TBA Law Blog

TBA Law Blog

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Senate Budget: Cut Professional Privilege Tax, Partially Fund Program for Disabled Children

Posted by: Katharine Heriges on Apr 26, 2019
After speculation over whether the state Senate would agree to fund a Medicaid waiver program to provide medical treatment for disabled children, the upper chamber has announced its plan: Pay for part of it, while using additional funds to reduce the state's professional privilege tax. The Tennessean reports that the Senate's budget allocates $15.6 million for the waiver program, funding that would cover roughly 300 of the state's 3,300 children who could benefit from it. The upper chamber is calling for $23.4 million in cuts to the state's professional privilege tax, reducing it from $400 to $300.

Rep. Curcio Joins TBA Weekly Legislative Update

Posted by: Katharine Heriges on Apr 25, 2019
The TBA's video legislative update this week includes a special guest — Tennessee State House Rep. Michael Curcio, R-Dickson. Curcio sits down with TBA Public Policy and Government Affairs Director Berkley Schwarz and lobbyist Bradley Lampley. Watch the interview on the TBA Facebook page, and catch up on previous updates on the TBA YouTube channel.

Bill to Tighten Restrictions on Voter Registration Passes Senate

Posted by: Katharine Heriges on Apr 25, 2019
A bill that has received national attention over criticism that it would criminalize voter registration efforts was approved in the state Senate today, the Tennessean reports. The legislation, which was approved 25-6, would require groups leading voter registration drives to undergo training and potentially face fines for submitting too many incomplete forms. If the bill is enacted, Tennessee would become the first state to threaten voter registration efforts with civil penalties for incomplete forms.

Powers Wins Special Senate Election with 53% of Vote

Posted by: Katharine Heriges on Apr 24, 2019
Republican Bill Powers has won the special election to fill Congressman Mark Green’s seat in the Tennessee Senate, the Leaf Chronicle reports. Powers, an automotive dealer, defeated Democrat Juanita Charles with 53% of the vote, compared to her 45%. Powers will represent District 22, which includes Montgomery, Houston and Stewart counties, for the remainder of Green’s term.

State House Narrowly Approves Lee's School Voucher Plan

Posted by: Katharine Heriges on Apr 23, 2019
The Tennessee House passed Gov. Bill Lee’s signature school voucher legislation today in dramatic fashion, with a Knoxville lawmaker switching his vote to break a tie, the Tennessean reports. The bill, which would create education savings accounts for parents and requires verification of the recipient’s legal status, was deadlocked in a 49-49 tie this morning. Republican Rep. Jason Zachary cast the tie-breaking vote. 

TBA Legislative Update: Flow Motion

Posted by: Berkley Schwarz on Apr 19, 2019
Last week the pace of the legislative session accelerated to lightning speed after the House initiated the much anticipated, and equally dreaded, “flow motion” on the floor, a move that suspends the parliamentary rules that the legislature typically observes during session. Bills are moving from committee to the floor on the same day. Now that the vast majority of committees are closed, the legislature will transition into passing the annual budget and tying up loose ends on major policy initiatives with hefty price tags. Only the Senate Judiciary Committee and Finance, Ways and Means Committees remain open. House Majority Leader William Lamberth, R-Portland announced plans for the House to take up the state’s $38 billion budget next week, with the goal of tying up all loose ends the following week.

Legislature Advances Bill to Raise Contribution Limits for State Senators

Posted by: Katharine Heriges on Apr 18, 2019
The House and Senate will vote on a bill on Thursday that would double the campaign contribution limits for members of the upper chamber, The Tennessean reports. The legislation seeks to align members of the Senate, who serve four-year terms, to the contribution limits for House lawmakers, who face election every two years. under the bill, for each primary and general election senators could receive a maximum of: $2,200 from a single person, $24,600 from an individual political action committee and an aggregate total of $245,800 from all political action committees.

Compromise Bill on Oversight Boards Heads to Governor's Desk

Posted by: Katharine Heriges on Apr 18, 2019
A bill placing restrictions on civilian police oversight boards around the state has passed both legislative chambers and is now headed to the governor's desk, The Tennessean reports. The rewritten legislation, recently crafted via a compromise in committee, now permits a community oversight board to seek a subpoena during an investigation into alleged police misconduct by doing so through the local city council, which has the authority under state law to issue subpoenas. It requires that a municipality's local legislative body approve the subpoena request by a majority vote, and that the request detail the specific documents and individuals being compelled. A council is not permitted to give "blanket authorization" for subpoenas, according to the bill.

TBA Video Update: 2 TBA Bills Signed by Governor

Posted by: Katharine Heriges on Apr 18, 2019
This week's TBA Video Legislative Update finds Public Policy Director Berkley Schwarz and Communications Coordinator Katharine Heriges back in the studio with big news - two TBA-backed bills were signed by Gov. Bill Lee today, and one more is waiting on the governor's desk for his signature. Hear more about TBA's legislation, as well as what's in store for the legislative panel CLE at the TBA Convention — all in this week's Facebook live video. Catch up on previous videos from this session on the TBA Facebook page and the TBA's YouTube channel.

House Passes Controversial Voter Registration Bill

Posted by: Katharine Heriges on Apr 16, 2019
House lawmakers have passed a bill that places new restrictions on voter registration efforts, though its passage was not without controversy, the Tennessean reports. The measure, backed by Secretary of State Tre Hargett, would require groups leading voter registration efforts to undergo training and potentially face fines for submitting too many incomplete forms. Critics of the bill say it would criminalize voter registration drives, and claim the bill was motivated in response to the surge of African-American voter registration efforts prior to the 2018 midterm elections.
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