TBA Law Blog

TBA Law Blog

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Committees Move Campaign Finance Bill, Asset Forfeiture, Probate Clean Up

Posted by: Katharine Heriges on Apr 11, 2017
Tennessee House and Senate committees both moved forward with legislation that would double the number of campaign finance audits, the Tennessean reports. Also at the legislature, the asset forfeiture bill, as amended in the House, was recommended for adoption in the Senate Judiciary Committee. The TBA-backed probate clean up legislation, sponsored by Sen. John Stevens (R-Huntington), cleared a Senate committee with minor changes.

Senate Committee Recommends ADA Pay Increase

Posted by: Allan Ramsaur on Apr 11, 2017

The Senate Judiciary Committee today recommended a new pay scale for assistant district attorneys general. Salaries under the bill (SB 1249/HB 1250), as amended, would rise by $8,000 to $14,000. A similar bill for assistant district public defenders will be heard next week. The bill's sponsor, Senate Majority Leader Mark Norris (R- Collierville), indicated that if the effort to fund road construction out of the state's general fund rather than an increase in the gas tax is successful, none of the committee’s recommendations like this one for general fund expenditures are likely to be funded.

Legislators Pay Family Members with Campaign Accounts

Posted by: Katharine Heriges on Apr 7, 2017
A number of Tennessee lawmakers paid family members with campaign funds, the Tennessean reports. Five Republicans and five Democrats in the House were found to have paid family members for services like “labor,” “accounting” and “volunteer service.” State law prohibits elected officials for paying family members unless the money covers legitimate campaigning.

House Axes Gift Transparency Bill, Senate Pushes for Campaign Donor Limit Increases

Posted by: Katharine Heriges on Apr 4, 2017
The Tennessee Senate last night voted to approve a bill that would allow it to double current campaign contribution limits, a week after the House killed a bill that would have required legislators to report gifts worth more than $100, the Tennessean reports. The Senate bill, which comes from Sen. Ken Yager, R-Kingston, would allow Senate campaign donation limits to reset every two years instead of four. The transparency bill died in the House Local Government Subcommittee on March 28.

Report: Lawmakers Spent Campaign Cash on Car Washes, Dry Cleaning, Entertainment

Posted by: Katharine Heriges on Apr 3, 2017
Tennessee state legislators spent campaign dollars on questionable items like flowers, car washes, Amazon Prime memberships, basketball tickets, wedding gifts and more, according to an investigation by the Tennessean. Regulatory oversight of how state elected officials spend their money is nebulous, with the Tennessee Registry of Election Finance randomly auditing just 2 percent of campaign accounts each year. Currently Lt. Gov. Randy McNally, R-Oak Ridge, and Sen. Ken Yager, R-Kingston, are proposing changing state law so that the registry would audit 4 percent of campaign finance reports.

Memphis Lawmaker Goes After Drug Lobbyists

Posted by: Katharine Heriges on Mar 31, 2017
In a state House committee this week, Memphis Rep. Joe Towns (D-Memphis) railed against drug lobbyists when a bill designed to make oral chemotherapy medication more affordable got held up over a financial reporting amendment, the Memphis Daily News reports. The outburst occurred when Rep. Bill Beck (D-Nashville) proposed a reporting transparency amendment to the bill, which reportedly received blowback from drug lobbyists who threatened to kill the bill. “What chapped me is these damn lobbyists, these pharmaceutical people and the people that think they run this building – and nobody’s voted for them,” Towns said.

Bill to Increase Protesting Fines Heads to Governor's Desk

Posted by: Katharine Heriges on Mar 30, 2017
A state bill to quadruple the fine for protestors who block emergency vehicles during demonstrations is heading Gov. Bill Haslam, the Times Free Press reports. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Jimmy Matlock (R-Lenoir City), was approved in the House almost unanimously, 93-1. Under the current law, the maximum fine for someone who blocks traffic is $50, while this legislation would make it $200 if the protestor was found to have blocked an emergency vehicle.

Probate Omnibus Bill Ready for House Floor Vote

Posted by: Katharine Heriges on Mar 28, 2017

TBA-backed HB 567 has passed through its final House committee and is ready to be scheduled for a House floor vote. That is expected no later than next week. The legislation, sponsored by Rep. Pat Marsh, R-Shelbyville, is referred to as the Probate Omnibus Bill. It will update the Tennessee Code to reflect the elimination of the inheritance and estate tax. Two amendments are traveling with the legislation, deleting sections to avoid any negative impact to court orders on bank accounts, land titles and insurance policies. The companion bill, SB 769, sponsored by Sen. John Stevens, R-Huntingdon, is expected to go before the Senate Judiciary committee as soon as next week.

‘Petland Bill’ Scheduled for Floor Votes This Week

Posted by: Katharine Heriges on Mar 27, 2017
A bill that changes laws regarding pet stores will head to a floor vote in both chambers of the state legislature, Humphrey on the Hill reports. WBIR reports that while local governments have passed ordinances limiting how pet stores can source from commercial pet breeders – including so-called puppy mills – this legislation would stop local governments from adopting or enforcing any such measures. The bill is colloquially called the “Petland Bill” because it was sponsored by Rep. Pat Marsh (R-Shelbyville), on behalf of a man opening a Petland store in West Knoxville. 

Public Radio Reporter Fired After Legislator Complains

Posted by: Katharine Heriges on Mar 27, 2017
A 32-year-old journalist at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga’s public radio station WUTC-FM was reportedly fired after a legislator complained about her, the Nashville Scene reports. Jacqui Helbert was traveling with the Cleveland High School Gay-Straight Alliance as they attended the Tennessee Equality Project’s Day on the Hill. The group met with Sen. Mike Bell (R-Riceville) and Rep. Kevin Brooks (R-Cleveland), who both later complained to Sen. Todd Gardenhire (R-Chattanooga) that they didn’t know they were being recorded for a story. Gardenhire complained to the UTC chancellor’s office about Helbert, who was later fired. Helbert said she was wearing full gear and had visible press credentials for the entire day.
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