Friends, The day began with the announcement by the Governor that his Voucher scheme was dead. So many people worked together, from rural and urban communities across the state, to make this achievement a reality and hopefully, it will not be resurrected during the next Session.
This IS finally the last week of the Session and everyone is keen to move on to other activities but you will see about half-way through these notes that things got very heated during the House session.
The Equity Alliance posted a great video of the chanting (“Blood on Your Hands” and “Vote Them Out”) by parents, teachers, students and activists from both sides of the packed House gallery who were removed by Troopers after the Republican Super-majority passed the bill allowing teachers to carry concealed weapons in the classroom without telling parents.
These worrisome statistics, compiled by the Equity Alliance, should give us all pause:
One year after the 2023 session ended more than 571 people in Tennessee have died from gunshot wounds, including 56 children. e
Tennessee ranks 1st in the South for violent crime and 3rd in the nation (FBI crime data)
Tennessee ranks 7th in the nation for homicides committed with a firearm and 5th in nation for firearm homicides for children (CDC fatal injury data)
Gunshot wounds are the leading cause of death for children in Tennessee (State reports)
Tennessee ranks 4th in the nation for unintentional shootings involving children.
And this is a list of some of the gun-trafficking proposals passed by the Republican Supermajority:
Allows teachers to carry guns on school campuses.
Reduces the age to carry long guns from 21 to 18.
Allows the open carry of loaded long guns, including military-style rifles.
Forces public school students to participate in firearm instruction regardless of a parent's objection
Once again, as they did on Monday, students held a rally on the steps of Legislative Plaza after the vote to arm teachers today- see the end of this Note. They will not be moved!!
In this Note I’ve included some of the regressive comments made by Republican legislators so you get a taste of the toxic atmosphere at the Capitol. Hopefully, it helps to encourage you to vote these folks out. All 99 of the House district seats and half of the 33 senatorial seats are up for election and in many cases these wonderful people are running against incumbents. I hope you are also planning to volunteer to help get some of these folks elected.
Thanks for your interest, Michele
House/Senate CONFERENCE COMMITTEE
The joint conference committee of the House and Senate met to discuss their differing Franchise Tax proposals but could not reach an agreement so scheduled a follow-up meeting for Wednesday, 4/15 at 8:00 AM.
You may remember, the House and Senate passed quite different Franchise tax reduction proposals
The House version included $700 million for one year’s worth of rebates AND $400 million annually for the next few years. It also required that the names of companies requesting a refund and the amount awarded be posted on a state website.
The Senate version also included the $400 million annual payment going forward but offered $1.5 billion in refunds stretching back three-four years.
It became clear pretty quickly that the Committee was not going to agree on a compromise. Senator Stevens asked whether they should adjourn until they have more discussions with the Governor’s office.
Saying, “My hopes are not high at this moment,” Representative Lambert agreed that they could not agree on a compromise and suggested that the Attorney General attend Wednesday’s meeting to help the public understand the need for this significant corporate give-away of tax-payers money rather than risk a lawsuit.
If the Governor does not get his Franchise bill passed it will be the second major initiative that has gone down the tubes this session- the first being the Voucher Bill which was squashed on Monday (see Tennesseean article HERE).
HOUSE CRIMINAL JUSTICE COMMITTEE
1.) Report Immigrant Status to DA’s. HB1128 Gant/SB0757 Haile. Criminal Procedure: extends from 90 days to 100 days, the amount of time in which captured plate data collected or retained by a governmental entity through the use of an automated license plate recognition system may be stored unless the data is retained or stored as part of an ongoing investigation.
Sponsor Gant explained that his Amendment specifies that information on everyone who is stopped by law enforcement and could not produce valid ID (such as a Social Security card, TN drivers license, a green card or student visa) would be presumed to be unlawfully in this country and entered into a database.
Hardaway asked, if a person is arrested but has no ID and no papers, would they be determined to be illegal and reported to the authorities to which Gant answered, “Yes.”
Johnson asked if the purpose of the bill was to sue the federal government and Gant replied, “Possibly.”
Towns asked if a juvenile was stopped but didn’t have any identification, might they be entered into the database as illegal. Gant was unable to answer that question.
Legal Services was asked to address Towne’s question. Legal said that after a person is arrested for breaking the law, the arresting officer could check for documentation to see if they are in the US legally. The arresting official would then report to the DA if the person was deemed illegal (undocumented).
Gant clarified that the bill passed by the House yesterday provides for the collection of such data for the purpose of making a report to the General Assembly, including the number of immigrants committing crimes in Tennessee.
Gant said that taxpayers have to pay for undocumented people who are held in jails. When asked about whether this would ensnare homeless individuals he could not answer.
Doggert expressed a concern about the ability of an officer who has personal knowledge of someone to vouch for them and therefore their information would not be passed on to immigration.
Gant said he trusts law enforcement officers to “do right thing when reporting.”
Hardaway asked whether there is a database that includes every US citizen that law enforcement in Tennessee has access to. Legal was not able to answer this question.
All 4 Democrats on the Committee voted against the bill (Hardaway, Johnson, Glynn and Townes). Other people voted against the bill but it passed with all the Republicans supporting it.
Johnson asked if Barrett his question- If someone were to be were a danger to themselves or others should have a gun and Barrett answered, “No.”
Johnson then asked if he believed guns should be stored securely and Barrett answered that he stores his securely.
Johnson followed up with, “Do you believe we should have universal background checks?” Another committee member objected that this question was not on the bill. Johnson then said that with this bill, communities would be prevented from doing what they want in their own community. Barrett responded that while he was not doing anything, it is the General Assembly. Johnson raised the question of constitutionality which Barrett barely acknowledged.
Johnson concluded that she is not going to vote for the bill because “it endangers Tennesseans” and Barrett responded, “I’m not surprised.”
SENATE FINANCE WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE
There were 144 bills on the calendar for this committee, which I did not attend. Instead, I sat in on the House Finance Ways and Means Subcommittee and full Committee, which took place back-to-back.
House Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee
1. Trafficking Trans Minors. HB231 Richey/SB2782 Bowling. Public Health: …creates a civil cause of action against any person who knowingly removes a minor from this state without the consent of a parent of the minor for the purpose of assisting the minor in obtaining a healthcare procedure that is for the purpose of enabling the minor to identify with, or live as, a purported identity inconsistent with the minor's sex or treating purported discomfort or distress from a discordance between the minor's sex and asserted identity.
Richey introduced his bill to prevent anyone, other than a parent, from assisting a minor in any way, from responding to a request for information to assistance with Trans healthcare.
Camper asked for clarification on the word “recruit” which Richy said includes “knowingly tries to persuade.”
Camper then asked if a trusted person is asked by the minor to help them, would this fall under “recruit.” Richey said hd did not know.
Camper went on to explore if as a grandmother were to try to help her grandchild, would this be considered recruitment? Richey responded that if she took the child without the parent’s consent the parent could sue for helping their grandchild.
Shaw commented that there were “too many holes in this law” and questioned how effective it could be.
The bill passed along party lines.
2. HB1872 Fritts/SB2770 Bowling. Criminal Offenses… authorizes the enhancement of criminal penalties up to life in prison without parole upon conviction of violent crimes by illegal aliens; conviction of possession of a firearm or deadly weapon by an illegal alien; or conviction of a violent crime on the property of a school by any person
In introducing his bill -death by imprisonment of undocumented immigrants- Fritts said, “Consequences help determine value, and developing these consequences in the state of Tennessee helps to send a signal to those who have malicious and felonious intent, that they should not commit it in Tennessee.”
Garrett then offered a very toxic statement about undocumented immigrants crossing the border into Tennessee, beginning with “Every state now is a border state.”
McKenzie responded strongly to Garrett’s comments, citing the Bill of Rights and the need to live by the law of the land. He took umbrage to the possible passage of this bill, which legal said would probably be challenged because it is not constitutional.
Fritts said, “It would be for your freedom, sir,” and talked about being faced with “an invasion of our country.”
McKenzie went on to say that, “Crime is crime…” but “…to charge one person higher than another because they are an immigrant is wrong.”
Fritts replied, “It is our obligation to defend.”
The bill passed out of the SubCommittee along a party-line vote and then went immediately to the full Committee where they once again passed it along party lines.
HOUSE REGULAR CALENDAR
Representative Behn thanked the teachers and students who filled up the balconies to speak out against gun legislation.
2. SJR0919 by Johnson. Constitutional Amendment: Proposes an amendment to Article I, Section 15 of the Constitution of Tennessee to remove the right to bail for the following offenses when the proof is evident or the presumption great: act of terrorism; second degree murder; aggravated rape of a child; aggravated rape; grave torture; and any other offense, as of November 3, 2026, for which a defendant, if convicted, could not be released prior to the expiration of at least 85 percent of the entire sentence imposed.
Clemmons spoke passionately against amending the TN Constitution to deny bail to anyone, saying this right goes back to the founding of Tennessee.
Pearson followed up by saying bail post-event is much less helpful than preventing crime in the first place which requires addressing gun proliferation.
The vote was 82-15 with a number of Democrats voting WITH the Republicans, including Freeman, Hardaway, Hemmer, Jernigan, Mitchell, Shaw and Towns. Glynn voted Present but Passed and Harris didn’t vote.
3. *HB1202 by Williams/SB1325 by Bailey. Teachers, Principals and School Personnel …authorizes a faculty or staff member of a school to carry a concealed handgun on school grounds subject to certain conditions, including obtaining an enhanced handgun carry permit and completing annual training.
The Democrats offered a series of Amendments to this bill, none of which passed, beginning with Clemmons.
Clemmons offered a second Amendment requiring any gun on school property must be locked in storage at all times.
Clemmon’s third Amendment would have ensured that anyone carrying a firearm on school property would be adequately trained. However, while he was talking someone arrived with Chick-fil-A box lunches for all of the Republicans so rather than engaging in the debate about why arming teachers is a bad idea, they lined up and filed into an ante-room to get their chicken and then munched while the Democrats offered Amendments to the bill to try to protect children.
Powell offered an Amendment requiring each school to tell parents if there is a gun in the classroom of their child and offer them an opt-out option.
Thompson’s Amendment asked for Shelby County to be allowed to opt out of this legislation.
Hakeem’s Amendment removed Hamilton County from this legislation.
McKenzie’s Amendment addressed the lack of need for teachers to be armed because the SRO’s can address this need and otherwise insurance premiums will go up.
Mitchell apologized to Covenant Moms for having shown up when the legislature did nothing to pass gun control legislation.
Jones stated that his Amendment is named “The Refusal to Protect Kids in School. He railed against the unwillingness of the Legislators to listen to the mothers and grandmothers who are asking for common sense gun laws. After he finished speaking, those in the gallery cheered and clapped- and Sexton gave us his second warning.
Pearson’s Amendment called for parents to give written consent for people to be in the classroom with firearms, saying it IS a parents-rights Amendment.
Pearson’s next Amendment required that teachers and other faculty be informed of other teachers who may have a firearm at the school.
Just as Pearson’s Amendment was being voted down, an activist started shouting at the Republicans for their failure to do anything to keep children in our state safe. As Pearson waited to announce his next motion he recognized the activist and all of the other people in the gallery watching and hoping that something would be done about gun control. As the woman was carried away by Troopers, Pearson spoke to his Amendment giving parents are right to have their child go to another classroom if their teacher carried a gun. But he went on to passionately speak about the need for common sense gun laws in Tennessee.
Pearson’s last Amendment was to hold the Schools and the State accountable if a child is shot by a teacher carrying a gun into the classroom.
Hemmer related that when he was very small. His worry is that someone… A person in the audience shared that if a friend brought a gun to school and shot their classmate, it is clear that his teacher would have helped the situation. He also suggested that insurance premiums would rise or insurance companies may refuse to offer coverage because the liability would be high and therefore premiums costly.
Mitchell said they don’t want “Wyatt Earp” in the classroom. He went on to say that under federal law, a teacher is liable if a student gets their hands on their gun. Regarding Parkland, a handgun against a weapon of mass destruction- would not engage. Children will be collateral damage. He asked, “What’s wrong with us? We’re gonna throw more guns at the problem.”
It is worth listening to all of what former teacher Johnson has to say about arming teachers in school but she summed it up nicely with the comment, “You are bringing the gun battle into the classroom.”
And then the vote was taken on the bill, which created pandemonium because it passed. Four Republicans -Baum, Gillespie, Whitson and Raper- voted against the bill along with the Democrats in a final vote of 68 to 28.
Speaker Sexton switched the sound on and off but you can hear the people on both sides of the galleries shouting, “Blood on Your Hands” and “Vote them Out” until Troopers escorted all of us out. Then House members continued their own protest, with Jones, Pearson and Johnson coming together again “in the well.” As one chant after another occurred, we worried about Chandler but were glad that we spoke with one voice that Tennessee teachers, parents, students and the general public do NOT want the arming of teachers but DO want common sense gun laws.
No one was arrested and only Chandler received a citation for his part in the spontaneous outburst. He was taken by Troopers to the basement floor where he was held briefly and then given a citation.
Chanting and shouting continued outside the doors of the House Chambers…
… while the vote about “Trafficking of Minors” was debated.
TRAFFICKING OF MINORS: HB1895 Zachary/SB1971 Rose. Abortion: creates the criminal offense of abortion trafficking of a minor; provides for a civil action against a person committing the offense of abortion trafficking of a minor for the wrongful death of an unborn child that was aborted.
Clemmons offered the an Amendment that rewrites the bill to call for universal reproductive health care.
The second Amendment brought by Clemmons addresses lethal fetalal anomaly and takes it outside the legal ramifications of a criminal abortion.
Love offered an Amendment to exclude birth control and IVF from the definition of abortion.
Johnson’s Amendment would remove from consideration the definition of what constitutes a criminal abortion because at 16, they are not of age to consent.
Behn’s Amendment would exempt trusted adults in the child’s support network from having a sex-ed conversation with the child.
Mitchell creates an exception for survivors of rape and incest.
Behn offered another Amendment, this time to change the name of this bill to the “TN Forcing Babies to have Babies” Act.
Behyn then read her next Amendment, which required the State to meet the basic needs of all Tennessee families.
Behn began to address his colleagues from the position of being the only one who is of childbearing age and that this bill is very personal implications and is a direct attack on her, her family, friends, and network who support people who are pregnant and minors who need access to care but then stopped because she saw Zachary laughing at her presentation of this bill. She is then voted out of order under Rule 19, which takes quite a bit of time to read and includes a partisan vote.
Johnson then spoke about her concern about a child who has no one they can trust.
Johnson went on to say that the Sponsor wants the parent to make the decision but the reality is that in the case of incest, the child will not report.
The bill was voted on and the Supermajority won, 75-24.
Senate Floor Calendar
While the House was breaking down under the public pressure around arming teachers in school, the Senate, at the direction of Lamar, was praying for those who had ironically died at the hands of a gun in Memphis this past weekend. Lieutenant Governor McNally recognized the fact that it was Victim’s Appreciation Day before taking a moment of silence.
Two bills regarding the PRIDE Flag were scheduled to be heard but the one by Hensley (SB1722/HB1605) failed to receive the necessary votes in the Senate to become law.
On the same day, a similar Flag bill brought forward by Rose (HB1319/SB0918) was re-referred to the Senate Calendar Committee.
This means both Flag Bills were defeated during this legislative session.
Students gathered once more outside the Capitol, this time to protest the passage of the Arming Teachers bill.
Councilperson Zulfat Suara shared some thoughts about the need for this demonstration and the importance of listening to the voice of reason and youth.