Search Results for: laura Baigert

Governor Bill Lee Announces ‘Constitutional Carry’ Legislation

Laura Baigert

At a press conference Thursday surrounded by more than 40 members of the Tennessee General Assembly, Governor Bill Lee announced that he will be introducing legislation supporting the God-given and constitutionally-protected Second Amendment rights of Tennesseans with a Constitutional Carry bill.

Word of an announcement that would generically expand “constitutional rights” got out late Wednesday, although the Tennessee Firearms Association’s Executive Director John Harris said that they were made aware weeks ago of a major announcement on a 2A issue that TFA members would likely be pleased with.

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Ahead of ‘Super Tuesday,’ Tennessee Begins Early Voting Wednesday in the Presidential Primary

Laura Baigert
vote

  As part of “Super Tuesday,” Tennessee will begin early voting Wednesday, February 12 in the 2020 presidential preference primary. Super Tuesday refers to the single day that the highest number of U.S. states and territories hold a presidential primary or caucus during a presidential election year. In the 2020 presidential election year, Super Tuesday will be held on March 3. In Tennessee, early voting starts this Wednesday and runs through Tuesday, February 25. Tennessee joins 14 other jurisdictions holding a primary event on Super Tuesday, according to Ballotpedia, including Alabama, America Samoa, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah, Vermont and Virginia. With California and Texas – the two most populous states – holding their primaries on Super Tuesday, more than one third of the U.S. population is expected to vote on March 3, Ballotpedia predicts. In a December 19, 2019, letter to county election commission offices, Secretary of State Tre Hargett certified the presidential candidates on the presidential preference primary ballot. The Republican primary ballot will include presidential candidates: Donald J. Trump Joe Walsh Bill Weld The Democratic primary ballot includes 15 presidential candidates: Michael Bennet Joseph R. Biden Michael R. Bloomberg Cory Booker…

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Ahead of Sanctuary County Resolution Vote, Second Amendment Supporters Rally in Sumner County

Laura Baigert

HENDERSONVILLE, Tennessee – As the Sumner County Board of Commissioners are scheduled take up a Second Amendment Sanctuary County Resolution Monday, citizens gathered in support of their God-given constitutionally protected right to keep and bear arms.

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State House Committee Votes to Delay Action on Nathan Bedford Forrest Bust at State Capitol

Laura Baigert

NASHVILLE, Tennessee – The State House Naming, Designating and Private Acts Committee voted Tuesday to delay action until the last calendar of the committee on a resolution suggesting the removal and replacement of the Nathan Bedford Forrest bust at the state capitol building.

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Governor Bill Lee’s Second State of the State Continues His Priorities in a $40.8 Billion Budget

Laura Baigert
Bill Lee on the State House floor

  NASHVILLE, Tennessee – At his second annual State of the State Address, Governor Bill Lee continued to prioritize education, criminal justice reform, care for the most vulnerable, and rural Tennessee in his $40.8 billion budget for the upcoming 2020-2021 fiscal year. The next fiscal year’s budget reflects a 3.7 percent increase over last year’s $39.3 billion budget and is the first time that the state’s budget has exceeded $40 billion. Providing the General Assembly information on the state of the government is an Article III requirement of the Constitution of the State of Tennessee for the state’s chief executive and was set for Monday, February 3 at 6 p.m. in the chambers of the State’s House of Representatives in the State Capitol. Prior to delivering the State of the State Address, Governor Lee gave a preview in a 5 a.m. release of excerpts from the Address to the governor’s office webpage. Monday evening, legislators, Governor Lee, guests, and other attendees were met – starting at 5:30 p.m. – by a regular protester standing in front of the bust of Nathan Bedford Forrest located between the Senate and House chambers shouting, “Remove the bust of Nathan Bedford Forrest,” and “Remove…

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State House Committee Considers Resolution Suggesting Removal of Nathan Bedford Forrest Bust from the Capitol

Laura Baigert

The House Naming, Designating and Private Acts Committee is considering a resolution that suggests the removal of the Nathan Bedford Forrest bust from the state capitol and replacing it with an appropriate tribute to a deserving Tennessean.

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State Lawmakers to Rewrite TDOT Billboard Regulations Ruled Unconstitutional

Laura Baigert

NASHVILLE – During the second legislative session of the 111th Tennessee General Assembly, state lawmakers will rewrite Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) regulations relative to billboards within the state which were ruled to be unconstitutional by the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.

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Congressman Mark Green Reflects on His Visit to 101st Airborne Division Soldiers at the Border

Laura Baigert

Following a visit to the U.S. border with Mexico last week, U.S. Representative Mark Green (R-TN-07) said that the soldiers of the 3rd Brigade Combat Team of the 101st Airborne Division – known as the Rakkasans – are very proud to be at the border and feel like they are finally getting to protect their homeland.

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2A Ground Zero: ‘It’s Not a Virginia Thing; It’s an America Thing’

Laura Baigert

RICHMOND, Virginia – Thousands of 2nd Amendment supporters gathered peacefully in Virginia Monday, demonstrating that the commitment to defend the God-given, constitutionally-protected right to keep and bear arms extends far beyond the Commonwealth’s borders.

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Ahead of Second Amendment Lobby Day and Rally in Virginia Monday, Warnings of a ‘Set-Up’ Against Supporters Spread

Laura Baigert

RICHMOND, Virginia – Supporters of the 2nd Amendment have received warnings about being set up at the annual rally at the Commonwealth of Virginia capitol, which has become ground-zero for the constitutionally protected right of Americans to keep and bear arms.

For nearly two decades, Virginia Citizens Defense League (VCDL) has organized an annual trek to the General Assembly on Martin Luther King Day to peacefully assemble and lobby their legislators on the 2nd Amendment.

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First Day: New House Speaker Sexton Sets Agenda for Second Legislative Session

Laura Baigert

NASHVILLE, Tennessee – Tuesday, January 14 marked the first day of the second session of the 111th Tennessee General Assembly and included a House Republican caucus meeting, a new Speaker at the House dais, the swearing in of the newest member to the House of Representatives and the passage of a religious freedom bill by the Senate.

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EXCLUSIVE: Tennessee House Speaker Cameron Sexton on Upcoming Legislative Session and Hot Topics

Laura Baigert
Tennessee House Speaker Cameron Sexton

As the 111th Tennessee General Assembly is set to enter its second session, newly elected Speaker of the House Cameron Sexton gave an exclusive interview to The Tennessee Star to discuss legislative priorities and current issues.

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Tennessee State Revenues for October Exceed Budgeted Estimates for a $50 Million Surplus

Laura Baigert

In a news release Friday, the Commissioner of Finance and Administration Stuart McWhorter announced that the state’s revenues for October exceeded budgeted estimates, resulting in a $49.8 million surplus for the month.

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TDOT Reports Timing for Completion of 962 Road Projects Included in the Fuel-Tax-Increasing IMPROVE Act Going from 10 to 20-Plus Years

Laura Baigert

Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) officials reported last week that the timing for the completion of the 962 projects totaling $10.5 billion included in the fuel tax increasing IMPROVE Act will now take 20 plus years instead of the 10 years originally estimated.

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State House Subcommittee Studies Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform Widely Supported But Not Adopted During the 2019 Legislative Session

Laura Baigert

NASHVILLE, Tennessee – The House Civil Justice Subcommittee held a summer study of two bills related to civil asset forfeiture reform and reporting, the former having widespread and bi-partisan support although the legislation didn’t make it past its first stop in the Subcommittee.

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Tennessee State Revenue Report Shows Surplus of $138.8 Million in September

Laura Baigert

  The report of Tennessee state revenues for September at $1.6 billion resulted in a budget surplus of $138.8 million. Revenue for the month of September 2019, as indicated in the report, is $138.7 million more than September 2018, reflecting a 9.75 percent year-over-year growth rate. On an accrual basis, September is the second month in the 2019-2020 fiscal year. Combined with August, the two months of revenues have resulted in a total $167.6 million budget surplus year-to-date. Revenues are 6.6 percent ahead of the plan for the 2019-2020 fiscal year and 9.00 percent ahead of this time in the 2018-2019 fiscal year. Finance and Administration Commissioner Stuart McWhorter said of the most recent month’s revenue results, “September sales tax receipts continue to reflect strong consumer activity within the state and corporate tax revenues greatly outperformed expectations.” The sales and use tax, the state’s largest revenue generator accounting for more than 60 percent of the 2019-2020 budgeted revenues, exceeded the estimates for September by $31 million or nearly 4 percent. Year-to-date, sales tax revenues have exceeded the budgeted estimates by $40 million, or 2.5 percent for the two month period. Franchise and excise taxes combined, the state’s second-largest revenue source…

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Tennessee Has Surplus Revenue of $28.8 Million in August, First Month of 2020 Fiscal Year and Governor Bill Lee’s Budget

Laura Baigert

Commissioner of the Department of Finance Administration, Stuart McWhorter, reported last week that Tennessee revenues for August were $28.8 million more than the budgeted estimates.

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Men of Valor Holds All-Day Criminal Justice Reform and Addiction Conference, Featuring Governor Bill Lee as the Keynote Speaker

Laura Baigert

Featuring Governor Bill Lee as the keynote speaker, Men of Valor, the men’s Christian prison ministry, held an all-day criminal justice reform conference Wednesday at the Millennium Maxwell House Hotel in downtown Nashville.

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Tennessee Leads the Way by Being the First State to Propose Receiving Federal Medicaid Funding Through a Block Grant

Laura Baigert

Tennessee became the first state in the nation Tuesday to propose that $7.9 billion in federal funding for the state’s Medicaid program, known as TennCare, would be provided through a block grant.

The release of the 34-page proposal, TennCare II Demonstration Amendment 42, begins a 30-day public comment period, which will end on October 18, 2019.

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Sixth Circuit Court Rules That TDOT’s ‘Billboard Act’ Unconstitutionally Restricts Non-Commercial Free Speech

Laura Baigert

The United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit issued an opinion on September 11, 2019, affirming that Tennessee’s Billboard Regulation and Control Act of 1972 is unconstitutional based on its content-based regulation of free speech.

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The Last Nashville-Based Republican State Legislator, Sen. Steve Dickerson, Gets a Republican Primary and Democrat Opponent

Laura Baigert

Serving as the Senator for Nashville’s 20th District, the last Republican in the state legislature representing Nashville, Steve Dickerson, will face off against a Republican primary opponent in August, and if successful, a Democrat challenger in the November 2020 general election.

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Rep. Jay Reedy Issues Statement from State Legislators to Mayor Briley: ‘Nashville Is Subject to the Laws of Tennessee: Sanctuary Policies Are Illegal’

Laura Baigert
State Rep Jay Reedy

State Representative Jay Reedy (R-Erin), the House sponsor of HB2315, the 2018 legislation that prohibits state and local governmental entities and officials from adopting sanctuary policies, issued a statement Tuesday afternoon on behalf of legislators that addresses Nashville’s continued flouting of both state and federal laws. “Nashville is subject to the laws of the State of Tennessee and the United States of America, and the laws of both are clear: Sanctuary policies that shield illegal aliens are themselves illegal,” the statement said. “The law states clearly that local government entities that do not comply are potentially ‘ineligible to enter into any grant contract with the department of economic and community development,’ the statement continued. On Tuesday morning, Nashville Mayor David Briley, who by all accounts trails At-large Metro Council member John Cooper in the September 12 mayoral runoff election, stepped up the city’s flouting of state and federal laws when he  issued an executive order that, among other things, calls on the Nashville Davidson County delegation of the Tennessee General Assembly to fight to repeal HB2315. Briley’s executive order, in effect, declares Metropolitan Nashville/Davidson County to be a sovereign state, with rights equal to or superior to those constitutionally authorized…

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Club For Growth Launches State Legislative Scorecard in Tennessee and Three Other States

Laura Baigert

  Club for Growth Foundation, as part of a new initiative, launched 2019 state legislative scorecards in four states to provide an in-depth look at votes on economic issues, including Tennessee. Only one Tennessee legislator, Representative Debra Moody (R-Covington), earned the designation of Defender of Freedom by the Club for Growth, for scoring 90 percent or better. The non-profit charitable organization was formed with the purpose of educating the public about the value of free markets, pro-growth policies and creating economic prosperity. Club for Growth Foundation’s congressional scorecard, published annually, is highly regarded when it comes to key votes on economic issues relative to spending, taxes, regulation and trade. At the state level, in addition to Tennessee, Club for Growth Foundation has launched state legislative scorecards in Florida, New Mexico and Virginia for the 2019 legislative session. Florida’s scorecard also includes votes from the 2018 legislative session. On August 14, 2019, Club For Growth Foundation President, David McIntosh, announced the launch of the new state scorecards, “The Club for Growth Foundation’s Congressional Scorecard is already the gold-standard in publishing the voting records of Senators and Members of the U.S. House of Representatives on economic legislation, and the State Legislative Scorecards…

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Attempts by House Democrats to Expel Representative David Byrd During the Special Session Unsuccessful

Laura Baigert

  NASHVILLE, Tennessee – House Democrats launched an unsuccessful attempt to expel Representative David Byrd (R-Waynesboro) from the House of Representatives during the Extraordinary Session on August 23 to elect a new Speaker. HR 7006, introduced by Representative Gloria Johnson (D-Knoxville) on August 5 reads, “Expels David Byrd from his seat as a member of the House of Representatives of the One Hundred Eleventh General Assembly.” Byrd has been accused of inappropriate sexual conduct with underage female student athletes 30 years ago when he was a high school basketball coach. The allegations were made against Byrd prior to the 2018 elections, which Byrd won capturing 78 percent of the vote against his Democrat opponent. Since the allegations were made public, protesters have been regular attendees at the legislative offices and committee rooms in the Cordell Hull Building, and even more present outside the chambers during floor sessions. Protesters were present during and after the House Republican Caucus meeting held on August 22, the day prior to the Extraordinary Session. A group, Enough is Enough, has repeatedly called for Byrd to be removed from the House, even to Governor Bill Lee who has no such constitutional authority. Earlier this week, before…

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