IN THE NEWS
Freshman Rep. John Ray Clemmons had decided to make his stand against vouchers in the Government Operations Committee. Sensing a cold wind blowing from Republicans who cut short debate on the guns-in-parks bill on the House floor Monday night, he said now was his chance to put on the record his opposition to vouchers.
“I’m concerned about what rules are going to be put in place to replace the dollars that are being stolen from our public school systems by this bill,” Clemmons said.
Tennessee lawmakers shoot down equal pay, non-discrimination bills
Rep. John Ray Clemmons (D-Nashville) said federal laws have failed to eliminate the pay gap between men and women. Yet the issue has grown critical as more families have come to rely on womens' earnings.
But Rep. Susan Lynn (R-Mt. Juliet) said the pay gap is overstated. She said many women make less because they take time away from their careers to tend to their families.
"We make different choices than men when it comes to education, when it comes to working,” said Lynn. “I traded several years of my life — eight, to be exact — to be at home with my children."
Clemmons is lone ranger in today’s abortion debate on the Hill
Well, today, with a packed agenda of 46 bills up for discussion, Williams didn't seem so keen on dragging out the dialogue about abortion. But this didn't stop Rep. John Ray Clemmons (D-Nashville) from relentlessly questioning Reps. Matthew Hill (R-Jonesborough) and Susan Lynn (R-Mt. Juliet) when they addressed the committee about the details of the bills they're carrying.
Abortion bills advance in legislature
Republican Rep. Matthew Hill of Jonesborough said his bill to require a 48-hour waiting period after a woman was provided with abortion information was not intended to deprive women or girls of the right to an abortion. The measure, he said, would instead give women a chance "to consider other options for the well-being of herself and her unborn child."
He was challenged by Rep. John Ray Clemmons, a Democrat from Nashville, who said, "There seems to be a misunderstanding that a lady who decides to get an abortion ... can simply wake up and have an abortion." Clemmons said the overall impact of the legislation would be to require a woman to incur additional medical expenses by taking two trips to an abortion provider instead of one.
"I do have concerns we are placing substantial obstacles" in the way of women seeking an abortion, Clemmons said.
Womick postpones his ultrasound bill
Womick, a Republican from Rutherford County's Rockvale community southwest of Murfreesboro, faced questions from state Rep. John Ray Clemmons, a Democrat from Nashville, about whether his bill would place a burden on women seeking an abortion.
Pinwheels for Prevention spreads abuse awareness
Children from Salama Urban Ministries in Nashville sang as families roamed the bounce house area, and the Metro Parks and Recreation dance division performed. State Rep. John Ray Clemmons, former Tennessee Titan Derrick Mason and NFL Network talent executive Stacey Garcia spoke in support of PCAT's mission.
IN THE CAPITOL
As we speed towards the end of this legislative session, I would like to provide an update on legislation I authored and introduced this session.
HB903 – “Tennessee Pay Equality Act,” a bill to ensure pay equity between men and women in the workplace. The bill was voted down 4-2 along party lines in the House Consumer and Human Resources Subcommittee. Watch video of hearing here. HB904 – a bill to prohibit the state board of education from denying instructional leadership licensure based solely on the applicant completing a leadership preparation program located outside of this state. The bill has passed every committee without opposition and is scheduled for a vote on the House floor on April 8, 2015. Last minute opposition to the bill has surfaced over the last week. A special thank you to the teachers and students of Isaac Litton Middle School for joining me to present the bill in the House Education Committee.
HB905 – “Moving Tennessee Forward Act,” a bill to allow local governments to create a dedicated revenue stream for public transportation and transportation infrastructure projects. The bill was presented to the House Transportation Subcommittee and rolled to the first subcommittee calendar for 2016.
HB1174 – a bill to allow Metropolitan governments to convey, by grant or donation, real property purchased a delinquent tax sale to non-profits, such as the Barnes Housing Trust Fund, for the purpose of developing affordable and workforce housing. After receiving no opposition through three House committees, House leadership rolled the bill to the House Finance Committee’s last calendar.
HB1176 – a bill directing the TN Department of Transportation to conduct a needs assessment of public transportation in Tennessee and requires the Department to report its findings to the transportation committees of the Tennessee General Assembly by February 1, 2016. I agreed not to move the bill after receiving confirmation that TDOT would perform such a study, thus making the legislation unnecessary.
HB1351 – a bill allowing local governments to use funds for the purpose of affordable and workforce housing. This bill passed the House of Representatives on March 23, 2015 and awaits Senate action. Watch video of the bill’s passage on House floor. MY INBOX
The top 3 issues about which I am receiving the most emails from constituents are:
1. School vouchers (against);
2. Abortion bills including mandatory waiting period, ultrasound and licensed ASC’s (against); and,
3. Guns in parks (against).
IN OTHER NEWS
Why can’t you understand the guns-in-parks bill
Tennessee Republicans say that the guns-in-parks bill — or rather, that permitted-guns-in-parks bill — is simple.
Tennessee Senate Votes To Let Guns Into State Capitol
Guns could soon be allowed inside the Tennessee Capitol. The state Senate voted this morning to add the statehouse to a measure, House Bill 995, that would allow guns in all parks in Tennessee.
Immigrant advocates tout tuition bill's progress
A bill that could make college more affordable for some of Tennessee's undocumented students is making slow but steady progress in the General Assembly, and advocates say support is growing.
Lawmakers Move Ahead With Plan To Make The Bible Tenn's Official Book
Despite some hesitancy from lawmakers, a plan to make the Bible the official book of Tennessee is moving ahead. Rep. Jerry Sexton (R-Bean Station) said polling done by supporters of his bill shows a majority of Tennesseans agrees the Bible should be the official book.
Metro Schools gets 13 charter school applications
Metro Nashville Public Schools received 13 charter school applications Wednesday after receiving 18 letters of intent in February. The majority of the applications are from companies the district is working with, including LEAD Public Schools, KIPP Nashville, Knowledge Academy and Rocketship.
New Tenn State Museum Green Lighted, Thanks To Extra Tax Revenue
An unexpected surge in business tax collections may go to build a new Tennessee State Museum —in its first ever dedicated home. Governor Bill Haslam proposed using $120 million to get started on a building that’s been mired in the planning stage for years.
Haslam withdraws effort to end bonuses for current workers
Republican Gov. Bill Haslam is withdrawing his effort to remove longevity bonuses for current state employees after running into staunch opposition in the Legislature.
For Insure Tennessee backers, hope is lost again
The singing, the chanting and the yelling were already gone from the lobby of Legislative Plaza. But Tracy Foster remained, sitting quietly with tears running down her face. The Clinton, Tenn., resident suffers from a litany of health problems, including bladder cancer. Foster said she doesn't qualify for Medicaid and can't work because of her illness, but she thought a controversial measure making its way through the Tennessee General Assembly would at last offer the health insurance she needs. Instead, Foster was one of hundreds of advocates to watch lawmakers snuff out the newly rekindled hope for Insure Tennessee, a plan to provide hundreds of thousands of low-income Tennesseans with federally subsidized health care. "I spend every day in pain, and I went everywhere and begged for help. And I guess I can't get it. I thought this was going to be a way to get help," Foster said, adding that she has few other options after Insure Tennessee's failure. "Go home and wait to die, I guess."
Uber, Lyft requirements advance in General Assembly
Tennessee legislators advanced a bill Tuesday that would authorize ride-hailing companies Uber and Lyft statewide and nullify municipal laws regulating their services. The bill, garnering support from Tennessee insurance agents, establishes requirements for Uber and Lyft on insurance and background checks and relies on the companies to self-regulate.
Editorial: Tennessee lawmakers pander to NRA on gun bills
It's amazing how quickly legislators can move when beholden to deep-pocketed special-interest.
Editorial: How Tennessee and Indiana's religious freedom acts differ: Timing
Tennessee rolls out scholarships to get adults back in school
Through Tennessee Reconnect, the state will pick up all tuition or fees not covered by the PELL grant or the Wilder Naifeh Technical Skills grant for adults who want to earn or finish a degree. It is the adult corollary to Tennessee Promise, the state lottery-funded scholarship that gives any high school senior in the state two free years at a state community college.
Task force examines Tennessee sentencing laws, recidivism
The panel will develop recommendations to give to the Governor's Public Safety Subcabinet by June 2015. The subcabinet has partnered with the New York-based Vera Institute of Justice, which is helping to review sentencing and correction policies and practices in Tennessee. Tennessee's current sentencing structure has been in place for more than 20 years, and the state's recidivism rate is averaging around 44 to 45 percent. That's the number of people returning to prison within three years of being released.
Tennessee Legislature To Further Study Casino Bill
Tennessee legislators have taken the first preliminary step of bringing casinos to the state. Rep. Jason Powell, a Democrat from the 53rd district, sponsored a bill that would allow casino gambling in the state, with proceeds supporting education, as well as, gaming addiction programs. Rep. Powell said voters will ultimately decide how many casinos would be built, where the casinos would be located and how the revenue would be spent.
BlueCross gets most Obamacare signups in Tennessee
BlueCross announced Wednesday that it had taken 70 percent of market share for those on the exchange. Last year, the Chattanooga-based company dominated with 86 percent of the state's market for those signing up for new plans offered through Obamacare.
