Tag: Rep. Jimmy Matlock

State Rep. Jimmy Matlock Files Bill To End Taxpayer Assistance of Abortion Clinics

Laura Baigert

NASHVILLE – In a press conference held the same day he filed a bill to put an end to Tennessee taxpayer dollars funding abortion clinics, State Rep. Jimmy Matlock (R-Lenoir City) appeared with Senate sponsor Mike Bell (R-Riceville), and debunked the narrative that Tennessee abortion providers are fully defunded. “The fact is,” Matlock said, accompanied by 20 legislators explained to members of the news media, “through the form of TennCare reimbursements, abortion providers still receive some state taxpayer money.” Through the required 90-10 federal-state match, over $1 million has been paid to these facilities over the past six years, according to Matlock. It’s “our money, [so] we should have a say where it goes,” he said. House Bill 2251 instructs the Commissioner of Finance & Administration “to seek a Medicaid waiver under the current TennCare II waiver to be able to exclude providers who perform elective abortions from receiving taxpayer dollars.” “We argue that these dollars do, in fact, support abortion clinics and, therefore, abortion.” As such, Matlock vowed, “We will see this bill through, and end taxpayer support of abortion facilities.” The House bill has 22 co-sponsors, including Speaker Beth Harwell (R-Nashville) who spoke of her long-standing pro-life position and support…

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State Representative Jimmy Matlock Kicks Off Campaign For U.S. Congress With Hundreds of Supporters

Laura Baigert
Tennessee Star

  State Representative Jimmy Matlock (R-Lenoir City), who announced August 3 his campaign to run for the 2nd District Congressional seat, following Representative John J. “Jimmy” Duncan announcement that he will not seek re-election, held a campaign kick-off Saturday at his family farm, with hundreds of supporters in attendance. Matlock, a small business owner of four-location Matlock Tire Service & Auto repair, has served in the Tennessee House of Representatives since 2007 for District 21, which includes parts of Loudon and Monroe Counties. Prior to the 2017 session of the General Assembly, Matlock made a run against House Speaker Beth Harwell (R-Nashville), losing by just ten votes. At his campaign kick-off, Matlock expressed his gratitude, saying “I see so many friends, colleagues and supporters here tonight, and I can’t thank you all enough.” Matlock spoke of shared values, “This is about what you believe. And it’s what I believe. We believe in America. We believe in the foundations of this country – the Constitution. We believe that the federal government should be very small, and not large. We believe that people should be responsible for themselves, not unelected and unaccountable bureaucrats. We want less government, not more.” Known for his…

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Exclusive: TCU Chairman Says 2nd Congressional District Candidate Matlock Among Most Conservative Legislators, Also Praises Burchett

Laura Baigert

In an exclusive statement to The Tennessee Star regarding the announcement by Rep. Jimmy Matlock (R-Lenoir City) that he will be running for the 2nd Congressional District, Tennessee Conservative Union (TCU) Chairman Gary Loe said “Rep. Matlock’s voting record on taxation scores consistently among the most conservative legislators in Nashville.” Loe’s statement praised Matlock’s service in the Tennessee House, saying he has “championed the TCU’s efforts to help taxpayers keep more of their hard earned income,” and pointed out that Matlock “voted against the governor’s gas tax increase this legislative session.” In the statement Loe also praised “[t]he other announced candidate in the race, Knox County mayor Tim Burchett,” whom he called “a terrific friend to TCU.” “In fact, TCU awarded our vaunted ‘Tax Ax’ award to then state Sen. Burchett in June 1999,” Loe said. The TCU, founded in 1977 by Lloyd Daugherty who passed away two years ago, is one of the oldest and largest non-partisan conservative organizations in the state with an estimated 15,000 members. Loe was appointed chairman on February 6, which is Ronald Reagan’s birthday, by the board of directors, and has been actively reintroducing the TCU through numerous speeches he has been delivering around…

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Retiring Congressman John J. Duncan ‘Not For Tim Burchett’

Laura Baigert

  Since John “Jimmy” Duncan, Jr., the U.S. Representative for Tennessee’s 2nd Congressional District, announced his retirement from the seat he has held since 1988, two potential replacements have announced their intention to run, and Duncan will not be supporting one of them. Duncan told the Nashville Post, “No, I’m not for Tim Burchett,” referring to the Knox County Mayor who formally announced his candidacy two days earlier at the Vol. Market #3, following months of speculation and his “teasing” about what office he would pursue after being term-limited out of his current office. Duncan went on to say, “Well, I really like Jimmy Matlock,” referring to State Representative Jimmy Matlock (R-Lenoir City), who beat Burchett to the punch by announcing his organization of a campaign to run for the 2nd District Congressional seat two days before Burchett. Matlock referred to Congressman Duncan as “my dear friend” in his official campaign statement. Duncan stopped short of an endorsement for Matlock, saying, “I’m not endorsing anybody right at the moment,” taking a “wait and see” position. While Duncan added, “Endorsements don’t mean a whole lot,” in a seat that has been held by “Jimmy” or his father, John Duncan Sr., since…

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School Bus Seat Belt Legislation Passes House Committee

Wendy Wilson
Tennessee Star

  A bill that would require seat belts on Tennessee public school buses passed a House panel Tuesday morning. The Education Administration and Planning Committee passed the proposed legislation on a voice vote. Supporters attending the meeting clapped after the vote was taken. The measure is in response to a school bus crash in Chattanooga in November in which six children were killed and dozens injured. Bus driver Johnthony Walker was charged with vehicular homicide. Police say Walker was speeding when the bus crashed into a tree and flipped over. The seat belt bill is sponsored by two Chattanooga legislators, JoAnne Favors, a Democrat in the House, and Todd Gardenhire, a Republican in the Senate. The amended bill would require buses purchased starting July 2019 to have seat belts. During a discussion before the vote Tuesday, Rep. Craig Fitzhugh (D-Ripley) said the bill is “a long time coming.” “We are buckled up everywhere,” he said, adding that school buses should be no different. Downplaying concerns that young children might not be able to unfasten their seat belts in an emergency, Fitzhugh said his three-year-old grandson can work himself out of his car seat restraints in “a New York second.” But opponents…

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