Tag: Tennessee General Assembly

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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Tennessee Education Commissioner Travels to DC to Promote Federal Investment in Education

TC Weber

Last week, Tennessee Education Commissioner Penny Schwinn was in Washington D.C. to help the Federation of American Scientists (FAS) launch the Alliance for Learning Innovation (ALI), a bipartisan initiative co-led with Lewis-Burke Associates, LLC, to increase education research and development investments across the federal government. As expressed by a press release, this new venture aims to dramatically grow federal investment in education:

“The alliance brings together a group of education nonprofits, practitioners, philanthropy, and the private sector to advocate for research-based innovations in education. As a coalition, ALI focuses on innovative solutions that build education R&D infrastructure, center students and practitioners, advance equitable outcomes for students, improve talent pathways, and expand the workforce needed in a globally competitive world. To that end, the alliance has developed a comprehensive multi-part agenda including the goal of dramatically increasing the federal investment in education R&D.”

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Just Saying Jeb Bush’s Name Fails to Get Data Science Bill Moved Out of House Subcommittee

TC Weber

At this week’s House Education Instruction Subcommittee meeting, State Representative Antonio Parkinson (D-Memphis) introduced a bill, HB 0691, that would allow students to earn one credit in data science to satisfy one of the four mathematics credits required for high school graduation. The idea, Parkinson told lawmakers, came from a recently attended conference held by ExcellinEd, the education non-profit founded by former Florida Governor Jeb Bush.  

At that conference, Dr. Steven Strogatz told attendees, “Our current curriculum is rooted in a different era…our current math curriculum is rooted in the 1950s Space race. We have to make room for data science for 21st-century skills.”

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TN State Director of Faith and Freedom Coalition Praises State Senate for Passing SB 1, Which Prohibits Gender Mutilation of Children Younger Than 18

Julie Carr

Tuesday morning on The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville’s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. – host Leahy welcomed Aaron Gulbransen, director of Tennessee’s Faith and Freedom Coalition, in studio to discuss the passing of SB 1 in the State Senate which would not allow gender transition surgeries to children under the age of 18.

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Changes Coming to Tennessee’s Standards Review and Textbook Adoption Timeline

TC Weber

A bill that would extend the textbook review and adoption period from 73 months to 97 months moved out of the Senate Education Committee and its counterpart will be heard on Tuesday morning in the House Education Instruction Subcommittee. The proposed measure, SB0421, would also impact the review period of state standards for English language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies. It is a change that comes from State Senator Jon Lundberg (R-Bristol), at the urging of the Tennessee State Board of Education (SBE).

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State Legislators React to Speaker Sexton’s Proposal to Reject Federal Funding for K-12 Public Education

TC Weber

Speaker of the Tennessee House Cameron Sexton (R-Crossville) caught some of his fellow lawmakers by surprise with last week’s announcement of his intent to introduce legislation that would stop the state from accepting federal K-12 education dollars.

As Senate Education Chair John Lundberg (R-Bristol) told The Tennessee Star, “The proposal wasn’t even on my radar, but now that the idea is out there, I’m intrigued by the prospect of peeling back the onion and taking a look at the many layers involved in accepting money for education from the federal government.”

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Chair of Tennessee State Senate Education Committee Takes Third Grade TCAP Test

TC Weber

State Senator John Lundberg (R-Bristol) recently took the state test administered annually to Tennessee’s third-grade students. He said he found it to be fair, devoid of trick questions, and completable in a reasonable time frame.

In a phone conversation with The Tennessee Star, Lundberg said, “I heard a lot of concerns from parents around third-grade retention, and TCAP [Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program.] I felt I owed it to them to delve deeper into the subject, and so I asked the department of education to allow me to take the test.”

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Tennessee State Senator Introduces Bill Aimed at Prohibiting School District from Mandating Implied Bias Training

TC Weber

State Senator Todd Gardenhire (R-Chattanooga) introduced legislation that would prohibit Tennessee public schools and universities from mandating “implicit bias” training. If passed, SB102 would also extend to state agencies, including the Tennessee Department of Education (TDOE) and The State Board of Education (SBE). Neither of these agencies currently requires employees to participate in training as a condition of employment.

The National Institutes of Health defines implicit bias as a form of bias that occurs automatically and unintentionally, but nevertheless affects judgments, decisions, and behaviors. Research has shown implicit bias can pose a barrier to schools creating a diverse workforce and negatively impact student learning.  In an effort to mitigate the negative effects, schools and businesses have implemented mandatory training for employees, Gardenhire’s law would work to end these mandates.

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Rutherford County Seeks Parity from Legislature in Options for Cities and Counties to Deal with Growth

Laura Baigert

Rutherford County is seeking parity from the state legislature in terms of options available for cities and counties in dealing with the expansion of services demanded by the unprecedented growth in the state.

At the regular meeting of the Rutherford County Board of Commissioners held Thursday evening, a resolution was passed by a vote of 18 to 3 requesting the county’s legislative delegation to support any bills presented in the 2023 legislative session to amend the 2006 County Powers Relief Act.

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Conservative Group Pushes for More Transparency in Tennessee’s Upcoming Legislative Session

The Center Square

Americans For Prosperity is pushing for more transparency as Tennessee’s legislative session is set to begin.

That transparency request applies to everything from House committee votes on bills to posting bill amendments to government contracts to the process of school of choice statewide.

Tennessee State Director Tori Venable said Monday improvements in transparency can start with the rules for the session.

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State-Mandated Since 2021, the Third Grade Retention Law Has Tennessee State Legislators and Parents Calling for a Change

TC Weber

Lawmakers and parents are increasingly questioning Tennessee’s third-grade retention law. While Tennessee has long had legislation in place allowing districts the ability to retain third-grade students who did not score “proficient” on TCAP, the previous law left the decision up to local districts. Legislation passed during 2021’s Special Session took that decision out of local districts’ hands and made it state-mandated. A move that state lawmakers are now openly questioning.

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J.C. Bowman Commentary: What Is Next in Tennessee Education

JC Bowman

To the outside world, our industrial model public education system has changed very little in the last fifty years. However, those who have worked within the system would challenge that view. Everyone can agree we must have an education system that serves all students, preserves democratic ideals and civic participation, and allows students to succeed in the future economy.

Educators have constantly battled against the false premises that our public schools are failing, that educators are the problem, and that outsiders (usually non-educators) should take control of running our schools. Too many policymakers, including state leaders, have simply bought into the jargon fostered by disruptive education that pushes that agenda. The 113th Tennessee General Assembly has work to do this legislative session.

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Shelby County Mayor Calls for $15 Minimum Wage

Peter D'Abrosca

Amid historic inflation that has eaten away at Americans’ paychecks, the mayor of Shelby County is calling for Tennessee’s General Assembly to pass a law increasing the minimum wage. 

“Today, Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris released his administration’s recommendations for the upcoming session of the Tennessee General Assembly,” said a release from Harris’s office. “Mayor Harris’ priorities center around legislative actions that support youth and families, increase public safety, improve access to healthcare, and strengthen our democracy. One of Mayor Harris’ top legislative priorities is the adoption of a state-wide minimum wage of at least $15.”

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Exclusive: Tennessee Club for Growth Releases Lawmaker Scorecards

Peter D'Abrosca

The Club For Growth Foundation will release a scorecard based on voting records of elected officials from 2021, the contents of which were exclusively shared with The Tennessee Star Thursday. 

“The Foundation conducted a comprehensive examination of each lawmaker’s record on votes related to pro-growth policies and computed an Economic Growth Score on a scale of 0 to 100. A score of 100 indicates the highest support for pro-growth policies,” according to the scorecard provided to The Star. “The Foundation’s study examined over 4,400 floor votes and, in the end, included 20 Tennessee House votes and 20 Tennessee Senate votes.”   

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Proposed Constitutional Amendment Could Change Tennessee Governor’s Succession Line

Peter D'Abrosca

A ballot initiative that will be voted upon this November could change the way Tennessee’s gubernatorial line of succession is structured. 

” On the November 8 ballot, Tennessee voters will have the opportunity to weigh in on a proposed amendment to the state constitution that establishes a framework for a temporary transition of power for the highest elected official in the state,” said a press release from the Tennessee General Assembly. “If approved, the amendment would be invoked if the governor is temporarily incapacitated and unable to perform his or her duties, most likely due to a medical emergency. Tennessee is the only state that does not have a provision in its state constitution to address this issue.”

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