Thursday saw a “spirited” end to the week's legislative business inside the state Capitol when Rep. Scott Cepicky (R–Culleoka) objected to a resolution honoring Metro Nashville Public Schools — with Rep. John Ray Clemmons (D–Nashville) firing back. (Tennessee Lookout photographer John Partipilo captured the altercation, and you can see his photos here.)
“I will not, nor should anyone, tolerate the trashing of our MNPS schools or any other public school in this state," Clemmons told the Nashville Scene in a statement the next day. "My Democratic colleagues and I are sick and tired of the ongoing attacks and insults hurled at our public schools and teachers by Bill Lee and most of these Republican legislators. Until these attacks on public education stop ... we’re going to stand up and fight for our public schools every damn day — however, whenever and wherever necessary.”
Rep. Justin Jones (D–Nashville) called for a censure of Cepicky for disorderly conduct, claiming that such provocative behavior could be considered assault in the state. House Majority Leader William Lamberth (R–Portland) objected.
“I was present for the verbal interaction between two members in a spirited debate," Lamberth said. "I know that we all respect each other deeply on this floor, and when two members get into a spirited verbal interaction with each other, it is not always an opportunity to wilt in the sunlight like a snowflake."
The Republican supermajority declined to censure Cepicky.
Below, find updates on various pieces of legislation that made moves in the state legislature last week.
ELVIS bill passes
Legislation protecting voice and likeness from AI generation passed in committees
Gov. Bill Lee’s Ensuring Likeness, Voice and Image Security Act — or ELVIS Act — passed unanimously in both the House and Senate. It makes Tennessee the first state to address protections for individuals from artificial intelligence. The bill adds “voice” to legislation that already ensures image protections and also addresses technology capable of replicating a person’s likeness. (Read more.)
Eminent domain
A bill granting property owners more rights related to eminent domain cases has passed the House and is set to be heard in the Senate Judiciary Committee Monday. The House bill was sponsored by Rep. Jeremy Faison (R-Cosby), and the Senate bill is from Sen. Frank Niceley (R-Strawberry Plains).
The legislation grants property owners the right to have a court determine if eminent domain is necessary and places the burden of evidence of the necessity of public use on the condemner.
Education vouchers
Maryville City Schools director: ‘We're being asked to ingest a poison pill’
Two very different versions of the Education Freedom Scholarship Act passed two key legislative committees in the state House and Senate Wednesday. The EFSA — a pet project of Gov. Bill Lee — seeks to provide universal vouchers to students across Tennessee, allowing them to attend private schools using public dollars. The House version of the bill heads to the Government Operations Committee next, while the Senate version is on its way to the Finance, Ways and Means Committee. For details on each bill, read here.
Women’s health care
Bill to allow abortion exceptions in fatal fetal anomalies quietly tabled
Bills that would protect contraceptive access and in vitro fertilization were mowed down by the Republican majority in a subcommittee meeting Tuesday.
Rep. Harold Love (D-Nashville) brought a bill that would clarify that abortion does not include the use of contraception or the disposal of embryos left over from IVF treatment. The bill failed.
Rep. Gloria Johnson (D-Knoxville) made an attempt to enshrine contraception access in Tennessee law with the Tennessee Contraceptive Freedom Act. That bill also failed.
In a small win for the Democrats and reproductive freedom, SB1919/HB2356 — which would allow women and girls enrolled in TennCare to get a 12-month refill of birth control — passed in the Senate on March 4. The bill, sponsored by Sen. Raumesh Akbari (D-Memphis), is awaiting action in the House. (Read more.)
Memphis and policing
There was a he-said-he-said moment last week when Rep. Justin Pearson (D-Memphis) called Rep. John Gillespie (R-Memphis) a liar for bringing a bill to the floor that would prevent police from making “pretextual” stops.
Gillespie says he never told the parents of Tyre Nichols, who was killed by Memphis Police in 2023, that the legislation would not be on the floor. However, Pearson and Nichols’ parents say that’s not the case. The bill was passed along party lines. (Read more from the Tennessee Lookout.)
Danielle’s Law
A bill extending the statute of limitations for sexual assault passed the Senate on Thursday and is set to be heard in the house on Monday. The bill is sponsored by Rep. Sam Whitson (R-Franklin) in the House and Sen. Page Walley (R-Savannah) in the Senate.
The bill is named after Danielle Pyle, a rape survivor, who shared her story in the House Civil Justice Committee last week.
“You need time to process and heal from what has happened to you, and one year is just too short if you’re also having the opportunity to pursue criminal charges as well,” Pyle told the committee.
The legislation would extend the statute of limitations for sexual assault victims to bring civil action to three years if law enforcement is not notified or five if law enforcement is notified.
Current state law does not allow filing of a suit for sexual assault after one year. The criminal statute allows action to be taken after three years. Rep. Whitson told the House Civil Justice Committee the bill would align the civil statute with the criminal one.
This article was first published by our sister publication, the Nashville Post.
