On January 6th the Tennessee State General Assembly began their 2024 legislative session at the capitol in Nashville. Just one month in and hundreds of bills from gun control to new laws on bodycams to a bill that would make hot slaw a state food. The Hillsboro Globe has compiled a list of some of the most impactful and controversial bills that you should be watching. Be sure to check in regularly as we will be providing regular updates on the status of these bills.
Last updated on 2/6/24
SB1479/HB1522 (Link to Bill)
Police Body-cam Bill
by Rep, G.A. Hardaway (D) and Sen. Sara Kyle (D)
This bill would make it a class E felony to purposefully turn off or delete bodycam footage a class E felony is punishable by one to six years in prison and a fine of up to $3,000. This is being proposed as police face increased scrutiny and calls for reform after several high-profile killings of Black Americans by police such as the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police and Tyre Nichols who was beaten to death by Memphis police just last year. This legislation amends laws already on the books that regulates destruction of evidence to include specific laws on tampering with bodycam footage.
Current Status: Currently scheduled to be heard by the house criminal justice subcommittee on 2/13/24 and senate judiciary committee at an unknown date.
HB0741/SB1024(Link to Bill)
Elimination of School Voucher Program
by Rep Bo Mitchell (D) and Sen. Heidi Campbell (D)
This bill would repel Tennessee school voucher pilot program. This is a program initially passed in 2019 which gives $8,100 to select public school students to go to various private schools. This year legislators are currently hearing a proposed bill that would expand the program to all public-school students in Tennessee with a $141.5 million budget. This has been heavily criticized by education specialists such as Alington Community Schools who issued a statement saying “The proposed voucher expansion, if passed, will continue to siphon money from public schools to private schools who are beholden to no one. Private schools don’t face the testing standards or accountability mandates as public schools do, they don’t answer to a state education department who is constantly moving the goal posts (re: the 3rd grade ELA retention law), and they’re not even held to the same license requirements forced upon public school teachers. Vouchers will lead to publicly funded private schools with no oversight.”
Current Status: Currently scheduled to be heard by the house k-12 subcommittee on 2/13/24 and senate education committee at an unknown date.
HJR 0706 (Link to Bill)
State Legislative Eligibility Bill
By Rep. Bryan Richey (R)
This resolution would amend the state constitution to bar anyone expelled from the state legislature from serving in that office for four years. This is passed just a year after the highly controversial expulsion of two democratic lawmakers last year which lead to mass protests and increased national attention. Both lawmakers were reappointed by their respective county governments and won reelection although if this amendment passes, they could be bar from running if they get expelled again. Even if this resolution passes it will still have to go through a long process before being added to the constitution. If it passes this year it will have to be reintroduced next year where 2/3rds of the general assembly must pass the resolution, once it passes twice it will be added to a ballot referendum where the majority of Tennesseans will have to approve the amendment.
Current Status: Passed by the house public service committee waiting to be heard on the house floor.
This article will be regularly updated with the most recent information on what’s happening in withing our legislature. You can find your local legislators with contact information on the Tennessee General Assembly’s website.
