The Senate on Monday unanimously passed a bill that would ban first cousins from getting married in the state.
The House Civil Justice committee on Tuesday passed a version by Rep. Darren Jernigan (D-Nashville), who plans to retire from the House this year.
During the committee meeting, Rep. Gino Bulso (R-Brentwood) revealed part of his own family history while indicating support of the bill.
“My grandparents came over to this country through Ellis Island from Italy back in the 1920s,” Bulso said. “And they settled in Lorain, Ohio, right south of Lake Erie, next to Cleveland. And they were first cousins, but they couldn’t get married in Ohio. So back in 1924, they actually came down to Tennessee to get married. So, but for the existence of the current law, I would not be here. But despite that, I think it’s good legislation and I intend to support it.”
Residential infrastructure development
Rep. Mark Pody (R-Lebanon) is sponsoring a bill he says creates a process for financing for infrastructure for facilitating more residential development in cities and counties that desire it.
“We are in a blessed state that we are growing so fast, and we are having a housing shortage,” Pody said during a committee meeting earlier in the session. “Especially in the fastest-growing counties around, we are trying to find a way that we can get more housing developed quicker.”
Pody said commercial developments have several tools to do this and the idea of the bill is to extend some of those same options for local communities in development.
SB2315 passed on Monday with 30 senators in agreement on the bill. It heads to the House Finance Ways and Means Committee on Tuesday, April 9.
Concealed carry in schools
SB1325/HB1202 would allow school staff with enhanced permits to carry concealed guns on school property. It passed the Senate Judiciary Committee 7-1 on Tuesday. Sen. London Lamar (D-Memphis) was the sole no vote. It will be on the Senate’s calendar on Tuesday, April 9.
Less time for fair wage claims
The Senate passed HB2113/SB2017, which would the shorten statute of limitations from six to three years for workers not being paid fairly to make a claim. It passed the Senate 24-1 on Monday after already having passed the House in March. It will move to the governor’s desk next.
East Bank legislation pushed back again
The Senate Finance Ways and Means Committee delayed SB2968, sponsored by Sen. Charlane Oliver (D-Nashville), until Tuesday. The House version should also return on Tuesday to the House Local Government Committee.
The Tennessee Lookout reports North Carolina-based Speedway Motorsports LLC, which owns Bristol Motor Speedway, potentially played a part in the bill’s return to committees. Reportedly, the company wanted lawmakers to use the legislation as leverage for a deal to help fund renovations at The Fairgrounds Nashville. Joe Hall, a representative for the company, told the Lookout the group is not trying to derail the bill.
Oliver said in a statement on Friday: "I have heard various rumors about the controlling party’s intent. That Republicans want to tie the East Bank legislation to approval of a deal to rebuild a racetrack at the Nashville fairgrounds. That Republicans want more seats on the Authority with voting power. Another rumor suggested Republican leadership is blocking the East Bank bill as retribution for words I used to describe the frustration I felt for my district after being silenced on an extreme GOP bill overturning local police reforms passed in the wake of the death of Tyre Nichols."
Oliver said she tried to resolve any issues with Lt. Gov. Randy McNally (R-Oak Ridge) in a meeting.
"Whether it’s political exclusion or hurt feelings or both, I don’t know what the truth is, but I know my integrity is not worth these political theatrics and power plays — especially for legislation that lacks input from the residents I represent in the Senate," Oliver said. She added that the language of the bill and policies had been decided early on without her involvement but that she continued to carry the legislation since it impacts her district.
"It’s a pattern older than the state itself: Black voices get sidelined on major economic decisions and the benefits of those deals trickle up to the wealthy or out-of-state — not down to our families," Oliver said.
Health care updates
A bill (SB1832/HB2226) that would create four new positions on the state’s existing Maternal Mortality Review Committee for community-based maternal health experts passed the House Health Committee on Wednesday after passing the Senate in mid-March. The board studies pregnancy-related deaths in Tennessee and issues a yearly report. Sen. London Lamar (D-Memphis) has a history of presenting bills related to maternal health and doulas. The legislation heads to the House Government Operations Committee on Monday.
A separate bill, SB1919/HB2365, allows for insurance to cover 12 months of birth control at once, and passed the House on Thursday. It is now on its way to Gov. Bill Lee’s desk.
Another bill (HB1726/SB2359) that would remove immunization requirements for foster families accepting infants and medically fragile children was sent to the governor’s desk on Monday. Physicians expressed concern to Scene sister publication the Nashville Post about the importance of the whooping cough vaccine, as the disease could be deadly for infants (read more).
Meanwhile, more abortion-exception legislation fails
Abortion legislation
The “abortion trafficking” bill (HB1895/SB1971) that would make it illegal for an adult to help a minor who is not their biological child obtain an abortion passed the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday and is headed for the Senate floor while awaiting action in the House. It is similar to a 2023 Idaho law that has been blocked by a federal judge.
Immigration enforcement
A bill was transmitted to Lee’s desk Thursday that aims to require local police to work with ICE any time a person who is suspected to be undocumented is detained or stopped. The bill (SB2576/HB2124) was the subject of a protest from the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition this week.
This article was first published by our sister publication, the Nashville Post.
