicans voted to protect young women’s sports at the collegiate level
MORE DETAILS ON THE SPECIAL SESSION ON WEDNESDAY:
Tennessee governor announces special session for school voucher expansion
Adam Tamburin
It's official: Gov. Bill Lee is calling a special legislative session focused on his latest effort to pass a statewide school voucher plan.
Why it matters: The special session will fast-track debate and voting on Lee's long-sought voucher plan, which would allow families across the state to use taxpayer money to send their kids to private schools.
Between the lines: If there is enough support in the General Assembly, lawmakers could push the plan through in a few days rather than the weeks or months it would take during a regular session. That would help Lee avoid the protracted negotiations that stymied his plan last year.
- Win or lose, this approach ensures that vouchers won't hog the spotlight for the rest of the regular legislative session, which kicks into gear next month.
What they're saying: Lee issued a joint statement with legislative leaders Wednesday announcing the special session.
- Lee, House Speaker Cameron Sexton (R-Crossville) and Lt. Gov. Randy McNally (R-Oak Ridge) said "the state has a responsibility to act quickly on issues that matter most to Tennesseans."
- The statement said there was "widespread support in the General Assembly and across Tennessee" for a special session on voucher expansion.
The other side: Democrats and public school leaders have been fiercely critical of Lee's plans, saying vouchers would divert millions of dollars away from already underfunded public school systems.
Constitutional officers: The House of Representatives and Senate met in a joint session Wednesday to re-elect the state’s three constitutional officers, including Secretary of State Tre Hargett, State Treasurer David Lillard and Comptroller of the Treasury Jason Mumpower. Tennessee is the only state where the legislature elects the Secretary of State to a four-year term. The Comptroller and State Treasurer each serve two-year terms.
ENJOY!!
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