Thursday morning on the Tennessee Star Report, host Michael Patrick Leahy welcomed Tennessee State Rep. (R) Mike Sparks of Smyrna in studio to discuss ending the legislative session and the passing of the Sales Tax Exemption Bill.
Read the full story
The hymn “Amazing Grace” was approved as an official state song by the Tennessee General Assembly this week. On Thursday, House Speaker Cameron Sexton (R-Crossville) signed the bill.
The language of the bill itself explained the background and significance of the hymn. “Amazing Grace” was originally a poem penned by John Newton, an 18th century Christian minister who walked away from life as a slave ship captain. The poem, later set to music by American composer William Walker, was inspired by his newfound faith in God following his near-death experience while at sea.
Read the full story
Wednesday morning on the Tennessee Star Report, host Michael Patrick Leahy welcomed State Rep. Mike Sparks to the newsmakers line to talk about this new bill proposing Amazing Grace as the official hymn of the state of Tennessee.
Read the full story
Wednesday morning on the Tennessee Star Report, host Michael Patrick Leahy welcomed Tennessee State Rep. Mike Sparks to the studio to discuss his new bill and the challenges in fighting the unnecessary spending on schools in response to county growth.
Read the full story
Newly proposed legislation would establish an annual scholarship program enabling students to choose private schooling. The bill, filed on Tuesday by State Representative Mike Sparks (R-Smyrna), would apply to students within Tennessee’s rapid growth school districts (TRGSDs) according to Tennessee’s Department of Education (TDOE). Any local education agency (LEA), or school district, that has two percent growth over the course of five years would be eligible.
The bill capped scholarship recipients at 1,000 students. If more than 1,000 students applied for the scholarship, then TDOE would select the recipients via lottery preference. Students who have enrolled previously or have siblings in any given participating school would receive preference in such a lottery.
Read the full story
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.
Read the full story
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…
Read the full story