Legislation Targeting Organized Street Racing Gets Additional Co-Sponsors

John Gillespie and John Stevens of Tennessee

A Tennessee General Assembly bill targeting organized street racing continues through the legislative process.

It was previously reported that State Representative John Gillespie (R-Memphis-HD97) and State Senator John Stevens (R-Huntingdon-SD24) have teamed up to introduce identical bills, HB1661 and SB1673. There are now fourteen co-sponsors in the state House, including two Democrats.

Read the full story

BREAKING: Fetal Heartbeat Bill Passes in Tennessee State House with 65 Ayes, 21 Nays and 7 ‘Present Not Voting’

The Tennessee State House has passed a bill (HB0077) on Thursday intending to provide protection of unborn children after a heartbeat is detected. The bill, introduced by primary sponsor State Rep. Micah Van Huss (R-Gray) at the beginning of this session of the Tennessee General Assembly, passed by an overwhelming margin of 65 ayes, 21 nays and 7 Republicans voting “present.” Governor Bill Lee and Lt. Governor Randy McNally have each expressed their support for the legislation. Tennessee Attorney General Herb Slatery has expressed reservations about the Constitutionality of the bill. Two Democrats, Rep. John DeBerry of Memphis and Rep. John Mark Windle of Livingston, voted in favor of the legislation. The seven Republicans who were present but took a pass on the vote were Representatives: Dale Carr (Sevierville), Jim Coley (Bartlett), Bill Dunn (Knoxville), Patsy Hazelwood (Signal Mountain), Justin Lafferty (Knoxville), and Pat Marsh (Shelbyville). State Representative Robin Smith, (R-Hixson), a former nurse and co-sponsor of the bill, said: “Just as the presence of a heartbeat indicates life with a child, teenager, adult or senior, the presence of a heartbeat is indicative of life of a baby in the womb of his or her mother. Tennesseans are pro-life in…

Read the full story

Diane Black Shares Shocking Details About Her Personal Experience with Sexual Harassment as a Tennessee Legislator

Within an editorial that appeared on Townhall.com, gubernatorial candidate Diane Black wrote about her co-sponsorship of the Congressional Accountability and Hush Fund Elimination Act, a proposal that would overhaul how sexual harassment complaints are handled in Congress, as well as explicitly prohibit taxpayer funds from being used to pay settlements. But before discussing the legislative matter at hand, she opened up about her own shocking experiences as a newly-elected state representative doing the people’s work here in Tennessee. “I remember my first year in the Tennessee House of Representatives. It was 1998, and having spent my career as a nurse and an educator, I had a lot to learn about the legislative process. I immediately figured out that the state House had a ‘good ol’ boy’ culture – and learned about the inappropriate actions of some of my male colleagues,” she begins, continuing: One member always seemed to manage to get on the elevator with me, and proceed to back up until I was against the wall and he was pressed against me. I learned fairly quickly to cross my arms with my elbows out so they dug into his back. Another member rarely called me by name and addressed me…

Read the full story