Tennessee Legislature Passes Bill Changing Davidson County Boundary Line

Part of Davidson County will now go to Wilson County, according to a bill passed by the Tennessee General Assembly this week. As reported by The Tennessee Star, the latest development was the culmination of a lengthy process that began in 2019, undertaken by Davidson County resident Mason Hunter. Hunter’s property was divided between the two counties, and the only accessible driveway was located in Wilson County.

The boundary change received unanimous bipartisan support in both the House and Senate up until the final House vote on the bill. Only four members voted against the change: State Representatives Mark Cochran (R-Englewood), Ron Gant (R-Rossville), Chris Todd (R-Madison County), and Ryan Williams (R-Cookeville). 

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Senate Considering Constitutional Amendment to Formally Allow Faith Leaders Seat at Legislative Table

Voters will likely see on the ballot an amendment confirming that faith leaders and teachers can lawfully join the legislature. The Supreme Court (SCOTUS) ruled in McDaniel v. Paty, et al. in 1978 that this provision was unconstitutional. It is unclear why Tennessee never updated its constitution to strike that provision. It is also unclear what the legislature could do if voters were to turn down the amendment. 

The proposed resolution by State Senator Mark Pody (R-Lebanon) reaffirms SCOTUS rejection of excluding individuals from the legislative process based on their status as a recognized teacher or leader within the Christian faith. 

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Bill to Allow Tennesseans Freedom of Choice for Vaccinations Dies in House Subcommittee

The House Health Subcommittee killed a bill allowing exemptions for vaccines based on religious or conscientious objections, especially during pandemics. Lawmakers voted against the bill, 7-3. Committee members that voted against the bill were State Representatives Bob Freeman (D-Nashville), Darren Jernigan (D-Old Hickory), Sabi Kumar (R-Springfield), Pat Marsh (R-Shelbyville), Bob Ramsey (R-Maryville), Paul Sherrell (R-Sparta), and Robin Smith (R-Hixon); those for the bill were State Representatives Clark Boyd (R-Lebanon), Mark Hall (R-Cleveland), Bryan Terry (R-Murfreesboro).

Opposition to the bill raised issue with the possibility of its public health impact, citing the risk posed by non-vaccinated individuals in areas such as schools, daycares, and restaurants. State Representative Jay D. Reedy (R-Erin) had proposed the bill in November initially, several weeks after the general election. Its companion bill was filed shortly after by State Senator Mark Pody (R-Lebanon), who didn’t respond for comment by press time.

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State Senator Pody Introduces Constitutional Amendment to Limit Government Overreach During Emergencies

State Senator Mark Pody (R-Lebanon) proposed a constitutional amendment to limit governmental power during emergencies. Tennessee Stands, a nonprofit social advocacy organization, instigated the proposal of this amendment. 

“No declaration of emergency by the federal government, the governor of this state, or any agent or political subdivision of this state shall be construed to lessen or abridge the rights and privileges of the citizens of this state guaranteed by this Constitution or lessen or diminish the controlling authority of this Constitution,” read the amendment. “In all circumstances, the departments of the government shall be bound to and shall not exceed or delegate, their respective duties and powers as defined in this Constitution.” 

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Bill Proposes Protections for Private Businesses Against Repercussions for Violating Executive Orders

A new bill would prohibit governors or mayors from using law enforcement to force closure of private businesses under executive orders. Additionally, the bill would bar these government officials from using law enforcement to restrict the right to peaceably assemble or freely travel.

The legislation noted that curfews issued by executive order would still be enforceable, as well as the ability for state and local agencies and departments to maintain their health inspection standards.

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Pro-Life ‘Rule of Law Life Act’ Banning Abortion Moves Through Tennessee General Assembly

A new pro-life bill claims that constitutionally-protected life begins at conception, banning all abortions except in life-threatening emergencies. Dubbed the “Rule of Law Life Act,” the bill stated that the Fourteenth Amendment extends the right to life to the unborn, the legal precedents in existence allowing abortion derogate the Constitution,

The bill expands upon the previous heartbeat bill, signed into law last year and is currently being debated in the courts. It asserts that established and accepted science supports the notion of human life beginning at conception. Additionally, the bill explicitly prohibits punishing mothers for abortions committed. Only physicians who violate the proposed laws would be subject to punishments awarded for Class C felonies or Class A misdemeanors, as well as the suspension or revocation of their healthcare license.

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State Senate Ignores Millions of Dollars Disability Fraud in Tennessee

A bill that would make it a requirement for the state to cooperate in investigations of millions of dollars of disability fraud occurring within Tennessee was ignored this week by the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Disability fraud can involve exaggerating or faking an illness or disabilities, filing multiple applications, concealing work or other activities, all of which cost the state and the federal government millions of dollars every year.

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Senate Judiciary Committee Members Comment on the Heartbeat Bill Summer Study

  With the Senate Judiciary Committee’s Summer Study on the Heartbeat Bill just three weeks out, every committee member was contacted by The Tennessee Star, confirming their attendance and offering an opportunity for them to comment on their expectations of the two-day meeting. The Judiciary Committee, a standing committee of the State Senate, is comprised of nine members, seven Republicans and two Democrats: Chairman Mike Bell (R-Riceville), 1st Vice-Chair Jon Lundberg (R-Bristol), 2nd Vice-Chair Dawn White (R-Murfreesboro) and members Janice Bowling (R-Tullahoma), Todd Gardenhire (R-Chattanooga), Sara Kyle (D-Memphis), Kerry Roberts (R-Springfield), Katrina Robinson (D-Memphis) and John Stevens (R-Huntingdon). The Judiciary Committee is responsible for all legal, law enforcement, judicial and court-related matters, as well as all other matters not covered by any other standing committee, according to the Tennessee General Assembly website. The Heartbeat Bill Summer Study is being undertaken by the Senate Judiciary Committee as an outcome of the only Senate hearing on the bill during the first half of the 111th General Assembly, which was held on April 9. After a reading a prepared statement, as reported by The Star, Chairman Bell made the motion, a move he said was rare for him as Chairman, to send the…

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COUNTDOWN: Three Weeks Until the Heartbeat Bill Summer Study

  In three weeks, the State Senate Judiciary Committee will undertake the much anticipated two-day Summer Study on the legislation known as the Heartbeat Bill. The Heartbeat Bill seeks to protect the life of unborn children from the point that their heartbeat is detected, usually at about six weeks after conception. The legislation was sponsored by Representative Micah Van Huss (R-Jonesborough) and Senator Mark Pody (R-Lebanon) during the first half of the 111th Tennessee General Assembly as HB 0077 and SB 1236, respectively. The House version essentially sailed through the committee process, which passed its first stop at the Public Health Subcommittee on February 20, and was voted on by the entire chamber on March 7. With 65 Ayes, 21 Noes and 7 Present and Not Voting, it was only Democrats who opposed the measure, although two voted in favor of it. Meanwhile, all 7 Present and Not Voting were Republicans. The bill experienced a completely different fate in the State Senate, where it sat on notice for two months before being placed on the Senate Judiciary Committee calendar. As reported by The Tennessee Star, testimony and a question-and-answer period from expert witnesses lasted about one and a half hours,…

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Andy Schlafly: It’s Terrible to See Such a Misuse of the ‘Right To Life’ Name

  “It’s terrible to see such a misuse of the Right To Life name,” says conservative activist Andy Schlafly, attorney and son of Eagle Forum founder Phyllis Schlafly, in regards to organizations that, instead of being strongly pro-life, interfere with strong pro-life legislation. Andy Schlafly is the fifth child of John Fred and Phyllis Schlafly, who was politically active for decades before she took on the fight against the Equal Rights Amendment in 1972, which was narrowly defeated after five states rescinded their ratification. Mrs. Schlafly is widely recognized as a key player in the defeat of the ERA. The younger Schlafly graduated from Harvard Law School after receiving an engineering degree from Princeton University. As the organization’s General Counsel, Schlafly represented the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons, Inc. – “a voice for private physicians since 1943” – in a 2010 lawsuit against ObamaCare. Schlafly also founded Conservapedia, an alternative to the left-leaning online encyclopedia Wikipedia and is a political columnist and commentator. In a telephone interview, Schlafly told The Tennessee Star that it is “unfortunate and surprising to some people that organizations with the [Right To Life] name and appear that they will be strongly pro-life, but are there…

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Fetal Heartbeat Bill Summer Study Schedule Set

  The schedule for the Senate Judiciary Committee summer study of the Heartbeat Bill was announced Thursday via email to committee members and staff. The scheduled dates just announced – Monday and Tuesday, August 12 and 13 – are changed from the original dates set during the Senate Judiciary Committee meeting on April 9 when the bill was sent to summer study. Originally, the dates set by Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Mike Bell (R-Riceville) for the summer study were Tuesday and Wednesday, August 13 and 14. However, those dates created a conflict with the 46th American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) 2019 Annual Meeting scheduled for August 14 through 16 in Austin, Texas, which is attended by many members of the Tennessee General Assembly. The email, sent by the Senate Judiciary Committee’s Research Analyst stated that the summer study meeting on SB 1236 has been scheduled for 1:00 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Monday, August 12, and from 9:00 a.m. to 12 noon on Tuesday, August 13, although it may go into the afternoon if more time is needed.  A specific location, while assumed to be within the Cordell Hull Building, was not identified. The Fetal Heartbeat Bill, which prohibits abortions…

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State Senate Fails to Recall Heartbeat Bill

NASHVILLE, Tennessee – A majority of Tennessee State Senate voted to table the motion to reconsider the Heartbeat Bill through a recall, putting an end to any further action on the measure during this legislative session. The Senate version of the Heartbeat Bill, SB1236 sponsored by Senator Mark Pody (R-Lebanon) was sent to “summer study” by the Judiciary Committee on April 9. Pro-life supporters fear that the Committee’s action will mean the end of the legislation, as summer study often does. The House version of the bill, HB0077 sponsored by Representative Micah Van Huss (R-Jonesborough), passed the full House on March 7 by a vote of 65 Ayes, 21 Noes and 7 Present Not Voting. As the sponsor of the bill, Senator Pody invoked Senate Rule 63 to recall the bill, and requested that action to be taken last week, as reported by The Tennessee Star. The recall would require a simple majority vote by the members of the Senate. An affirmative vote would put the bill on a future calendar of the Senate so that the whole body could vote on it. When the recall vote did not happen by last Thursday, Senator Pody vowed to request the vote…

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Sen. Mark Pody on the ‘Heartbeat Bill’: It’s Very Disappointing That Tennessee Right to Life Would Be the Ones Standing in the Way

NASHVILLE, Tennessee – The day after the ‘Heartbeat Bill’ was sent by the Senate Judiciary Committee to “summer study,” the Senate sponsor of the bill Mark Pody said about Tennessee Right To Life, “It’s very disappointing that they would be the ones standing in the way.” Sen. Pody (R-Lebanon), in his introduction of the Heartbeat Bill on Tuesday in the Senate Judiciary Committee said in the nine years he had been in the legislature, “This is probably the most important piece of legislation I’ve brought this far.” After more than an hour of testimony and questions and answers from two expert witnesses – Dr. Brent Boles, a Murfreesboro-based practicing obstetrician/gynecologist who has delivered over 7,000 babies and attorney and President of Family Action Council of Tennessee for more than 10 years, David Fowler – the vote to send the bill to summer study passed by a vote of 5 Ayes, 3 Noes and 1 Pass, as reported by The Tennessee Star. The following day, Sen. Pody told The Star that they were positioned to do something about the 200 babies a day aborted in Tennessee, but now it has been postponed until August before there can be more discussion about…

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State Senate Committee Votes to Send the ‘Heartbeat Bill’ to Summer Study

NASHVILLE, Tennessee – The State Senate Judiciary Committee voted on Tuesday to send the heartbeat bill, which would ban abortions in the state of Tennessee after a fetal heartbeat is detected, to summer study. After hearing about an hour and half of testimony and questions and answers from expert witnesses, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Mike Bell (R-Riceville) made the unusual move to make a motion to send the bill to summer study which passed by a vote of 5 Ayes, 3 Noes and 1 Pass. Even for the late hour that the meeting went to – after 7 p.m. – there were still more than two dozen people in the audience, primarily pro-life supporters. The move appeared to take pro-life committee members, testifying witnesses and those in the audience by complete surprise. After meeting for nearly three hours on other bills, Senator Mark Pody (R-Lebanon) came to the podium to present the Heartbeat Bill under SB 1236. In introducing SB 1236 bill, Sen. Pody said that in the nine years he had been in the legislature, “This is probably the most important piece of legislation I’ve brought this far.” To demonstrate the gravity of the situation, Sen. Pody listed the…

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State Representative Bruce Griffey Takes On Several Illegal Immigration Issues

Before even being sworn into his first term in office, Representative Bruce Griffey (R-Paris) has been calling for measures to decrease illegal immigration to Tennessee which began with a call for a Resolution supporting President Trump in ending “birth right” citizenship, as reported by The Tennessee Star. In addition to his proposed Resolution HJR 0047, Griffey has sponsored several bills dealing with issues related to illegal immigrants currently within the state of Tennessee. As The Star reported, in HB 0562 and companion Senate Bill SB 1504, Representative Griffey and Senator Joey Hensley (R-Hohenwald) want to impose a fee on the transfer of money to outside the United States and its territories, with the goal of helping fund Trump’s proposed border wall. Fees that are not used for southern border protection will go to local sheriff departments for the jails that hold illegals for ICE (U.S. Immigration and Customs). The fee, applying only to those who could not produce a Tennessee driver’s license or similar, by default applies only to illegal aliens. The House bill is scheduled to be heard March 12 in the Banking & Investments Subcommittee of the House Commerce Committee. A report by Fox 17 WZTV covered four…

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A Proclamation In Support of Israel, Initiated by Senator Mark Pody, Signed by Governor Bill Lee

NASHVILLE, Tennessee – In a ceremony held in the former Supreme Court chambers of the State Capitol, Governor Bill Lee signed a Proclamation honoring and commending the Nation of Israel, which was initiated by Senator Mark Pody. The Proclamation was originated by Senator Mark Pody (R-Lebanon) through Senate Resolution SJR 0058 introduced in January. The primary sponsor in the House was Representative Terri Lynn Weaver (R-Lancaster). The Senate Republican Majority announced on its website that Pody’s Resolution that reaffirms Tennessee’s friendship with Israel and expresses unequivocal support for the nation, passed unanimously in February. This, as the U.S. House has been struggling with how to deal with condemning anti-Semitism on the heels of Democratic Representative from Minnesota Ilhan Omar’s comments charging allegiance to a foreign government by those who support the nation of Israel. Her Excellency, Judith Varnai Shorer, the Consul General of Israel to the Southeastern United States, was joined by distinguished members of the local Jewish community as well as Tennessee Governor Bill Lee and Secretary of State Tre Hargett as speakers during the ceremony. The Star Spangled Banner was sung by Irline Mandrell, one of the Mandrell Sisters. The closing prayer was offered by country and bluegrass…

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