Tag: State Rep. John Ragan

Tennessee State Rep. Justin Jones Ruled Out of Order After Calling House Speaker Sexton ‘Drunk with Power’ on Second Day of Session

Tom Pappert
Jones Sexton

State Representative Justin Jones (D-Nashville) was ruled out of order by the Tennessee House of Representatives on Wednesday after he reportedly claimed House Speaker Cameron Sexton (R-Crossville) was “drunk with power” on the second day of the 2024 legislative session.

Jones asked to speak about his purported concerns over an incident he and Representative Gloria Johnson (D-Knoxville) claimed to witness on Tuesday, when they allege that Sexton’s security detail prevent Republican Majority Leader William Lamberth (R-Portland) from riding in the same elevator as Sexton.

Read the full story

New Tennessee Law Forbids Colleges to Require Agreement with ‘Antiracist’ Concepts

Admin

A new Tennessee law forbids public higher education from requiring allegiance to “divisive concepts,” including some tenets of “antiracism” and diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI.

The legislation becomes binding July 1, according to the Tennessee General Assembly. The bill passed the Tennessee House and Senate in late April, and Gov. Bill Lee signed it April 28.

Read the full story

Bill Banning Transgender Athletics Takes Effect This Week

Peter D'Abrosca

A Tennessee bill that bans biological males from participating in female athletic competition will take effect this week. 

HB 1895, which passed through the Tennessee General Assembly in April and was subsequently signed into law by Gov. Bill Lee (R), says “the commissioner of education to withhold a portion of the state education finance funds that a [Local Education Association] is otherwise eligible to receive if the LEA fails or refuses to determine a student’s gender, for purposes of participation in school sports, by the student’s sex at the time of birth…”

Read the full story

Pair of Bills Prohibiting Biological Males from Competing Against Women in Local Education Associations and Collegiate Sports Advance Through Legislative Process

Aaron Gulbransen

A pair of bills that essentially prohibit biological males from competing in women’s  Local Education Association and Collegiate sports continue to advance through the Tennessee General Assembly legislative process.

SB1861, sponsored by State Senator Joey Hensley (R-Hohenwald), was overwhelmingly approved by both the chambers in the Tennessee General Assembly. SB2153, also sponsored by Hensley, was overwhelmingly passed in the state Senate, 27-4, and is scheduled to be considered by the House Finance, Ways, and Means Committee on Tuesday, April 19.

Read the full story

Bill to Withhold Funds from Schools That Allow Transgender Athletes Passes Tennessee House

Peter D'Abrosca

A bill that would strip some funding from schools who break Tennessee’s new law on transgender athletes Thursday passed the Tennessee State House of Representatives. 

“I’m very pleased that the House passed this legislation and I’m confident the Senate chamber will pass it as well. It’s illogical to think sporting competitions involving speed, strength and endurance with males competing against females is a fair contest,” State Rep. John Ragan (R-District 33), the primary sponsor of the bill, told The Tennessee Star Friday.

Read the full story