Legislative Report, March 8, 2013
Women’s Day on the Hill, March 20
Please join us at the legislature on Wed., March 20. We’ll have coffee for you down near the cafeteria, and then you can watch committees or visit your legislators or both. For lunch, we will be at the Doubletree Hotel, with a panel presenting varying perspectives on the hot issue of school vouchers. New legislator Rep. Gloria Johnson, of Knoxville, is on the panel, so please come to meet her.
Ultrasound Bill
As predicted last week, SB682/HB984, filed by Sen. Jim Tracy and Rep. Rick Womick, will not be scheduled for consideration during this session. The sponsors have announced that they will instead focus on seeking passage of SJR127, a proposed state constitutional amendment, which is on the November, 2014, ballot. SJR127 says there will be no protection for the right to an abortion conferred by anything in Tennessee’s constitution.
Human Trafficking Bills
These bills are moving well through the system, although a few have or will wind up in the Finance Committees “behind the budget.” That means they will not be considered there for passage until there are funds in the upcoming state budget to implement them.
This is where the membership of the WPC and your friends can make a real difference! It’s up to Governor Haslam to determine whether he will support funding for these important bills, so we need calls to the Governor’s office. Below are the bills with a cost (fiscal note).
Please call 615-741-2001 and simply leave your name, the bill number(s), and ask that the Governor provide funding for all bills related to human trafficking. Numbers of calls count, so make your opinion known! Let us know back that you have made contact so we can keep up with our outreach!
SB446/HB129, by Sen. Overbey and Rep. Coley, would expand the offense of solicitation of a minor to include trafficking for commercial sex acts, patronizing prostitution, promoting prostitution, aggravated sexual exploitation of a minor. The fiscal note is an estimated additional $41,300 per year for additional prosecution and/or incarceration. (This one is passing in the Senate but remains “behind the budget” in the House Finance Subcommittee.)
SB447/HB131, also by Overbey and Coley, changes the definition of “sexual servitude” to “commercial sex acts.” It establishes a Class A felony for “criminal gang members” committing trafficking for commercial sex acts, and it eliminates the commonly used defense that the victim of the offense is a minor and consented. It also creates a “sexual offense” for purposes of the sex offender registry for patronizing the prostitution of a minor. This one has an estimated fiscal note of $137,300 in recurring costs. It is set for consideration in the House Finance Subcommittee on March 13 and will go “behind the budget” as well until funding is secured. The Senate bill is now in Senate Finance, after passing Judiciary.
SB1029/HB416, by Sen. Kelsey and Rep. McCormick, adds to the definition of criminal gang offenses the following: trafficking for commercial sex acts and receipt, or intended receipt, of income, benefit, property, money or anything of value from the commission of trafficking for commercial sex acts. It will be considered by the House Criminal Justice Subcommittee on March 13 and has not yet been passed out of Senate Judiciary. It’s fiscal note is $24,600, also for additional incarcerations.
