Tag: Bo Watson

Blackburn Celebrates Senate Passing Big Beautiful Bill After Killing AI Moratorium with Last-Minute Amendment

Tom Pappert
Marsha Blackburn

U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn on Tuesday celebrated the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act by the U.S. Senate in a statement released hours after she successfully passed an amendment to kill a controversial part of the bill.

“Senate Republicans kept our promise to the American people and accomplished a once-in-a-generation victory for our country,” Blackburn said in a statement obtained by The Tennessee Star after she voted to pass the bill. “The One Big Beautiful Bill Act prevents the largest tax hike in American history and secures the largest tax cut ever for individuals and families who endured four years of crushing inflation and reckless spending.”

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Tennessee Senate Passes Bill Allowing Schools to Charge Tuition, Deny Enrollment to Illegal Immigrants

Tom Pappert
kids learning

The Tennessee State Senate on Thursday approved legislation that would allow school districts to create policies to charge illegal immigrants tuition to attend public schools or bar their enrollment altogether, or continue to enroll all students without screening for citizenship or legal residence. 

Senate Bill (SB) 836, as amended and passed this week, the legislation would give school districts the authority to set policies governing enrollment, allowing districts to request documentation of citizenship or legal residence before enrolling a student. 

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State House Advances Amended Legislation Allowing Tennessee Schools to Deny Enrollment, Charge Tuition to Illegal Immigrants

Tom Pappert
students learning

The Tennessee State House Education Committee on Wednesday advanced House Bill (HB) 793 by Majority Leader William Lamberth (R-Portland), which as submitted would have given school districts the option to deny enrollment to illegal immigrants. 

An amendment was filed for the legislation ahead of the Wednesday vote. The legislation would now still allow school districts to deny enrollment to those in the country illegally but would also give education officials the opportunity to condition enrollment eligibility on the ability to produce specific documentation.

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Tennessee Senate Advances Bill Empowering Schools to Charge Illegal Immigrants Tuition or Deny Enrollment

Tom Pappert
State Rep. William Lamberth, State Sen Bo Watson

The Tennessee State Senate Committee on Education voted on Wednesday to advance legislation that would allow local school districts to charge tuition to the families of illegal immigrants, and if those living in the country illegally refuse to pay, to decline enrollment.

As originally submitted, Senate Bill (SB) 836 by State Senator Bo Watson (R-Hixson) would have given school districts the authority to decline enrollment to students who are in the country illegally, drawing concerns it would violate precedent set by the U.S. Supreme Court, making it destined to be blocked by a federal court.

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Tennessee Senate Resolution Urges Teachers to Use ‘Gulf of America,’ ‘Mount McKinley’ After Trump Renamed Them

Tom Pappert

Tennessee State Senator Bo Watson (R-Hixson) on Thursday filed a resolution in the General Assembly that would encourage teachers in the Volunteer State to educate pupils about the Gulf of America and Mount McKinley, which were renamed by President Donald Trump through an executive order late last month.

Formerly the Gulf of Mexico and Mount Denali, the names were changed to Gulf of Mexico and Mount McKinley through Trump’s “Restoring Names That Honor American Greatness” executive order on January 28. Google, the major GPS mapping provider, quickly updated its services to reflect Trump’s changes. 

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Tennessee Education Bill Designed to Serve as Challenge to 1982 U.S. Supreme Court Case, Aaron Gulbransen Says

Kaitlin Housler
student asking question

Aaron Gulbransen with the Tennessee Conservatives Coalition said a bill filed in the Tennessee General Assembly is “designed” to serve as a challenge to the 1982 U.S. Supreme Court decision in Plyler v. Doe.

The bill filed by Tennessee House Majority Leader William Lamberth (R-Portland) and State Senator Bo Watson (R-Hixson), HB 0793/SB 0836, would authorize public schools and public charter schools to refuse to enroll students who are unlawfully present in the United States.

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Tennessee Schools Could Deny Enrollment to Illegal Immigrants Under Proposed Legislation

Tom Pappert
Asking questions

A bill filed in the Tennessee General Assembly would empower Local Educational Agencies (LEA)s and public charter schools to decline to allow illegal immigrants to enroll in their institutions.

Submitted on Tuesday as HB 793 by State House Majority Leader William Lamberth (R-Portland) and SB 836 by State Senator Bo Watson (R-Hixson), the legislation specifically empowers schools to “enroll, or refuse to enroll, a student who is unlawfully present in the United States,” indicating schools will not be required to decline enrollment.

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Tennessee Considers Bill Restricting State Department of Child Services from Requiring Adoptive Parents to Vaccinate

Matthew Giffin
Parents

The Tennessee General Assembly is considering a bill that would restrict the state’s Department of Child Services from requiring prospective adoptive or foster parents to get vaccinated.

The State House Children and Family Affairs Subcommittee voted to pass the State House version of the legislation today after discussion and testimony. It is now on the calendar for the State Senate for February 29.

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