April 8, 2011, Legislative Update
by Brenda Gadd, VP – Legislation
Anne Carr, WPC Lobbyist
A couple of subcommittees and committees are about to shut down for the year, a sign that the General Assembly may finish by the end of May. Many committees have now published their “final calendar,” which means that it’s too late to get any bills scheduled for consideration if they have not already appeared on the calendar.
As always, www.capitol.tn.gov is an excellent source of additional information on any legislation of interest and for contact with legislators. Please be aware that www.tn.gov is also an award-winning, very informative website that details responsibilities and happenings in virtually every agency and department of state government.
SJR127, which amends the state constitution’s right to privacy provision so that it has no effect on abortion, has now been through two of the required three readings by the Senate. The third reading and a vote by the Senate is scheduled for Monday evening, April 11, at 5:00 p.m. Then it will move on to the House Health Committee and, ultimately, a full vote by the House. It must pass both the Senate and the House of the 107th General Assembly by a two thirds vote – 66 votes in the House and 22 in the Senate. WPC opposes SJR127, which does not make exceptions for rape and incest victims or related to the health and life of the mother. Once approved by the legislature, it is expected to be on the ballot for a public vote in November of 2014. If approved at that time, it will become a part of our state constitution.
Unfortunately, an unfriendly amendment has surfaced to HB571/SB803, by Rep. Vance Dennis and Sen. Andy Berke, a Tennessee Bar Association bill requiring custody arrangements that permit both parents to enjoy the maximum participation in the life of their child. WPC supports this bill, which does NOT require judges to award equal time or joint custody. The House passed this bill on the floor Monday night April 4th, and the Senate bill was deferred to the Judiciary Committee calendar for Tuesday, April 12 at 3:30pm. The amendment to be proposed eliminates consideration of which parent has been the primary caregiver from a list of “relevant factors” to be considered by the judge. Both TBA and WPC strongly oppose this amendment. If you know or live in the districts of Senate Judiciary members, please contact them and ask them to support the bill but to oppose this amendment. They may be reached through this link: http://www.capitol.tn.gov/senate/committees/judiciary.html.
Two bills, HB1152/SB938 and HB1642/SB939, by Rep. Vance Dennis and Sen. Brian Kelsey, which could affect lawsuits for employment discrimination, are opposed by the WPC in their current form but may not be heard this year. HB1152 has been deferred to the last calendar of the House Judiciary Committee, and none of the other bills has been scheduled on any calendar. (Both Senate bills are also assigned to the Judiciary Committee, and HB1642 is in the Consumer and Employee Affairs subcommittee.) The sponsors have been talking with attorneys with expertise in discrimination cases.
Feel free to contact anne@smithharriscarr.com with any questions.
