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 VIDEO
“On some positions, cowardice asks the question, it is EXPEDIENT? And then expedience comes along and asks the question—is it POLITIC? Vanity asks the question—it is POPULAR? Conscience asks the question is it RIGHT? And there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular—but must take it because it is RIGHT.” Last Sunday sermon given by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr |
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FOR YOUR PRAYER LIST:
We certainly need to continue our prayers for the legislators and their families. This is not an easy job that these men and women have campaigned for and won. So much rests on the decisions they make day by day. Of course, we should also remember the administration and all those involved in that decision-making day in and day out!!
This week started with a 'holiday' to celebrate 'PRESIDENT'S DAY' on Monday and then real winter caught up with us on Wednesday when we woke up to the results of a significant snowfall, depending on where one lived. The Senate did meet all day on Wednesday; the House did not come in for committee meetings until about noon. Looks like the House is trying to catch up a bit by having some committee meetings on Monday before the Floor session at 2:00pm.
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TENNESSEE MEDICAL CANNABIS ACT:
SB 0489 by *Bowling - HB 0872 by *Rudder
Health Care - As introduced, enacts the "Tennessee Medical Cannabis Act," which establishes a medical cannabis program to be administered by the Tennessee medical cannabis program commission. - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 38, Chapter 3; Title 39, Chapter 17; Title 43; Title 50; Title 53; Title 63; Title 67 and Title 68.
STATUS: Scheduled in the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday.
"Medical Cannabis" is one more step toward legalizing marijuana statewide. Marijuana supporters admit that. In addition, marijuana is BIG BUSINESS and that will bring its own difficulties. I KNOW and UNDERSTAND the support some folks have for these difficult cases and about making this move, but let's remember that EVERY state that ended up totally legalizing marijuana came through the 'medical' step.
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- Medical marijuana is not approved by the FDA, and research is lacking to support its use for many of the conditions for which it is prescribed.
- Medical marijuana policies make marijuana increasingly accessible and reduce the perception of risk, which is particularly concerning for youth.
- Medical marijuana increases the number of people using marijuana, which in turn increases the number of people at risk for addiction.
- Addiction and other adverse health effects from using marijuana have individual and social costs.
- Smoking marijuana can lead to a host of medical problems, similar to those that present in tobacco smokers and negative effects like lung cancer may outweigh potential benefits.
- Medical marijuana could lead to decreased public perception of harm, and could thereby increase illicit use.
- In some states that allow medical marijuana, medical professionals question the legitimacy of some prescribing physicians and their reasons for recommending medical marijuana.
ACTION: Please click Senate Judiciary Committee, then click on the picture. When the next page appears in the left corner, you can click on the email address and send a message. Please politely urge them to OPPOSE this legislation.
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PROTECTING MINORS FROM HEMP-DERIVED CANNABINOID:
SB 0215 by *Gardenhire - HB0072 by Howell, Russell
Criminal Offenses - As introduced, establishes mandatory minimum penalties of 48 hours in jail and a $500 fine for a person convicted of knowingly selling or distributing a product containing a hemp-derived cannabinoid to a person who is under 21; prohibits a retailer from knowingly allowing an employee younger than 21 to access, handle, or sell any product containing a hemp-derived cannabinoid on the premises of the retail establishment. - Amends TCA Title 39, Chapter 17; Title 43, Chapter 27 and Title 49, Chapter 6
STATUS: I am so thrilled to let you know that HB0072 passed the committee 16-4 and will be on the House floor Monday afternoon.
ACTION: If you know your representative's email, please get in touch with him or her and urge their support. If you don't know, just go HERE, enter your address, and you can find out and get in touch!!
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HUMAN TRAFFICKING TO INCLUDE SMUGGLING
SB 0392 by *Taylor, Johnson, White
HB 0322 by *Barrett, Lamberth, Leatherwood, Todd, Keisling, Doggett, Russell, Atchley, Gant, Hill, Carringer, Martin B, Hulsey, Sherrell
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
QUICK UPDATE: Please notice the new co-sponsors above that we have added. We are in the process of making some POSITIVE changes in this important bill, so stay tuned.
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JULY – MONTH OF PRAYER AND FASTING
HJR 0051 by *Fritts , Cepicky, Barrett, Warner, Moon, Raper, Bulso, Butler, Hurt, Reneau, Keisling, Hale, Eldridge, Hulsey, Todd, Moody, Kumar, Doggett, Davis, Faison, Crawford, Powers, Sparks, Zachary, Rudd, Maberry, Hill, Grills, Darby, Alexander, Reedy, McCalmon, Martin B
General Assembly, Statement of Intent or Position - Designates the period of July 1, 2025, through July 31, 2025, as a time of prayer and fasting in Tennessee and seeks God’s hand of mercy healing on Tennessee.
FROM REP. FRITTS: "HJR 51 simply recognizes the month of July for Tennesseans who are spiritually inclined and physically able as a month of prayer and fasting; seeking Almighty God's and of blessing for our state. I believe we face issues that we alone cannot solve. We can not legislate nor budget and resolve these issues on our own. We need Almighty God's hand of blessings and healing.
"Last year I was blessed to visit all 95 counties in July. Many of us missed a few meals to keep us focused on God's will. We met at courthouses and underneath pavilions; men and women of all backgrounds simply asked the Lord to help us. It was a beautiful thing of unity. Many groups of believers are planning to gather together again this July, in fellowship and unity of purpose to pray for ur state."
STATUS: HJR 51 is scheduled in the House Naming and Designating Committee, MONDAY at noon.
ACTION: Click on these links and POLITELY urge them to for YES for HJR51:
Rep. Aftyn Behn - rep.aftyn.behn@capitol.tn.gov; Rep. Rush Bricken - rep.rush.bricken@capitol.tn.gov; Rep. Justin Jones - rep.justin.jones@capitol.tn.gov; Rep.Tom Leatherwood - rep.tom.leatherwood@capitol.tn.gov; Rep.Pat Marsh - rep.pat.marsh@capitol.tn.gov
