Legislative Report February 27, 2012
NWPC Legislative Report
February 27, 2012
By Deborah Lively and Anne Carr
Committees and subcommittees are considering bills and plodding along, and the number of “Hill Days” sponsored by various groups and organizations is increasing. The legislative pace is not, however, as frenetic as it will be in about a month.
Who is in and who is out of this year’s state legislative races is becoming more interesting every day! Davidson County Democrat Janis Sontany has announced she will not seek re-election and does not appear to have any plans to run for another office at this point. In addition, Rep. Bill Harmon, a Democrat from Dunlap, announced he will not be seeking re-election to the House. He is, however, considering both the race for the
District 14 State Senate seat being vacated by current Sen. Eric Stewart and the race for Sequatchie County Mayor. Stewart has announced he is running for Congress.
Republican Rep. Vince Dean, of East Ridge, has decided to run for the District 10 State Senate seat currently held by Sen. Andy Berke. A Democrat from Chattanooga, Berke has publicly said he may run for Mayor of Chattanooga but has made no decision as of yet.
Sen. Joe Haynes, a Democrat from Goodlettsville, is retiring from the State Senate after this year. Haynes has been a member of the Senate since the 94th General Assembly, which was elected in 1986.
In addition, Senator Roy Herron (D-Dresden) has announced plans not to run for office in 2012 after serving 26 years in the Tennessee legislature. Instead, he has decided to lead the Ned McWherter Center for Rural Development in expanded efforts to help young people go to college and create jobs for Tennesseans.
Republican State Sen. Bill Ketron has decided not to run for the seat currently held by freshman Congressman Scott DesJarlais. The 4th Congressional District changed significantly in the redistricting process causing the Ketron speculation. State Senator Eric Stewart, a Democrat from Winchester, will, however, challenge DesJarlais, who is from South Pittsburg, Tn.
Knoxville Rep. Harry Tindell, a Democrat from Knoxville, is retiring from elective office after 22 years in the state legislature. He has been a fixture on the House Finance Ways and Means Committee for much, perhaps all, of that service.
Former State Rep. Ty Cobb, of Columbia, has announced he will run for the new State Senate seat in District 28 (Maury, Lawrence, Lewis, Giles, Wayne and Perry counties). Current Republican State Rep. Joey Hensley, of Hohenwald, is also running for the new Senate District.
Highly regarded State Senator Doug Overbey, a Republican from Maryville, has drawn a challenger, Scott Hughes, who has announced his candidacy for the Republican nomination for the newly-drawn 2nd District State Senate seat. The qualifying deadline for state legislative races is in April so news of other contests will be ongoing.
One bill related to mandatory joint custody was scheduled in committee recently but has now been taken off notice by the sponsor, Rep. G.A. Hardaway. We don’t expect additional activity on this formerly perennial subject this year.
Other recent activity is related to SB3182/HB2563, by Sen. Mike Bell and Rep. Cameron Sexton, and two resolutions HJR527 and HJR554, both of which relate to restricting access to “Plan B,” which is emergency contraception typically utilized by women within 48 hours of unprotected sex, including rape. The bills have been referred to the House Health Subcommittee, and the chair, Rep. Matt Hill has announced that all “family
planning” bills will be heard on a special calendar in the near future. The date for that calendar has yet to be set. Below is a description of these issues from a previous WPC report.
SB3182/HB2563 modifies the “Family Planning Act of 1971,” that sets out state policy on access to birth control, which is essentially that people who need birth control supplies and information should have access to it.
In Section 68-34-103(4) of the current language, the bill deletes the highlighted language indicated: (4) Section 68-34-104 sets forth the policy and authority of this state, its political subdivisions, and all agencies and institutions thereof, including prohibitions against restrictions, with respect to contraceptive procedures, supplies and information.
In Section 68-34-104(1), the highlighted phrase is eliminated and the word “Appropriate” is used to replace it: (1) All medically acceptable contraceptive procedures, supplies, and information shall be readily and practicably available to each and every person desirous of the same regardless of sex, race, age, income, number of children, marital status, citizenship or motive. (The word “appropriate” is not defined in the legislation.)
In addition, two resolutions apparently aimed at restricting the use of “Plan B” emergency contraception have been introduced. They are HJR 527, which urges TennCare to seek a federal waiver so that it is not required to provide emergency contraception, and HJR 554, which urges both the Dept. of Health and TennCare not to provide emergency contraception. Rep. Sexton is the sponsor of both resolutions.
