Legislative Action Opportunities for the Week of March 25, 2018

After the marches that took place around the world yesterday, I thought it appropriate to begin this report with gun related action opportunities.

 

HB2208 by Byrd – Arming Teachers –After an amendment was added, this bill now would allow school districts statewide to opt in to allow teachers who have undergone “certified training” to carry loaded guns in schools, although there is no clear definition of what “certified training” would mean or who is certified to provide the training. An amendment was recently added to allow NRA instructors to provide the “certified training.” An amendment to require teachers who wish to carry to undergo a mental health evaluation was rejected. 

 

OPPOSE

 

Teachers and school administrators oppose this bill. Multiple State of TN departments including Education, Insurance and Homeland Security and multiple law enforcement groups have spoken against this bill.

 

More School Resource Officers are needed and the Governor has offered money to school systems for safety. The recent federal budget bill contains money for block grants for school safety. Much controversy remains on the SRO/school safety issue, but arming teachers is not the answer.

 

So far this bill is not moving in the Senate, let us hope it will die in committee this week.

 

House Education, Administration and Planning Committee will hear this bill on 3/27.

 

http://www.capitol.tn.gov/house/committees/education.html

 

HB2129 by Van Huss and co-sponsored by a number of Republican and Democratic representatives – Off-duty law enforcement to serve as school security

 

   An amendment was added that completely rewrites this bill. The amended bill would allow LEAs – school boards – to hire off duty law enforcement officers to serve as security for schools. Law enforcement agencies would determine which officers are eligible to participate. This could serve as a substitute for arming teachers.

 

SUPPORT

 

 

HB1602 by Matheny – Civil Rights Civil Rights Act –

 

Will force cities to allow any gun show operator to use any city-owned property for a gun show, even if there’s reason to believe private sales to prohibited purchasers are taking place. The bill also would Prohibit government entities from prohibiting or restricting the possession of a handgun by a handgun carry permit holder on any city or government owned property unless the property has metal detection devices at every entry, security guards, and that any bag or package is inspected by the security guard. Since many city or government-owned building include offices where firearms are prohibited by federal law, passage of this bill could put the Departments of Education and Children’s Services out of compliance with federal regulations and jeopardize over $1.2 billion dollars in federal funding.

 

OPPOSE

 

 House Civil Justice Committee   will hear these two bills on 3/27

 

http://www.capitol.tn.gov/house/committees/civil-justice.html

 

 

HB2484 by Holt – Not a crime to carry where posted Will remove criminal liability for possession of loaded weapon on premises clearly posted for a permit holder who agrees to leave. This would allow someone to attempt to carry in a prohibited place with no consequence.

 

Full House Floor Vote on this bill   Thursday, 3/29

Please contact your House Representative.

 

Note the bills below with * are all being heard in same Senate Judiciary Committee meeting

 

*SB 2130 –  Yarbro – Sexual Harassment of Contract Employees

This bill would provide the same protections against sexual harassment for contract employees in organizations as those individuals who are employed by organizations. Senator Yarbro is the Senate sponsor of the bill and has spoken about how this is a concern in the music industry.  As more and more organizations are using contract/temporary employees to reduce overhead, this bill is needed.

 

SUPPORT

 

This bill was discussed  in the Judicary Committee at length by Sen. Jeff Yarbro last week and the committee asked it be rolled another week to review.  Will be heard again on 3/27.

 

http://www.capitol.tn.gov/Senate/committees/judiciary.html

 

 

*HB 2583 – Hazelwood –  SB 2723 – Dickerson – Domestic Assault Weapon Dispossession. 

 

Currently the law prohibits individuals convicted of domestic assault from possessing a firearm and requires them to dispossess themselves of weapons with 48 hours of conviction by any legal means.  An “honor system” is used for the individual to file a required affidavit with the court stating how they have disposed of the firearms. Law enforcement has no way of knowing if the firearm was truly disposed of by the prohibited individual.   This bill would require individuals convicted of domestic assault that are prohibited from having firearms to turn their weapons over to local law enforcement.

In 2016, Tennessee had 90 domestic violence homicides. Nationally it has been determined those perpetrators of mass shootings have a history of domestic abuse/violence behaviors.

This bill is strongly opposed by the NRA.

 

SUPPORT

 

The House Criminal Justice Subcommittee will hear this bill on 3/27.

http://www.capitol.tn.gov/house/committees/sub-criminal.html

 

The Senate  Judicary will hear the bill on 3/27

 

http://www.capitol.tn.gov/Senate/committees/judiciary.html

 

 

*HB 1785 –  Jernigan SB 1790  – Yarbro  –  Legal Age for Marriage Act.

 

The origianl bill  required each applicant be at least 18 years of age before a marriage license may be issued.  The bill has been amended to the age of 17 if the juvenile petitions the court.  There are a number of restricitons about the legnth of   residency and many about the intended spouse. This bill was brought about for a number of reasons, however one issue that has surfaced relates to teenage victims of sex  trafficking being married to maintain “ownership” of the person being forced into prostitution.  RS

 

SUPPORT

 

To be heard on 3/27 27 in:

 

Senate Judiciary Committee

 

http://www.capitol.tn.gov/Senate/committees/judiciary.html

 

To be heard on 3/28

 

House Finance Ways and Means Subcommittee

 

http://www.capitol.tn.gov/house/committees/sub-finance.html

 

 

HB 2381 Sexton – SB 2227 Southerland – Unborn Children Monument

 

As introduced, requires the state capitol commission to develop and implement a plan for the commissioning of the Tennessee Monument to Unborn Children; requires that the monument be funded by non-state sources and placed on the capitol grounds upon completion

 

OPPOSE

 

Will be heard by the Senate State and Local Government on 3/27

 

http://www.capitol.tn.gov/Senate/committees/slgovernment.html

 

Will be heard by House State Government on 3/27

 

http://www.capitol.tn.gov/House/committees/state-gov.html