Author: Laura Baigert

Ohio House Finance Committee Makes Its Own Road Funding Proposal of 10.7 Cent Gas Tax Increase Phased in Over Three Years, No Indexing

Laura Baigert

COLUMBUS, Ohio – After more than an hour and a half delay waiting for the substitute bill to be prepared, House Finance Chairman Scott Oelslager (R-District 48) called the meeting to order and presented the Fiscal Year 2020-2021 proposed Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) Budget under HB 62. The Transportation Budget, as presented by Oelslager (pictured above), would include an increase of 10.7 cents per gallon on gasoline and 20 cents per gallon on diesel. There would be a three-year phase-in on both increases as follows: Gasoline 5 cents in October 1, 2019 3 cents on October 1, 2020 2.7 cent on October 1, 2021 Diesel 10 cents on October 1, 2019 6 cents on October 1, 2020 4 cents on October 1, 2021 And, it was noted, “This increase will not be indexed,” with the emphasis included in the hard-copy document distributed to the Finance Committee members. The document also reported that the increases in the state motor fuel taxes, once fully phased in, will yield approximately $872 million.  The current split of 60/40 between ODOT and local governments will be maintained. The proposal includes new registration fees for electric and hybrid vehicles, at $200 and $100, respectively. Compressed…

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Governor Bill Lee’s First State of the State Address Strikes a Positive Tone, Receiving 20 Standing Ovations

Laura Baigert

NASHVILLE, Tennessee – In his first State of the State Address, Governor Bill Lee struck an uplifting tone while laying out the four priorities of his legislative and budget agenda in an hour-long speech that received about 20 standing ovations. In a joint session of the Tennessee General Assembly held in the House chambers, that also included the Governor’s cabinet and staff as well as a number of invited guests, was standing room only, as were the two gallery areas that overlook the House floor. It was the first State of the State Address not only for the Governor, but for dozens of freshman legislators and Glen Casada (R-Franklin) as Speaker of the House. After acknowledging his wife and First Lady Maria, who he said embodies a Scripture that encourages us to consider others as more important than ourselves, Lee thanked his staff and cabinet and said they’re doing an excellent job. Lee then told of a story that was included in his book, “This Road I’m On, The Power of Hope in the Face of Adversity” about a trip he and his then 16-year old daughter, Jessica, took to Grand Teton National Park to climb one of the highest…

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Stokes Nielson’s Tweet On New Podcast Questioning Possible Senate Hopeful Bill Haslam’s Gas Tax Goes Viral

Laura Baigert

Stokes Nielson’s tweet about his podcast, “The Spirit of Humanity,” which raises questions about former Governor and possible U.S. Senate hopeful Bill Haslam relative to gas tax increases, goes viral with over a half million impressions within hours of its pre-release. As reported by The Tennessee Star, Stokes launched a new issue advocacy initiative called Stokes For Tennessee Freedom to provide a two-way dialogue on issues that could impact Tennessee citizens. Stokes’ first podcast of the new initiative, “The Spirit of Humanity,” was launched through Stokes & Friends on the Westwood One Podcast Network and featured international sensation Korean-born BTS, the “biggest new force in pop” according to Spotify, Dua Lipa, South Korean boy-band Day6, Chinese-Canadian actor, single and songwriter Kris Wu, and country superstar Tim McGraw. In a press release about the podcast, Stokes said that, per his normal practice, he tweeted out the podcast episode to his followers in a pre-release on Tuesday, February 26. Within hours, the tweet had gone viral with nearly 600,000 impressions, which “propelled the episode immediately into the Top 100 of Apple Music Podcasts,” reported Stokes. According to the award-winning songwriter and producer, Stokes, when he inadvertently encountered a fiery street protest in…

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State Representative Andy Holt’s Bill for Two Types of Handgun Carry Permits Moves Forward in the House

Laura Baigert

NASHVILLE, Tennessee – A bill to create two types of handgun carry permits, sponsored by State Representative Andy Holt (R-Dresden) as HB 1264, passed out of the House Judiciary Committee this week. The bill, if it should become law, reclassifies current handgun carry permits as an “Enhanced Handgun Carry Permit” (EHCP), and creates a new “Concealed Handgun Carry Permit” (CHCP). The EHCP does not specify that the manner in which a handgun is carried, therefore allowing both concealed and open carry. EHCP holders will generally be exempt from current restrictions regarding carrying in public areas such as parks and education-related properties. The application fee for an ECHP is $100. The CHCP would allow handguns to be carried only in a concealed manner. There shall be no application fee for the CHCP and it shall be valid for eight years from the date of issuance. A CHCP applicant must provide proof of competence with a handgun through one of nine different avenues, with no expiration date on the proof of demonstrated competence, including: completion of hunter education or hunter safety course by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency or similar agency of another state; completion of any firearms safety or training course…

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State House Committee Shoots Down Closing Party Primaries With the Help of Ten Republicans

Laura Baigert

NASHVILLE, Tennessee – By a vote of 2 to 14, a bill requiring that a voter in a party primary first declare their party affiliation prior to casting a primary vote, failed in the House Local Government Committee. Representative Andy Holt (R-Dresden) was the House sponsor of HB 1273, known as the “Political Party Registration Act,” as an outcome of the December 2018 organizational meeting of the Republican State Executive Committee (SEC). At the meeting, the Republican SEC overwhelming voted to pass a resolution to the Tennessee General Assembly addressing voter registration by a vote of 45 to 14 and one abstention, as reported by The Tennessee Star. The passage of the resolution by the Republican SEC resolved a long-standing issue as to whether the Tennessee Republican Party or the Tennessee General Assembly should make the first move relative to closing the primaries. As bill sponsor Holt explained to the Committee in the presentation of his bill, Tennessee law currently requires that a participant in a party primary be a bona fide member of that party. Violators of the law commit an offense that is a Class E felony, although there is no real enforcement of the law, due to…

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Heartbeat Bill Passes State House Committee Overwhelmingly With A 15-4 Vote Along Party Lines

Laura Baigert

NASHVILLE, Tennessee – In front of a standing room only committee room, the House Health Committee passed the Heartbeat Bill by an overwhelming majority of 15 for and 4 against, straight along party lines. The bill, sponsored in the Tennessee House by Representative Micah Van Huss (R-Van Huss) as HB 0077, establishes the viability of a pregnancy when a fetal heartbeat is detected and bans an abortion once the fetal heartbeat is detected. The bill passed through the House Health Subcommittee last week, moving on to the full House Health Committee Tuesday. The hearing of Van Huss’s HB 0077 in the House Health Committee coincided with a previously scheduled Planned Parenthood Day on the Hill, complete with a bus from Knoxville. Pro-life grassroots advocates showed up as well, so that the room appeared to be about equally split, based on outward displays, between those representing two sides of the issue. Despite 14 of the 19 House Health Committee members having signed on to the bill as co-sponsors prior to the meeting, making it fairly obvious the bill would pass, discussion on the bill lasted nearly three-quarters of an hour before a roll call vote was eventually taken. Discussions went back…

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Tennessee Star EXCLUSIVE: Country Music’s Stokes Nielson Launches a New Initiative ‘Stokes for Tennessee Freedom’

Laura Baigert

NASHVILLE, Tennessee – Stokes Nielson granted The Tennessee Star an exclusive sit-down in the shadow of the State Capitol to talk about the new venture he is initiating called Stokes For Tennessee Freedom. Stokes will be recognized for his country music career as an award-winning songwriter with the band The Lost Trailers, originally named Stokes Nielson and The Lost Trailers. The twice-nominated band for the Academy of Country Music’s Top New Vocal Group is probably best known for their “Holler Back” single that reached #9 on the country music charts. Stokes, energized and passionate about his new mission, didn’t dwell on his country music career other than to say that he has a background in the business and that he is involved with that community or how it relates to his new initiative. The meeting with The Star, arranged confidentially by a third party without revealing the name of the interviewee, eliminated any potential distracting interview questions about Stokes’ country music life, and allowed the focus to be on his Stokes For Tennessee Freedom effort and what lead him to it. Almost immediately after the introductions, Stokes presented a photocopy of a hand-written letter, currently housed in the National Archives,…

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Planned Parenthood Tennessee in Partnership with Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition (TIRRC)

Laura Baigert

NASHVILLE, Tennessee – During welcome comments made to attendees of Planned Parenthood “Takes the Hill” day at the Tennessee legislature, Tennessee Advocates of Planned Parenthood Executive Director Francie Hunt said the organization is in partnership with Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition (TIRRC). Tennessee Advocates for Planned Parenthood (TAPP) arranged for a free bus Tuesday, February 19, so that advocates from Memphis and Jackson could join “a day of legislative skills training, meeting with your legislators, and attending committee hearings on behalf of Planned Parenthood.” The same day, a group of about 50 pro-life grassroots advocates visited the Capitol to show their support for the Heartbeat Bill, as reported by The Tennessee Star. Hunt told the group of about 30 that met in a Senate Hearing Room on the first floor of the Cordell Hull Building that “The timing of you being here could not be better.” Hunt was referring to the fact that “two bills that we don’t like” would be heard in the House Public Health Subcommittee the following day, saying that “We’ll have some lead time to persuade them as much as possible.” The first of the two bills they oppose, which Hunt said were talked about…

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Taxpayer-Funded Tennessee School Board Association Lobbies State Legislature for More Money and Greater Control

Laura Baigert

NASHVILLE, Tennessee – The Tennessee School Board Association, funded through membership dues paid with tax dollars allocated for school systems, lobbies the Tennessee General Assembly on various issues many of which work against taxpayers’ interests. This week, the Tennessee School Board Association (TSBA) held their annual Day on the Hill with approximately 250 attendees primarily made up of school board members from the organization’s 141 member boards around the state, although superintendents are also permitted to attend. The registration fee was $100 per person, and a block of rooms were made available at the DoubleTree Nashville Downtown at a rate of $219 per night, plus tax. The event, which started Monday evening with a program on this year’s proposed legislation and a reception, continued with Tuesday’s “Call to Action: Conquering the Hill,” during which attending school board members and superintendents broke out to meet with their legislators and attend legislative committee meetings. The packet provided to attending school board members, in addition to general logistical information like an agenda, area map and a list of legislators, included more than 20 pages of materials detailing bills that TSBA supports or opposes, TSBA’s 2019 legislative agenda and an issue brief on each…

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Tennessee Pro-Life Grassroots Activists Turn Out In Support Of Heartbeat Bill

Laura Baigert

NASHVILLE, Tennessee – A group of middle Tennessee pro-life grassroots activists rallying behind the bill that would ban abortions in the state after a fetal Heartbeat is detected spent a day on Capitol Hill talking with legislators. As reported by The Tennessee Star, a bill sponsored by Representative Micah Van Huss (R-Jonesborough) as HB 0077 is scheduled to be heard in the House Public Health Subcommittee on Wednesday. A less-than-conservative publication, The Atlantic, suggests that Democrats may have overplayed their hand on abortion, giving the pro-life movement an opportunity. Specifically, The Atlantic discusses two recent events. First, in New York the signing of a bill providing the legal right to abort fetuses that could survive outside the womb was cheered and celebrated by lighting up the city’s Freedom Tower. Then, in Virginia, the state’s Governor, Ralph Northam, defended a state lawmaker’s bill by explaining that after a baby was delivered it would be kept comfortable, resuscitated, “if that’s what the other and family desired, and then a discussion would ensue between the physicians and the mother.” In stark contrast, pro-life advocates in Tennessee wanted to show their support of Van Huss’s Heartbeat Bill, so that legislators would hear a voice…

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Proposed Reforms of Civil Asset Forfeiture in Tennessee to Be Heard This Week in House Subcommittee

Laura Baigert

A bill that will make several changes to Tennessee’s civil asset forfeiture procedures will be heard in the Civil Justice Subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee on Tuesday. House Bill HB 0340, sponsored by Representative Martin Daniel (R-Knoxville), is yet another attempt by the legislator to make the State’s laws more protective of the due process of law and the rights of innocent property owners when it comes to civil asset forfeiture. Daniels sponsored HB 0421 in 2017 where it passed out of the House Civil Justice Committee, but not getting out of the House Criminal Justice Committee, continued into 2018 before its progress was halted by being “taken off notice.” Civil asset forfeiture is a law enforcement tool that permits private property to be seized and retained if it is suspect that it may have been involved in criminal activity without the requirement of a conviction or even criminal charges. In a statement to The Tennessee Star, Representative Daniels said his bill as it stands now will do three things: Require the local district attorney general to examine the facts underlying each seizure and, if the facts do not reveal that the property was taken per probable cause to…

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The Tennessee Education Association Teachers Union Spent More Than $500,000 on 2018 State Elections

Laura Baigert

The Tennessee Education Association, the teachers union in the state, spent more than $500,000 between January 1, 2017 and December 31, 2018 on political activities, according to its filings with the Tennessee Bureau of Ethics and Campaign Finance, most of which went to candidates for state offices. The Tennessee Education Association (TEA) is the state affiliate of the National Education Association (NEA), the largest teachers union in the country with a reported three million members. TEA membership is a fractional one percent of NEA’s total membership with about 30,000 members according to the organization’s most recent Form 990 filing with the IRS available through Foundation Center. A review of all the filings of the Tennessee Education Association Fund for Children & Publication Political Action Committee (PAC) with the TBECF revealed that the organization spent $529,000 during this two year period, the majority of which was spent on direct financial contributions to state political party organizations,  state legislative candidates and gubernatorial candidates. The breakdown by category is: $274,000 was donated to or on behalf of state legislative candidates and state gubernatorial candidates $138,000 was donated to state political parties or political action committees associated with state political parties $73,000 was spent…

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Tennessee Star EXCLUSIVE: State Rep. Micah Van Huss Introduces Bill to Protect the Unborn through a ‘Heartbeat’ Abortion Ban

Laura Baigert

NASHVILLE, Tennessee – State Representative Micah Van Huss (R-Jonesborough) is bringing forward a bill that will protect the unborn by banning abortions once a fetal heartbeat is detected. Van Huss told The Tennessee Star that his bill, HB 0077 – carried by Senator Mark Pody (R-Lebanon) in the Senate as SB 1236 – defines a viable pregnancy as opposed to a viable fetus. According to Van Huss’s amendment that makes the bill, the terms “viable” and “viability” mean the presence of an intrauterine fetus with a heartbeat. Van Huss explained to The Star, “After a viable pregnancy, there cannot be an abortion, and a viable pregnancy is after the heartbeat is detected.” As the sponsor of the bill, Van Huss said he believes the bill to be constitutional and added that the Supreme Court has only ever heard and argued a viable fetus – being able to live outside the womb – not a viable pregnancy. Should it be challenged after the bill passes, Van Huss said he is hopeful that the court “will err on the side of life, that they will see the rights that our unborn have.” Van Huss brought a Heartbeat Bill during the 110th Tennessee General Assembly…

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Tennessee Star EXCLUSIVE: Governor Bill Lee Makes Special Guest Appearance At Conservative Grassroots Gathering

Laura Baigert

LEBANON, Tennessee – As conservative grassroots leaders gathered from across the state for a bi-annual meeting, Governor Bill Lee took time between speaking engagements to attend as an unannounced special guest. The all-day Tennessee Alliance of Liberty Groups’ summit was an invitation-only, no-media event, but this reporter from The Tennessee Star was allowed exclusive access. The group of about 75 conservative leaders and influencers came to middle Tennessee from as far as Mountain City and Somerville. While Alliance summit attendance varies in who comes and in what numbers, the core group of grassroots conservative leaders has been going strong and consistently since 2009. The announced program for the day-long summit included two segments on Islam from renowned expert on political Islam Dr. Bill Warner as well as author of the 2009 book “Muslim Mafia: Inside the Secret Underworld That’s Conspiring to Islamize America,” Chris Gaubatz. State Representative Bryan Terry (R-Murfreesboro) gave an hour-long presentation on proposed legislation dealing with medical cannabis. In addition, there were presentations on the Heartbeat Bill sponsored by State Representative Micah Van Huss (R-Jonesborough) and Senator Mark Pody (R-Lebanon), with the Senator joining the meeting for a good part of the day, as well as the…

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State Rep. Timothy Hill: Medicaid Block Grants Are the Conservative Way to Expand TennCare Coverage

Laura Baigert

NASHVILLE, Tennessee – State Representative Timothy Hill is sponsoring HB 1280, which is the first step in the process of requesting Medicaid block grants for the funding of TennCare. The main reason Representative T. Hill is bringing the legislation, he told The Tennessee Star, is that block grants are the conservative way to expand the coverage that TennCare provides. Senator Paul Bailey (R-Sparta) is sponsoring the companion bill SB 1428 in the State Senate, where the measure already has 22 Republican co-sponsors, including Lt. Governor McNally, of the potential 25 Republican State Senators. Representative T. Hill explained that, in doing research, “we found the block grant concept is not new – President Reagan tried it in 1981, Newt Gingrich in the 90’s and was almost successful, and now President Trump has expressed interest for this concept.” “So, Senator Bailey and I feel like it’s the right time to try it again and to try it from the State’s perspective,” continued Hill. Hill doesn’t know how many other states are attempting to take the block grant approach, which is “a fundamental shift in how you pay for the program,” as he put it. Hill said that with Tennessee being a very…

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State Representative Bruce Griffey Appears Fox News’ ‘Ingraham Angle’ to Discuss Border Wall Funding

Laura Baigert

Friday night’s episode of Laura Ingraham’s The Ingraham Angle on Fox News Channel featured a segment with Tennessee Representative Bruce Griffey (R-Paris) regarding his bill to fund President Trump’s southern border wall. Laura Ingraham’s television interview with the freshman legislator came two days after she tweeted about the bill, as reported by The Tennessee Star. Griffey’s bill HB 0562 is being sponsored in the Tennessee Senate by Joey Hensley (R-Hohenwald) as SB 1504. In her introduction prior to the break, Ingraham said, “We have highlighted a number of inventive funding ideas to help build that wall over the last several months. Well, up next is a Tennessee lawmaker who says that he’s figured it out.” Ingraham continued after the break, “Tennessee Representative Bruce Griffey filed legislation earlier this week that would establish a fee imposed on customers for transmitting money through certain entities. Well, that’s a mouthful.” Explaining further, Ingraham said “Basically, what this does is require a levy on money transfers from Tennessee to Mexico and then set aside those fees collected for the border wall.” Ingraham noted that Arizona, Montana and West Virginia are currently or have previously considered similar proposals. Ingraham asked Griffey if his proposal could…

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Bill Lee Joins ‘Career Technical Education Day’ Celebration in Sumner County

Laura Baigert

GALLATIN, Tennessee – Governor Bill Lee came to Sumner County to celebrate Career Technical Education Day, part of the larger recognition of the national CTE month of February. The event was held at the Bagsby Ranch, where Lee held a town hall on July 25, 2018, when there were still three days of early voting in the Republican primary before the August 2 election day. Reflecting on that day with its big crowd, the Governor said, “As we pulled in here today, I said it sure does feel different. A whole level of peace and calm,” adding, with a bit of levity, “I don’t gotta talk y’all into anything.” Attendees of the CTE Day event included Director of Sumner County Schools Del Phillips, several school board members, State Representatives William Lamberth (R-Cottontown) and Johnny Garrett (R-Goodlettsville), Compass (Community Outreach Making Partnerships At Sumner Schools) members, several elected officials as well as Sumner County Schools CTE educators and students. As Governor Lee was introduced, he was presented with two gifts made by students of local CTE programs. While the Governor said he talks a lot about CTE, he painted a broader picture when he said he also talks about vocational technical…

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New Poll Shows Tennesseans Overwhelmingly Support Education Savings Accounts

Laura Baigert

A new statewide poll released Thursday by the Tennessee Federation for Children shows that when voters receive information about Education Savings Accounts, they are overwhelmingly supportive of a program being passed by the Tennessee Legislature. The poll by Mason-Dixon Polling & Research, Inc. of 625 registered Tennessee voters was conducted between January 31 and February 4, and has a margin of error of +/- 4 percent. Six survey questions were asked during the telephone interview, in addition to participant demographics such as the region of the state, sex, age, race and party identification. The initial question presented to interviewees, “Education Savings Accounts, also known as E-S-A-s, allows parents to use their education tax dollars to customize their child’s learning and development. Approved ESA expenses include technical training, K-12 school tuition, or even special needs therapies from an array of providers, including public and private schools or tutors. Knowing this, would you support or oppose the Legislature passing an ESA program in Tennessee? “ An overwhelming 78 percent of respondents statewide said they support ESAs, of which 54 percent said they “strongly support” the Legislature passing an ESA program. The highest support came from East Tennessee, where 57 percent “strongly support”…

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Deadline Passes for Filing of Bills to Be Considered This Year in the Tennessee General Assembly

Laura Baigert

Thursday marked the end of a hectic week for Tennessee lawmakers as the deadline for filing bills to be heard in the first session of the 111th General Assembly approached. The two houses of the General Assembly had their own respective deadline, with the House being on Wednesday and the Senate being Thursday by 3:30 p.m. each day. State Representatives are limited to a maximum of 15 bills each, with the exception of committee chairs, who are allotted an additional five bills each, provided that they pertain to the subject of the committee they chair. There are no limits as to the number of bills a member of the State Senate may carry. By end of business Thursday, the index of legislation on the Tennessee General Assembly website showed that House bills filed numbered through 1499 (HB 1499) and Senate bills filed numbered through 1508 (SB 1508). With bill submission deadlines strictly adhered to, any bill sponsor from either house who was unable to find a sponsor in the other house of the General Assembly, thereby lacking the required companion bill, will not have their bill heard this year. In addition to the bills that were filed, House Joint Resolutions…

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Bill Introduced By State Representative Bruce Griffey and Senator Joey Hensley to Help Fund Trump’s Border Wall Catches Attention of Laura Ingraham

Laura Baigert

The day after State Representative Bruce Griffey (R-Paris) filed a bill intended to help fund President Trump’s wall on the southern border, conservative radio and talk show host Laura Ingraham tweeted about it. Griffey’s bill HB 0562, which is being sponsored in the State Senate by Joey Hensley (R-Hohenwald) as SB 1504, is “calling for the imposition of fees on the transfer of any money from Tennessee to Mexico and calling for the fees generated to be set aside to fund the border wall proposed by Trump,” according to a statement issued Thursday about the bill. The news prompted a tweet by Laura Ingraham, “YES: Tennessee lawmaker introduces bill he says will help fund Trump’s border wall,” and included a link to a story in The Tennessean with the same title. If the bill is passed into law, all qualifying transactions after January 1, 2020, would be subject to a $10 per transaction fee plus 10 percent on amounts over $500. Those licensed in the business of money transmissions, referred to as the licensee, can keep a half percent as compensation for accounting and remitting the fee to the state’s Department of Revenue. The Department of Revenue will retain one…

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Two Proposed Amendments to the Tennessee Constitution Passed the First Hurdle in the Senate

Laura Baigert

NASHVILLE, Tennessee – Two proposed amendments to the Constitution of The State of Tennessee easily passed the first hurdle in the Senate on Tuesday. The Senate State and Local Government Committee voted to advance two resolutions, which is the initial step in the Constitutional Amendment process, SJR0001 by Senator Ken Yager (R-Kingston) and SJR0003 by Senator Frank Niceley (R-Strawberry Plains). Senator Yager’s resolution will amend Article VI, Section 5 of the Tennessee Constitution such that the selection of the State’s Attorney General and Reporter would be nominated by the Supreme Court and confirmed by the General Assembly. As currently provided for in the State Constitution, the Attorney General and Reporter is appointed by the judges of the Supreme Court. As Senator Yager explained to the Committee, his Amendment would provide more transparency by having the Attorney General and Reporter nominated by the Supreme Court in an open court with a recorded vote. Following the Supreme Court’s nomination, the Tennessee General Assembly would have 60 days to confirm. The confirmation must be in both the Senate and the House, separately and with a majority vote. In the event, the General Assembly is not in session when a nomination is made, the…

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State Representative Bruce Griffey Makes Official Statement On Congressman Steve Cohen’s Boycott of State of The Union Address

Laura Baigert

  NASHVILLE, Tennessee — On Tuesday, newly-elected State Representative Bruce Griffey (R-Paris) made an official statement to The Tennessee Star in response to Democrat U.S. Representative Steve Cohen’s (TN-09) boycott of President Trump’s State of the Union address scheduled for that evening. As reported by several news outlets on Monday, Cohen was the third Democrat to make such an announcement, telling The Hill, “I will not attend the State of the Union once again this year.” Cohen continued, “I’ll come to the House Chamber for the State of the Union the next time I can hear from a president who will tell the truth about the State of the Union.” In response to Cohen’s boycott announcement, Griffey told The Star, “I’m thrilled, elated, excited and happy for all Tennesseans, because I think Steve Cohen would be an embarrassment to Tennessee.” Not only did he boycott President Trump’s State of the Union address last year, but in November 2017 Cohen filed articles of impeachment against President Trump. Griffey is a strong supporter of President Donald Trump. His conclusion about Cohen, “He’s an embarrassment currently for Tennesseans.” — Laura Baigert is a senior reporter with The Tennessee Star.        …

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Paying More Than Asking Price, Sumner County Executive Anthony Holt Spends $654,500 with Campaign Donor to Expand Parking for Communications Center

Laura Baigert

Sumner County’s Executive Anthony Holt executed a deal in which he spent $654,500 to purchase – from a campaign contributor – additional parking for the County’s Emergency Communications Center, which has been in the news over the past several months for ongoing operational problems. Sumner’s Emergency Communications Center (ECC) is a consolidation of the 9-1-1 dispatch services for police, fire and medical services that were previously handled separately by the County as well the cities of Gallatin, Hendersonville, Millersville, Portland and Westmoreland, which opened in July 2017. The ECC project has been beset with problems from its outset, including cost overruns and delays in the construction phase of the project. The problems – most recently reported on in The Portland Sun – are related to the daily operations of the center including high turnover of dispatchers and the resignation of the director and deputy director. The functional result of these issues is that the various emergency service agencies, fire, law enforcement and ambulance, are not getting the information they need to respond appropriately to Sumner County residents’ calls. According to the meeting minutes of December 2018 and January 2019 ECC Executive Committee, comprised of all of the city mayors, the county…

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General Assembly to Consider Bill That Seeks to Restore Founders’ Intent for Electing U.S. Senators in Tennessee

Laura Baigert

A bill to be considered by the 111th Tennessee General Assembly will take a major step toward restoring the founding fathers’ intent for how U.S. senators would be elected in the state, which was circumvented by the 17th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The bill, sponsored by Frank Niceley (R-Strawberry Plains) in the Senate and Ryan Williams (R-Cookeville) in the House, as SB 0027 and HB 0021, respectively, changes the nomination process for candidates for U. S. Senate. As Senator Niceley explained when he presented a similar bill to the Senate State and Local Government Committee of the 110th Tennessee General Assembly, “Our founding fathers wanted the U.S. House of Representatives to be elected directly by the people. They wanted the U.S. Senate to be elected by the state legislatures. That’s why they called it the states’ house and the people’s house.” Election by state legislatures is how U.S. Senators came into office for more than a century, until the passage of the 17th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution in 1913. As Senator Niceley put it, the 17th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution passed in a wave of Progressivism. Senator Niceley also made the point in his 2018 presentation of…

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House Subcommittee Chairman Issues Warning to Colleagues About Bureaucrats Undermining the Legislative Process

Laura Baigert

The chairman of a State House Subcommittee issued a letter warning his colleagues that the undermining of the legislative process by unelected bureaucrats in Tennessee is a reality. Representative Micah Van Huss (R-Jonesborough) wrote the letter dated January 30, 2019. Van Huss is a member of the House Health Committee, Judiciary Committee and Public Health Committee and is the Chairman of the newly-formed Constitutional Protections and Sentencing Subcommittee. It was as the chairman of that subcommittee that Van Huss found himself in a meeting with a department director, after which he felt compelled to issue his written warning. Van Huss explained, “a department director met with me to discuss how they could be of service to me and our Constitutional Protections and Sentencing Committee this year.” “One of the very first things this person said to me was that they would be of great help this year and that if there is a bad bill they will be able to put a big fiscal note on it,” he wrote. “During the course of the meeting,” Van Huss added, “a similar statement was made a second time.” Van Huss chose not to mention the bureaucrat by name, but did state that…

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Governor Bill Lee: Request For Budget Cuts Means Finding Efficiencies So Funding Can Be Redirected Towards Things That Are Really Important

Laura Baigert

NASHVILLE, Tennessee – In the second of four days of cabinet budget meetings for the 2019-2020 fiscal year, Governor Bill Lee explained that his request for budget cuts  is a signal that what they are looking in his new administration is ways to find efficiencies, so that funding can be redirected towards things that are really important. Lee went into the budget process in his first week as the 50th Governor of Tennessee with meetings scheduled with 25 departments between Friday, January 25, and Wednesday, January 30, and a request for departments to cut two percent from their budgets. Joining him for the budget presentations was his Chief Operating Officer, Butch Eley; Commissioner of Finance and Administration, Stuart McWhorter; as well as Finance and Administration’s David Thurman. After hearing from nine departments on Monday, which represents more than half of the state’s appropriations, Governor Lee clarified for the press that the cuts are not to cut services. Rather, “It’s to be better stewards of the taxpayer money itself.” The cuts from inefficiencies would then be applied to “the places that are really important.” Governor Lee said that the budget process “allows us to think through what we need versus what…

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During National School Choice Week, Speaker Pro Tem Bill Dunn Receives Award for School Choice Efforts

Laura Baigert

In celebration of National School Choice Week, Tennessee Federation for Children sponsored a Champions of Choice event at the state capitol to present Representative Bill Dunn with the 2019 Champion award. Standing beside Tennessee Speaker of the House Glen Casada (R-Franklin), Shaka Mitchell, Tennessee’s State Director of American Federation for Children, said that as National School Choice Week is being celebrated this week, they wanted to come together to recognize one of the state’s leaders in education and strong advocate for students, Speaker Pro Tem Bill Dunn (R-Knoxville). American Federation for Children (AFC) is a Washington, D.C. headquartered non-profit organization that seeks to “empower families, especially lower-income families with the freedom to choose the best K-12 education for their children.” The event was held in the Legislative Library located at the state capitol with as many as 100 in attendance including legislators and members of Governor Bill Lee’s staff. AFC’s partner organizations in the effort including Beacon Center of Tennessee, Americans for Prosperity-Tennessee and Tennessee CAN (The Tennessee Campaign for Achievement Now) were also there. AFC’s Mitchell started off by speaking about the quality of education in Tennessee, “The reality is we still have a long way to go,” after…

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Parents Group Calls for Resignation or Termination of Sumner County School Director Del Phillips Over School Rezoning

Laura Baigert

GALLATIN, Tennessee – Dozens of parents attended Tuesday evening’s Sumner County Board of Education meeting in opposition to the rezoning plan of Sumner County Schools (SCS) Director of Schools Del Phillips and called for his resignation or termination by the board. The major point of contention for the parents, several of whom wore shirts displaying a Stop Stage 1 logo, is that some elementary and middle school students will be temporarily re-zoned from their current schools for the 2019-2020 school year before being permanently rezoned to newly constructed schools for the 2021-2022 school year. The temporary and permanent series of zone changes have been named by Director Phillips as Stage 1 and Stage 2, respectively. The group of parents organized on October 23, 2018, the same day the rezoning plan was introduced by Director Phillips in a non-voting “retreat” of the school board. The goal of the group, named “Stop Stage 1 – Better Solutions for SCSC Temporary Rezoning,” is to stop the temporary or transitional rezoning of students. Stop Stage 1 is not against the permanent rezoning to the new three-school campus, and in fact, has specifically stated their support for the building of it. Per the school system’s…

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Tennessee House And Senate Committees Undergo Major Shakeups

Laura Baigert

NASHVILLE, Tennessee – On the third day of the 111th Tennessee General Assembly, leadership announced committee assignments in the House and Senate, upsetting the status quo before recessing from their organizational sessions until January 18. During the House Republican caucus elections in November, Glen Casada (R-Franklin) made a commitment that, as Speaker, he would restructure the subcommittee system to expand up on it as well as use the composition to capitalize on subject matter experts. After his election as Speaker earlier this week, Casada, who garnered votes from Democrat Representatives John DeBerry (Memphis), Johnny Shaw (Bolivar) and John Mark Windle (Livingston), promised partnership rather than partisanship. In the final moments of the two-hour floor session of the 3rd organizational day of the House during which the House Permanent Rules of Order for the 111th General Assembly were debated and voted on and mandatory Ethics and Workplace Discrimination & Harassment training were conducted, Speaker Casada announced the House committees, committee members and subcommittee chairs. Keeping to his previous promises, Speaker Casada increased the House standing committees and subcommittees to a total of 43, from the previous 28. All but two committees had one subcommittee previously, but with Speaker Casada’s restructuring, some…

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Tennessee State Comptroller and Treasurer Re-Elected To Their Posts

Laura Baigert

NASHVILLE, Tennessee – On the second day of the 111th Tennessee General Assembly in a joint session of the Senate and House of Representatives, the state’s Comptroller and Treasurer were re-elected to additional two-year terms. Justin P. Wilson, Comptroller of the Treasury, and David H. Lillard, Jr., Treasurer, were both unanimously re-elected by voice vote to their respective posts, after having served in them since 2009. The offices of Secretary of State, Comptroller and Treasurer are called for in the Constitution of the State of Tennessee and are elected by the General Assembly. The Comptroller and Treasurer are elected every two years and the Secretary of State, a position held by Tre Hargett also since 2009, is elected every four years. Hargett is currently in the middle of his third term. According to the December 2018 Guide to the Office of the Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury, the General Assembly approved legislation in January 1836 to create the office for the purpose of ensuring state and local financial integrity, as well as bringing a sense of order to the state’s finances. In 1870, the position was added to the state’s Constitution as a constitutional officer voted on by both houses…

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Beth Harwell Hands the Gavel to New Speaker of the Tennessee House Glen Casada As 28 New State Representatives Are Sworn In

Laura Baigert

NASHVILLE, Tennessee – In the first phase of new leadership in the State of Tennessee, 28 new Representatives were sworn in to the 111th Tennessee General Assembly and the speaker’s gavel was handed from the first female Speaker, Beth Harwell, to Glen Casada. Tennessee’s leadership transition will be complete when Governor-elect Bill Lee is inaugurated on January 19. In front of a capacity crowd on the floor and in the galleries consisting largely of their families, the duly elected state representatives made their oath of office. The next order of business was to elect a new Speaker of the House, which started with a motion by House Majority Leader William Lamberth (R-Cottontown) nominating Republican Speaker-elect Glen Casada (R-Franklin). Karen Camper (D-Memphis) was the Democrat nominee for Speaker. A roll-call vote resulted in 75 votes for Casada to Camper’s 22 with one “present not voting” and one representative absent. In his acceptance speech which he began near tears, Casada recognized former House Speakers Bill Jenkins, Kent Williams and Jimmy Naifeh. Casada also expressed his appreciation for his immediate predecessor, Beth Harwell, calling her “a woman of character” and a “true class act,” which was punctuated by a standing ovation. With Harwell…

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Tennessee’s Freshmen U.S. Representatives Host Swearing-In Events For Supporters in D.C.

Laura Baigert

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Tennessee’s three freshman congressman held a variety of events for supporters who made their way to Washington, D.C. for their inaugural swearing in to the 116th Congress on January 3rd. Republicans Tim Burchett (TN-02), Mark Green (TN-07) and John Rose (TN-06) were all sworn into their first term as U.S. Representatives with their families surrounding them and later posed for pictures with the re-elected Democrat Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi (CA-12). After making their way through U.S. Capitol Police security in a line that extended outside the building, visitors on the day of the swearing in found themselves navigating crowded hallways and slow-moving elevators to arrive at legislators’ offices. With space being limited on the House floor for the actual swearing-in ceremony, additional invited supporters and guests joined staffers in the representatives’ congressional offices, viewing the events on monitors tuned to C-SPAN. U.S. Representatives are housed in one of the three House Office Buildings (HOB) located on Independence Avenue adjacent to the Capitol: Cannon House Office Building, Longworth House Office Building or Rayburn House Office Building. While the offices of both Burchett and Rose are in Longworth, Green is located in Cannon, the oldest of the…

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Governor-Elect Bill Lee Joins Christmas Celebrations of Middle Tennessee Grassroots Conservatives

Laura Baigert

MURFREESBORO and NASHVILLE, Tennessee – Governor-Elect Bill Lee joined middle Tennessee grassroots conservatives, his base, at Christmas celebrations of groups with their hubs in Murfreesboro and Nashville. The two groups called “Sentinels,” originally organized around the Heritage Action for America (HAFA) model of activism. Personal relationships with federal legislators are leveraged with tools like calls to Congress, Twitter and letters to the editor, using data and solutions from Heritage Foundation, so that Sentinels can hold their representatives accountable. “Action” being an integral part of the groups’ very existence, Sentinel activities extend deeper into state and local arenas as well. With 2018 being an election year, for one, and a number of other issues arising, it was a particularly busy year for Sentinels. While the Murfreesboro and Nashville Sentinel groups are separate, they are not so much distinct as there is a fair amount of overlap, and the Nashville group could be considered a more recent extension of the more established and longstanding Murfreesboro group. As independent thinkers and activists, it was not a group decision to endorse a particular candidate for governor in the August 2018 Republican primary. Without any obvious exceptions, however, Sentinels were behind Bill Lee and demonstrated…

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A Call For Ouster of Newly-Elected Sumner County Commissioner Guilty of Two Separate Criminal Offenses In Less Than Two Months

Laura Baigert

Franklin “Gene” Rhodes, Sumner County District 7 Commissioner, elected to his first term as a District 7 Sumner County Commissioner, is guilty of two misdemeanor crimes since November 13, 2018, and there has been a call for his ouster. The most recent charge, disposed of at a criminal hearing on December 19, was for domestic assault. The charge came from a confrontation with his ex-wife, Melissa French-Rhodes, on November 20. As reported by The Tennessean, Rhodes reportedly pushed his ex-wife while she was holding a child in the presence of a male friend, French-Rhodes’ mother and another unidentified woman. When the male friend attempted to intervene, Rhodes apparently then hit the friend. The report said that French-Rhodes was “very fearful of the defendant; especially since he had been drinking alcohol.” The charges were filed on November 28, the same day a $2,500 cash bond was posted, according to the Sumner County Online Court Records System. Court records show that in the case was disposed of with Rhodes “guilty as charged” of domestic assault under Tennessee Code Annotated (TCA) 39-13-111, which is linked to the more general crime of assault under TCA 39-13-101. TCA defines assault as intentionally, knowingly or recklessly…

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Tennessee Star EXCLUSIVE Video: State Rep.-Elect Bruce Griffey Discusses His Planned Legislation to Address Illegal Aliens in Tennessee

Laura Baigert

NASHVILLE, Tennessee — Freshman State Representative Bruce Griffey (R-Paris) sat down with The Tennessee Star to give an update on the open forum held Thursday about the Asian carp invasion of Tennessee waters that has significantly impacted his district covering Henry, Benton and Stewart counties. As previously reported, what might seem on its surface as a relatively benign issue, the invasive Asian carp not only causes damage to the aquatic ecosystem, but, due to their size, are capable of causing physical injuries to boaters.  Griffey shared that just this week, a friend caught three 70-pound Bighead carp. The presence of the Asian carp has had a significant financial impact as well. Said Griffey, “They’ve demolished the sport fishing industry to the extent that the bass fishing tournaments are leaving the Kentucky Lake area and actually Chattanooga has scored three of the big bass tournaments that were normally at Kentucky Lake. Each one of those bass tournaments represents about $1 million in tax revenue for local industry and businesses, and that’s $3 million that we’re going to lose this year in my district.” Expressing appreciation for leadership, Griffey said, “We are fortunate that Speaker Casada has decided to make this an…

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Sumner County District Attorney General Will Not Prosecute Alleged Violations of State Election Laws Involving a Political Action Committee and a School Employee

Laura Baigert

Sumner County District Attorney General Ray Whitley has said he will not press charges in an instance of alleged campaign law violations involving mailers sent during the May 2018 primaries that were funded by a political action committee and arranged by a Sumner County school employee, even though he says state laws appear to have been violated, according to a report by The Gallatin News. The May 1, 2018, county primaries in Sumner County came with a number of unusual situations including the invocation of the “Anti-Skullduggery Act of 1991,” intimidation tactics against first-time conservative Republicans candidates and challenges to candidates’ bona fide status as a Republican. Also associated with the May primaries, there were several mail pieces opposing specific candidates that, confusingly, stated “Paid for by Sumner GOP,” which of course, is the nickname for the Republican Party of Sumner County. While Sumner GOP is indicated as the “short name” of political action committee (PAC) Sumner County Government of the People on its campaign financial disclosure statements, the Sumner County Republican Party didn’t appreciate the intentional deception. A Republican Party of Sumner County Facebook page post of April 27 admonished the PAC, “Once again, we feel it is necessary…

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Speaker-Elect Glen Casada Will Dive Into Solutions for Problem of Invasive Asian Carp In Tennessee Rivers

Laura Baigert

Speaker-Elect Glen Casada will convene an open forum this week to discuss the invasive Asian carp problem in Tennessee waters, according to a press release. The forum, scheduled for Thursday, December 20 at 12:45 p.m., will include several current and newly elected State Representatives who will attend the forum along with current TWRA Commission Chair Kurt Holbert as well as other TWRA officials and experts. According to the Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency (TWRA), there are four species of Asian carp, originating in China, now in Tennessee and throughout the United States. The carp, brought to the U.S. for aquaculture purposes as far back as the 1970s, escaped into the delta areas of the Mississippi River during extreme floods in the late 80’s and early 90’s. While all four species of Asian carp can impact fish and other aquatic life in a number of ways, TWRAs most immediate concern is for the safety of boaters. Some species of carp are known for jumping when encountered by a boat. When they jump, the carp colliding with a passenger can cause serious injury. A number and variety of efforts are underway to control the spread not only in Tennessee, but nationwide. While controlling…

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Congressman-Elect Mark Green Gives Updates From D.C. At Town Hall in Clarksville

Laura Baigert

CLARKSVILLE, Tennessee – At a town hall in his home town of Clarksville, Congressman-Elect Mark Green delivered a brief update about his transition as the U.S. Representative for Tennessee’s 7th District before spending most of the scheduled time taking questions from attendees who were both supporters and opposition. Green ran unopposed in the August Republican primary and took 67 percent of the vote against newcomer Democrat Justin Kanew in the November general election to fill the seat vacated by eight-term Representative Marsha Blackburn. Blackburn left the seat for a successful run for U.S. Senate to replace the retiring Bob Corker. Before officially being sworn into office on January 3, 2019, Green scheduled six town halls around the district between December 11 and 13, in Franklin, Waverly, Clarksville, Lawrenceburg, Lexington and Selmer. The 80 chairs at the Clarksville location were all but filled at Wednesday’s event. Green reported that, although there will be new phone numbers, his team will be taking over Marsha Blackburn’s existing office locations in Clarksville and Franklin. He and his Chief of Staff, Stephen Saio, recently completed two weeks of orientation, which included ethics training. Green’s wife, Camie as well as staff members will be trained and…

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State Sen. Steve Dickerson’s Promise To Introduce ‘Red Flag’ Bill Getting Criticism From Local And National Gun Rights Advocacy Groups

Laura Baigert

State Senator Steve Dickerson (R-Nashville) has gotten the attention of local and national gun rights activist groups for promising to introduce a “red flag” bill in the upcoming legislative session. So-called red flag laws permit a judge to issue an order to seize firearms from a lawful owner based upon a petition from police or family members citing something as feeble as statements made by the gun owner in question, hence the name “red flag.” Dickerson, in an op-ed to The Tennessean, alludes to bills signed into law by Republican governors since the Parkland shooting, saying, “This is exactly the type of bipartisan, common-sense gun violence prevention policy we need in Tennessee.” That’s why, Dickerson says, “I will introduce a red flag bill when the Tennessee General Assembly reconvenes next session.” Tennessee Firearms Association Executive Director John Harris, in an email to the organization’s members, has raised the question as to whether Constitutional rights should be subject to the low threshold infringements of red flag laws.  Ammoland Shooting Sports News picked up Harris’ commentary and published it in its entirety. Harris says that red flag laws “may just be the newest euphemism for reasonable gun control.” Indeed, in his commentary,…

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Jack Johnson Elected State Senate Majority Leader by GOP Caucus

Laura Baigert

NASHVILLE, Tennessee – At the State Senate Republican Caucus meeting held Monday afternoon in an eighth floor conference room of the Cordell Hull Building, there was no obvious drama in the selection of its six leaders for the upcoming 111th General Assembly. The elections held off until Governor-Elect Bill Lee, after making his rounds greeting each of the Senators individually, made scheduled opening remarks that lasted about five minutes. He was introduced by Lt. Governor Randy McNally, who said Lee, elected by an overwhelming majority in both the primary and general is a man of faith and a conservative, concluding “I think we’re going to get along just fine.” Lee said it was an honor and humbling to be there with a remarkable group of public servants, many of whom he has built relationships with. Lee was complimentary of the leadership by those in the room, as well as the state House and the Governor, which has made Tennessee a remarkably good place to be by creating and laying a foundation that can be built upon so that all Tennesseans can enjoy a good job, good school for their kids and a safe neighborhood. From there, Senate Speaker Pro Tempore…

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Speaker-Elect Glen Casada: It’s My Job To Find Conservatives And Let Them Lead

Laura Baigert

NASHVILLE, Tennessee – Speaker-Elect Glen Casada says that as Speaker, his job is “to find the strong conservatives, put them in the right committee, and let them lead.”  Casada’s statement was made to a group of middle Tennessee activists in response to a question about the key things he wants to focus on during session. Casada easily won the nomination of the House GOP caucus for the Speaker’s position last month. The formal election for Speaker and Speaker Pro- Tempore will be held when the Tennessee General Assembly convenes in January. The House Republican Caucus Bylaws require that members vote for the nominated Speaker and Speaker Pro-Tem Elect, or be automatically expelled from the Caucus. With a Republican super majority in the House, holding 73 of the 99 seats, Casada’s election as Speaker of the 111th General Assembly is a virtual certainty. During this interim period he is generally referred to as “Speaker-Elect,” though he could also be called the “Presumptive Speaker.” The group, Nashville Sentinels, organized around the Heritage Action For Action (HAFA) model and is spear-headed by longtime Nashville Republican Ed Smith. The Nashville Sentinels meet monthly and at its February meeting then Majority Leader Casada spoke to…

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Tennessee GOP Votes To Close Primaries

Laura Baigert

FRANKLIN, Tennessee – The State Executive Committee (SEC) of the Tennessee Republican Party voted overwhelmingly at its organizational meeting to require party registration in order to vote in a party’s primary election, more commonly known as closing the primaries. The SEC has a potential of 66 seats consisting of one committeeman and one committeewoman for each of Tennessee’s 33 Senate districts. In a roll call vote, there were 45 votes in favor of closing the primaries, 14 for the primaries to remain open and one abstention. Two SEC members were absent with no proxy present, and four seats are currently vacant. The resolution will be provided to the Tennessee General Assembly with the expectation of getting a bill passed by the Republican-controlled Senate and House to address voter registration during the upcoming legislative session which will begin in January, thereby putting an end to the perceived finger-pointing as to whether it is the SEC or legislature that must close the primaries. A press release issued shortly after the vote and meeting adjournment on Saturday titled “TNGOP Passes Election Resolutions,” stated that the Tennessee Republican Party’s State Executive Committee voted to approve a resolution that asks the 111th General Assembly “to…

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As Legislative Session Approaches, Americans For Prosperity-Tennessee Trains Citizen Lobbyists

Laura Baigert

MURFREESBORO, Tennessee – Statewide grassroots organization Americans For Prosperity-Tennessee (AFP-TN) conducted training for citizen lobbyists in preparation for the upcoming legislative session of the 111th Tennessee General Assembly. Between the House and Senate, the legislature will have more than two dozen new members, the most since Reconstruction, when it reconvenes in January 2019. According to its website, AFP-TN is committed to advancing every individual’s right to economic freedom and opportunity through citizen education and engagement. The Tennessee chapter is focused on breaking down barriers to opportunity, achieving policy victories that can serve as model legislation for other states, and continually growing our activist base to encourage more people to turn from apathy to engagement in the process. AFP-TN State Director Tori Venable lead the four-hour training session for more than 20 attendees, several of whom came from as far as Knoxville, that focused on legislative advocacy and making the case for citizens holding legislators “accountable to the true purpose of public service.” Examples of issues that require legislative advocacy include legislative actions that increase barriers for economic prosperity, budget issues, legislative actions that cause encroachment on personal rights and freedoms. While citizens can use email, phone calls and social media…

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Glen Casada Wins House Republican Nomination For Speaker

Laura Baigert

NASHVILLE, Tennessee – Widely seen as the favored candidate, State Representative Glen Casada easily won the three-way race for Speaker-Elect with 43 of 73 votes, setting the tone for the other mainly predictable 11 elections held during the House Republican Caucus meeting held Tuesday. As current Republican Caucus Chairman, Representative Ryan Williams (Cookeville) opened the meeting and reviewed some ground rules. Williams said that, per the Bylaws of the House Republican Caucus, an independent accounting firm would count the ballots and declare the winner of each race. The successful candidate would need a total of 37 votes, even if a member chose not to vote. Although it did not happen, there was a provision in the event that no candidate received 37 votes in the first round, whereby the person with the lowest number of votes would be eliminated, and additional votes taken until a candidate reached 37 votes. The votes for each position would not be cast until the results of the previous election were declared. Williams announced that the ballots and tally sheets would be preserved and available for review in the office of the new duly-elected Caucus Chair. Representative Dan Howell (Georgetown) made a motion, which was…

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Sumner County Executive’s Email Rant Signals Major Property Tax Increase for County In 2019

Laura Baigert

In an email sent to dozens of local elected officials ranting about a political rival, Sumner County Executive Anthony Holt, while seemingly trying to conceal a significant property tax increase in 2019, may have actually revealed that intention. County Executive Holt’s email directed to Sumner County’s County Commission members, other constitutional officers and Gallatin City Council members was under the heading of “Information Regarding County Courthouse Project,” referencing the new, greater than $110 million facsimile of Rutherford County’s new courthouse Sumner County is currently pushing along. The $110 million price tag does not address the identified need of a parking garage, which cost Rutherford County $7 million in 2014 dollars and did not include the land purchase. The courthouse project is running in parallel to the first phase of a new K-12 school campus on the 265 acres purchased in 2015 in the Upper Station Camp area, approved in a special-called Sumner County School Board meeting on October 30. A special-called joint meeting of the Education, Budget and Financial Management Committees held on election eve, November 5, expedited the approval of $103 million in debt to advance the school project on to the regularly scheduled full County Commission meeting November…

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Governor-Elect Bill Lee Launches New Website To Stay Connected With Tennesseans During Transition

Laura Baigert

The day after he was elected as the 50th Governor of Tennessee, Bill Lee announced the launch of a new transition website. The website, transition.billlee.com, “seeks to engage Tennesseans to help share ideas to help take our state from good to great,” alluding to the 2001 management book. Lee referenced the book as he made his final campaign stops on the Believe in Tennessee Tour. Lee elaborated during his Believe in Tennessee tour that good can be the enemy of great by inhibiting the ability to move to the next level. Lee would say, “Tennessee should not just be better, but should lead the nation and show how to address the serious problems.” Lee encourages sharing of ideas to “unleash the extraordinary problem-solving potential of Tennessee,” on the website’s landing page where Tennesseans have the opportunity to express “Your Ideas for Your Government.”  No doubt, Lee heard lots of ideas as he visited each of the 95 counties on several occasions over the course of the gubernatorial campaign via his and Maria’s used RV, not to mention the tractor tour. Following an introduction to the Governor-Elect, the website features an overview of Lee’s priorities. The list includes topics familiar to…

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Tennessee Lures Amazon to Nashville With $102 Million In Taxpayer-Funded Incentives

Laura Baigert

Nashville won’t be getting Amazon’s new HQ2, but in a surprise announcement Tuesday the city will get Amazon’s new Operations Center of Excellence in exchange for $102 million in taxpayer-funded performance-based incentives. A press conference held at the State Capital with outgoing Governor Bill Haslam, Economic Community Development (ECD) Commissioner Bob Rolfe, and Nashville Mayor David Briley appeared with Amazon’s Holly Sullivan to make the announcement. While Nashville was considered to be in the hunt as one of the top 20 for Amazon’s HQ2, that distinction was awarded to New York and Virginia. Being a finalist “opened the opportunity for Nashville to be chosen for this significant operation,” according to Ralph Schulz, President and CEO of the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce. The new operation promises 5,000 new jobs with average salaries of $150,000 per year, Haslam said during the press conference. While Amazon’s investment to establish the operation is sited as $230 million, the announcement didn’t address the $102 million in incentives as the trade-off. Incentives from the State include a $65 million grant for capital expenses and allows Amazon seven years to create the 5,000 jobs. A tax credit from the State of Tennessee worth $21.7 million is…

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Lamberth, Sexton and Williams Are the Three Declared Candidates to Become the Next State House Majority Leader

Laura Baigert

On the November 9 deadline for Republican members to declare an intention to run for a State House leadership position, the Majority Leader selection just turned from a two-way into a three-way race. As The Tennessee Star reported, the Tennessee House leadership selections will be held this year on November 20, the Tuesday before Thanksgiving as required by the House Republican Caucus Bylaws. The most important and Constitutional positions in the House, Speaker and Speaker Pro-Tempore, will be selected by the Republican Caucus members and voted on by the entire House of Representatives at a January organizational meeting. As the chief officer of the Republican Party in the State House, it is the most important Caucus leadership role. The duties of the Republican (Majority) Leader are largely related to coordinating, negotiating and representing the legislative interests of the House Caucus to the Senate and Executive Branch and vice versa. As with any election, the candidates appeal to the electorate for their vote. In this case, the candidates ask for votes from their fellow Republican House members. The candidates for House Majority (Republican) Leader are William Lamberth (Cottontown), Jerry Sexton (Bean Station) and Ryan Williams (Cookeville), with Sexton the latest to…

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Tennessee House Leadership Selections This Month Will Set the Stage for 2019 Session of the General Assembly

Laura Baigert

Now that the public voting is over and Tennessee state representatives and senators have been elected for the next two or four years, respectively, each legislative body goes about their own nomination process to select their leaders.  The outcome of the selection process will be a strong indication about the direction of the upcoming 111th Tennessee General Assembly. The State House, in particular, will begin its massive changes in leadership in less than two weeks. The two most senior members of the House of Representatives, Beth Harwell (Nashville) and Steve McDaniel (Lobelville), both Republicans who served 15 terms each, are gone. Harwell served as Speaker of the House, the first woman to do so, and McDaniel was the Deputy Speaker, a position appointed by the Speaker. While the “Red Wall” of the House held off a “Blue Wave,” retaining its super majority and losing just one seat holding 73 of the 99 total, there are 25 new members. With one quarter of the body being new, the most since reconstruction, out of sheer necessity there will be changes to the chairmanships and members of the 15 standing committees and 14 non-standing subcommittees of the House. House leadership is more important…

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Republicans Retain Super Majority In The Tennessee General Assembly

Laura Baigert

While there will be plenty of new faces as the Tennessee legislature enters into its 111th general assembly, the total number of seats held by Republicans is reduced by one, but still carries the super majority status of both chambers through a volatile mid-term election. All 99 seats in the State House of Representatives, consisting of 74 Republicans and 25 Democrats, were up for election during Tuesday’s mid-term elections. There were a total of 24 House seats vacated prior to the primaries, several of whom ran for other elected positions at the local, state or national level. Additionally and quite remarkably, two House Committee Chairmen, Barry Doss (R-Leoma) and Tim Wirgau (R-Buchanan) were defeated in the August Republican primaries by first-time conservative candidates Clay Doggett (R-Pulaski) and Bruce Griffey (R-Paris) in Districts 70 and 75, respectively.  Both Doss and Wirgau voted for the gas tax increasing IMPROVE Act, which was a major factor in both races. It’s not as though Republicans didn’t have a fight on their hands, since just eight House Republican candidates went unchallenged by a Democrat in Tuesday’s elections, while nine had to battle both a Democrat and an Independent opponent. Meanwhile, House Democratic candidates got off…

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