Tag: Tennessee General Assembly

Knoxville Mayor Urges General Assembly to Pass Red Flag Laws During Special Session

Kaitlin Housler

Knoxville Mayor Indya Kincannon released a statement on Thursday in support of Governor Bill Lee’s call for a special session in the General Assembly, set to convene on Monday.

“As Mayor of Knoxville, public safety is my top priority. I support the Governor’s call for a Special Session to consider legislative measures to make our communities safer,” Kincannon’s statement said. “While there are many perspectives on how to accomplish these goals, the conversation must continue to include all parts of our state and all communities.”

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Michael Patrick Leahy: Bill Lee’s ‘Laundry List Red Flag Law Special Session’ Is a Dramatic Break from the Modern Political Tradition of Tennessee

Tennessee Star Staff

Host Michael Patrick Leahy lays out why Gov. Bill Lee’s “Laundry List Red Flag Law Special Session’ breaks with modern political tradition in Tennessee.  He also explains the surprising reason his ‘Red Flag’ law is doomed to fail in court on Friday’s episode of The Tennessee Star Report.  TRANSCRIPT Michael Patrick Leahy: Well, we’re looking at this special session call Governor Bill Lee had – his ill-advised call [for a special session that will convene on Monday, August 21.]It’s going to be an opportunity for the Left wing to descend upon the capital on Monday and try to intimidate Tennessee General Assembly members to adopt gun control measures and a Red Flag law. We’ll get to those details here in just a minute, but let’s talk about the history of special sessions. It’s supposed to be on extraordinary occasions. The modern political tradition here in the state of Tennessee is to take care of the business of the state during the general session of the Tennessee General Assembly, which convenes in January and typically runs to April or May. And when you have an opportunity for committee hearings and for more deliberate consideration of a wide array of laws…

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Crommentary: The Runaway Left Wields Power Through the Tyranny of the Minority

Tennessee Star Staff

On Friday’s episode of The Tennessee Star Report, original all-star panelist Crom Carmichael noted three seemingly unrelated stories in the news today to illustrate how the Left is effectively dominating critical sectors of life across across the country.  TRANSCRIPT Crom Carmichael: Michael, like so many of my recent commentaries, it’s kind of a theme – pulling from a bunch of different stories on seemingly unrelated topics. But this is a headline from the Wall Street Journal, James Freeman, “Has the Bay Area Hit Bottom?” and what it goes on to point out is just how terrible things are in San Francisco and in Oakland. And there’s one there’s one quote in here. It’s by Mr. Chachas acquired Gump’s department stores following a chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2018. And here’s what he wrote – and it was published in the local paper there. San Francisco now suffers from a tyranny of the minority behavior and actions of the few that jeopardize the livelihood of the many. The ramifications of COVID policies advising people to abandon their offices are only beginning to be understood. Equally devastating had been a litany of destructive San Francisco strategies, including allowing the homeless to occupy our…

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Open Government Expert: Any Tennessee General Assembly Committee Has the Legal Authority to Obtain the Covenant Killer Manifesto

Tennessee Star Staff

Tennessee Coalition for Open Government’s Executive Director Deborah Fisher joined all-star panelist and author Carol Swain in-studio on Thursday’s edition of The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy to discuss the provisions in current law that would make the Covenant Killer Manifesto available for review by Tennessee lawmakers.

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Tennessee Department of Education Releases Data on Third-Grade Retention Appeals

TC Weber

This week, the Tennessee Department of Education(TDOE) released final data on third-grade retention appeals.

In 2021, Tennessee lawmakers passed the Tennessee Learning Loss Remediation and Student Acceleration Act. It set forth key academic supports for third-grade students who did not score proficient on the English language arts (ELA) portion of their TCAP assessment. It further updated requirements for students to move to the next grade via multiple pathways for fourth-grade promotion.

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New Tennessee Education Commissioner Lizzette Reynolds Sworn Into Office

TC Weber

Tennessee officially has a new State Commissioner of Education. Lizzette Reynolds, a Texas native, was sworn in last week as the latest head of the Tennessee Department of Education. She replaces Penny Schwinn, who resigned effective June 1.

“I am excited and humbled by having the opportunity to serve Tennessee’s families to ensure they get the best possible education for their children,” said Commissioner Reynolds. “I look forward to meeting with educators, families, elected officials, and stakeholders throughout the state and continuing the great work already happening on behalf of kids in Tennessee.”

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Commentary: The Left Fights Against Children, We Must Continue to Fight FOR Them

Admin

The Marxist Left, dedicated to undermining the liberties, traditions, and values that make America unique and exceptional, is waging a war on children – both born and unborn – in the United States and even right here in Tennessee.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Marxist Left fought to keep schools shuttered and to forcibly mask our kids, resulting in an anxious, confused, and undereducated generation.

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Tennessee Faith and Freedom Coalition Meets with Lee Administration on Concerns Regarding August Special Session

Kaitlin Housler

Members of the Lee administration met with the Tennessee Faith & Freedom Coalition (TNFFC) Board of Directors on Wednesday after the group sent a letter urging Governor Bill Lee to cancel his proposed August 21 special session of the Tennessee General Assembly.

“In response to our letter asking Governor Lee to cancel plans for an August Special Session of the Tennessee General Assembly due to public safety concerns as well as constitutional concerns, Chief of Staff Joseph Williams emailed us and requested a meeting with our Board of Directors. We took him up on that offer and on Wednesday, had a meeting with Chief of Staff Williams and Lee Administration Special Advisor Michael Hendrix,” the TNFFC disclosed in a Friday statement emailed to The Tennessee Star.

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TN Faith & Freedom Coalition Calls on Gov. Lee to Cancel Special Session on Gun Control ‘In the Interest of Public Safety’ Due to Danger from Far Left Activists

Michael Patrick Leahy

The Tennessee Faith & Freedom Coalition (TNFFC) called on Gov. Bill Lee (R-TN) Monday to cancel his proposed August 21 special session of the Tennessee General Assembly.

“We are writing you because you have made it clear that you are planning to use your authority to officially call an ill-advised special session of the Tennessee General Assembly on August 21st to address gun issues in the aftermath of the Covenant School shooting tragedy, a heinous and despicable act committed by a mentally ill individual who claimed to be on the transgender spectrum,” the TNFFC said in a letter sent to the governor. A copy of the letter was also sent to all members of the Tennessee General Assembly.

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State Freedom Caucus Network Expresses Support for Tennessee Legislators Rejecting Governor’s Special Called Session

Laura Baigert

Representatives from the State Freedom Caucus Network issued a statement of support Wednesday for the Tennessee House members who publicly rejected Governor Bill Lee’s call for a special session to pass gun control and red flag laws.

Earlier Wednesday, Tennessee State Representatives Bryan Richey (R-Maryville) issued an open letter to the governor, signed on to by Representatives Ed Butler (R-Rickman) and Todd Warner (R-Chapel Hill), urging the abandonment of the special session scheduled for August 21.

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Years of Tax Revenue Surpluses Bring Grocery Tax Break to Tennesseans

Mac Roberts

Governor Bill Lee signed the largest tax cut in Tennessee history on Thursday, his office announced. The Tennessee Works Tax Act (TWTA) aims to provide $400 million in savings for families and small businesses.

The sweeping new legislation includes a three-month grocery tax holiday, a tax credit for companies who offer paid family leave to employees, and $150 million in small business tax relief. 

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Interim State Rep Jones Set to Face Republican Challenger Laura Nelson in District 52 Special Election; Neither Candidate Has a Primary Opponent

Mac Roberts

The candidates for the Tennessee State House of Representatives District 52 special election are set after two candidates – Laura Nelson and incumbent Justin Jones – qualified by the Thursday deadline.

District 52 has a long history of being a Democratic stronghold in the eastern half of Davidson County. Since 2000, the district has elected three Democrats: Rob Briley – brother of former Mayor David Briley, Mike Williams, and most recently, State Representative Justin Jones (D-Nashville).

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Dates Sets for Special Elections in Tennessee State House Districts of Expelled Interim State Reps

Mac Roberts

State Representatives Justin Jones (D-Nashville) and Justin Pearson (D-Memphis) will have an opportunity to seek election victories in their respective districts after their expulsions from the State House earlier this month. Nashville Metro Council and Shelby County Commission both voted unanimously to appoint Jones and Pearson to serve as their own interim replacements in Districts 52 and 86.

These appointments are only temporary, as special elections must take place to decide who will serve the remainder of Jones’s and Pearson’s terms. 

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Business as Usual for the Metro Community Oversight Board as Bill to Disband Awaits Lee’s Signature

Mac Roberts
Tennessee State Capitol

The Metro Nashville Community Oversight Board (COB) held what could be its final meeting Monday night as a bill to disband the authority awaits Governor Bill Lee’s signature. The measure comes after months of criticism of the Board’s makeup and activity.

State Executive Director of the Tennessee Faith & Freedom Coalition, Aaron Gulbransen told The Tennessee Star, “Nashville’s Community Oversight Board and those like it in other localities have been lambasted by individuals on both the Right and the Left. I think the Tennessee General Assembly made the right call regarding the legislation they passed.” Previously, Gulbransen was a senior reporter at The Star. 

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Nashville Metro Council to Vote on Interim Successor to Former State Rep. Justin Jones

Michael Patrick Leahy

The Nashville and Davidson County Metro Council is scheduled to meet Monday evening for the purpose of voting on an interim successor to former State Rep. Justin Jones (D-Nashville).

Jones was expelled from the Tennessee House of Representatives on Thursday in a 72 to 25 vote for breaking numerous rules of the House one week earlier on Thursday, March 30, the day over a thousand protestors rioted at the State Capitol and attempted to enter the chamber of the House of Representatives by force.

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Aaron Gulbransen Analyzes What to Do with Three Democratic State Lawmakers Who Participated in State Capitol Riot

Julie Carr

Thursday morning on The Tennessee Star Report, host Michael Patrick Leahy welcomed Aaron Gulbransen, the Tennessee state director for the Faith and Freedom Coalition, in studio to give his position on the expulsion of  State Representatives Justin Jones (D-Nashville), Justin Pearson (D-Memphis), and Gloria Johnson (D-Knoxville).

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Tennessee House to Consider Increasing Voucher Eligibility

TC Weber

An amendment being brought forth this week by House Education Chair Mark White (R-Memphis) if made law, would make more families eligible to participate in the state’s Education Savings Account (ESA) program. Often referred to as “vouchers”, ESAs provide funding to eligible families to enroll their children in private schools.

Currently, only students in Davidson and Shelby counties are eligible to participate, but earlier this session SB0012 was passed by the State Senate, expanding eligibility to Hamilton County students. The proposed amendment increases the potential for participation by students in even more districts. 

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Tennessee Star Editorial: Lt. Governor McNally Must Resign from Leadership Now

Michael Patrick Leahy

It is painfully obvious to anyone who has watched the confused public responses of 79-year-old Tennessee Lt. Governor Randy McNally (R-Oak Ridge) to the controversy surrounding his inexplicable social media postings that he has lost a step mentally.

McNally also faces health and physical challenges not unusual for a man of his age. In February he underwent a medical procedure to install a heart pacemaker.

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