Tag: Rep. Dawn White

Bill Making It A Felony For Local Elected Officials To Vote In Conflict With State Or Federal Laws On Immigration May Die In Summer Study

Laura Baigert

NASHVILLE, Tennessee — After hearing the presentation and debate on a bill that would make it a felony for local officials to vote in conflict with state or federal laws on immigration or historical memorials, the House Criminal Justice Committee voted to send the bill to where many go to die — summer study, especially during an election year. The sponsor of the bill, State Rep. Dawn White (R-Murfreesboro), told The Tennessee Star following a voice vote, “They just voted for sanctuary cities.” White’s bill, sponsored by State Senator Mark Pody (R-Lebanon) in the Senate, would make it a Class E felony for a local official to knowingly vote for an ordinance or resolution that is in direct conflict with state or federal laws relative to immigration, such as sanctuary cities, or historic monuments. As previously reported by The Star, the crime would be punishable only by a fine, any elected official convicted of a felony is subject to the removal from office. The bill passed the House Criminal Justice Subcommittee the week prior, and then headed to the full Committee where there was debate for more than 30 minutes, primarily coming from State Rep. Antonio Parkinson (D-Memphis) toward the…

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Bill To Be Heard In House Subcommittee Tuesday Would Make It A Felony For Local Elected Officials To Vote In Conflict With State Or Federal Laws On Immigration Or Historical Memorials

Laura Baigert

A bill scheduled to be heard in the House Criminal Justice Subcommittee Tuesday would make it a felony for a member of a local governmental body to vote in conflict with state or federal laws on immigration or historical memorials. House Bill 2552 sponsored by Representative Dawn White (R-Murfreesboro) creates a Class E felony when an ordinance or resolution that expressly conflicts with state or federal law relative to immigration or historical memorials is knowingly voted on by a member of a city or county legislative body. The crime would be punishable by fine only. However, as with all felony convictions by a public official, the violator would be subject to removal from office. If passed, this bill would directly combat the issue of rogue local governments that seek to create sanctuary cities or removing historical monuments as has been seen in the cities of Nashville and Memphis over the past year. Regarding the bill, Rep. White told The Tennessee Star, “The simple fact is, in America, no one should be able to openly disregard our laws without consequences.”   Elaborating on recent events within the state of Tennessee, Rep. White continued, If a local official violates our laws against…

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State Rep. Bryan Terry and State Rep. Dawn White Host Rutherford County GOP ‘Empowering Women’ Event

Wendy Wilson

  MURFREESBORO, Tennessee — In high school, Mae Beavers was voted “most bashful” by her classmates. She never envisioned becoming active in politics and those who knew her couldn’t have imagined it, either, Beavers related Monday at the fourth annual “Empowering Women” event sponsored by the Rutherford County GOP. The hosts of Monday’s event were State Representatives Dawn White and Bryan Terry, both Murfreesboro Republicans. The longtime conservative state legislator, who is now a gubernatorial candidate, shared her story to encourage other women to get involved in politics, echoing the theme of the evening. “We’ve got some leadership issues in this state,” said State Senator Beavers (R-Mt. Juliet) in her brief presentation. Monday’s event, held at the SportsCom, featured several speakers who spoke about various ways women can make a difference. “Not everybody can run for office, but what you can do is get behind people who need you,” said keynote speaker Rebecca Ann Burke, Tennessee Republican Party state executive committee woman for Senate District 23. Known for her enthusiastic efforts to help other conservatives get elected, Burke recently campaigned for Karen Handel in her Georgia congressional race. “They’re saying Karen Handel’s race was won in the last two weeks by…

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In-State Tuition For Illegal Immigrants Fails in House Committee

Wendy Wilson
Tennessee Star

  A Tennessee bill that would have offered in-state college tuition to illegal immigrants died in a House committee Tuesday morning, effectively ending its path forward this legislative session. The Education Administration and Planning Committee shot down the bill in a close and emotional 6-7 vote. The bill was sponsored in the House by Rep. Mark White (R-Memphis) and has been sponsored in the Senate by Sen. Todd Gardenhire (R-Chattanooga). Both are Republicans. “I cannot pass the burden onto the taxpayers of Tennessee,” said Rep. Dawn White (R-Murfreesboro) during a discussion before the vote. She said Tennessee would become a magnet for illegal immigrant families who would want their children to be able to take advantage of in-state tuition. The influx would create a need for more schools at the K-12 level and raise property taxes at time when some schools already have a number of portable classrooms, she said. Similar legislation passed in the Senate in 2015 but failed by just one vote in the House. Rep. Mark White, the House bill sponsor, was overcome with emotion Tuesday and seemed near tears as he asked for support for the bill. He said young people brought to the U.S. through no…

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