Policy Priorities
Click on the tabs to read through John Ray's Priorities
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Economy & Jobs
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Education
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Environment
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Equality
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Healthcare
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Infrastructure
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Public Safety
John Ray’s policy priorities are focused on freedom and improving the life of every Tennessee family. John Ray is guided by open communication and the exchange of ideas with District 55 residents, local officials and business owners, neighborhood organizations, educators, and members of the faith community.
As a youth ball coach, I preach the value of hard work and teamwork to our players. I apply the same principles to legislating. If we are all focused on the common goal of improving people's lives and we’re willing to listen to each and work hard, we can accomplish great things for every community.
Economy & Jobs
Every Tennessee worker deserves the freedom to earn a fair, living wage, support their family and retire with dignity.
Tennessee must not only recruit companies, we must recruit companies that are going to invest in our communities and respect our workers with high-paying jobs and good benefits. We must also continue to support local businesses that have contributed to our local economies. Developing local talent, creating an inclusive environment and supporting entrepreneurs will strengthen our communities, foster innovation and ultimately spur quality job growth.
The state’s budget has doubled since 2011, but Tennessee’s working families have not experienced the benefits of that state spending. Healthcare costs have increased, gas taxes have increased, our schools remain underfunded, and roads and bridges statewide are in disrepair. We also have some of the highest grocery taxes in the country. The fiscal integrity of our state is in limbo, and John Ray continues to sound the alarm about the ongoing fiscal mismanagement and the need for our state to invest in families and lower costs of living.
The gender pay gap hurts our families, our businesses and our communities. Ensuring equal pay for equal work in a meaningful way is long overdue.
Education
Every Tennessee child deserves the freedom to attend a quality public school.
John Ray sincerely believes that every child deserves an equal opportunity to succeed, and opportunity is created in our public schools classrooms. To enact effective education policies and ensure the best possible outcomes for our students, John Ray solicits input from and listens to educators and administrators in our schools. Our teachers deserve more respect, more support and higher salaries. The most efficient and productive way to ensure a promising future for our families, our communities, and generations to come, is to invest in public education and that starts with our teachers.
As both a legislator and the father of three children, all of whom attend Metro Nashville Public Schools, John Ray has earned a reputation as a leading, fierce advocate for our state’s public schools, teachers and students. During his first term in the state legislature, he passed a law to facilitate the recruitment and hiring of highly qualified administrators, and during his tenure he has introduced legislation to improve teacher retention rates, better assist schools with meeting RTII requirements, and provide free school-based meals to every student.
In addition to his proactive efforts to improve our public schools, John Ray has helped lead the fight against vouchers, ongoing efforts to privatize public education, the third-grade retention law, and the state’s over-emphasis on standardized testing.
We must protect our children in their classrooms. No child should fear going to school, and no parent should have to worry about whether their child will get off their school bus at the end of a school day. Common sense gun safety laws are necessary and long overdue. John Ray works with victims and advocates to push laws that will better protect our children in their schools from senseless gun violence.
Environment
Every Tennessean deserves the freedom to drink clean water, farm clean soil and breathe clean air.
Having grown up on a farm, John Ray fully understands the impact changing and unpredictable weather can have on a family’s bottom line and our local economies. Climate change is a real problem that requires immediate attention and real solutions. Our quality of life and our state’s economy relies upon clean air, water and soil. Without thoughtful action to protect our environment, we risk our children’s future and economic opportunities.
Equality
Every Tennessean deserves to live without fear of discrimination.
Tennessee deserves leaders who will take a stand against legislation or policies that discriminate against anyone.
Tennesseans continue to suffer from voter suppression laws and tactics that disenfranchise citizens. We must remove barriers to the ballot box.
Healthcare
Every Tennessean deserves the freedom to receive quality, affordable healthcare.
From day one in the state legislature, John Ray has worked to expand access to quality, affordable healthcare.
Medicaid expansion is long overdue. By finally accepting the federal reimbursement dollars for Medicaid expansion, our hard-earned tax dollars would return to Tennessee and provide hundreds of thousands of Tennesseans who are in the “coverage gap” access to much-needed care. Failing to expand Medicaid has resulting in rural hospital closures and devastated communities and local economies. Medical professionals have departed, emergency rooms have closed, and pregnant women must travel over an hour to get prenatal care or deliver their baby. Our government must stop playing politics with people’s lives.
The government does not belong in a doctor’s office between a woman, her doctor and her faith. Currently, Tennessee women and families suffer from the most draconian reproductive healthcare laws in the country, depriving women of equal rights and the choice to legally end a pregnancy even when their lives are at risk or they are victims of rape or incest. Access to contraception and fertility treatments are also in jeopardy. The women and families of Tennessee deserve better.
John Ray’s focus on mental health and substance abuse services has resulted in the state’s renewed focus on mental health parity and substance abuse equity. His work and legislation to ensure that Tennesseans have access to these vital services has received bipartisan support.
Sadly, suicide rates for Tennesseans, especially our veterans, remain alarmingly high, and the death rate from fentanyl and opioid addiction continues to increase. We have a lot more work to do to ensure that our friends and family can get the treatment and services they need and deserve.
Overall wellness must be addressed in all of our communities. Obesity rates and healthcare costs continue to rise. With increased access to insurance coverage and care, we can make great strides towards staying healthy and ensuring healthcare equity.
It is past time to legalize cannabis and make medical marijuana available to those who need it. We must also finally eliminate the excessive punishments and unnecessary prison sentences for simple possession of marijuana.
Infrastructure
Every Tennesseans deserves the freedom to drive to work without spending hours in traffic or paying a toll.
Tennessee’s infrastructure, both above and below ground, is aging and insufficient. Our state’s failure to invest in a sustainable foundation for long-term economic prosperity is causing our infrastructure to crumble beneath our feet and costs to rise. From aging wastewater systems to roadways riddled with potholes to crumbling bridges, local economies require significant investment for the benefit of local economies statewide.
John Ray represents one of the fastest growing communities and most congested roadways in the country. The rapid growth of southeast Nashville and overwhelming congestion on I-24 require immediate action. This is why John Ray advocates strongly for regional and interstate commuter rail, as well as other forms of public transit that are available to our city and state. While ongoing investments in our roads are necessary, our transportation problems cannot be fully solved with more lanes (and certainly not toll lanes).
Fast, affordable, reliable internet access is essential to economic growth and opportunity. Companies invest in communities with a strong infrastructure, and in today’s economy, that includes quality, high-speed internet access. Our rural communities require more investment to ensure their place in today’s economy.
Public Safety
Every Tennessee family deserves to live in a safe neighborhood, send their children to a safe school, and live without fear of gun violence.
We must work together to address the increased gun violence that continues to plague communities statewide. Gun violence is the number one cause of death of Tennessee children. As a gun owner, John Ray advocates for personal responsibility and a heightened duty of care for fellow gun owners. Gun thefts from automobiles continue to increase, resulting in the possession of firearms by individuals who should never have access to a gun. Laws are needed to better protect our children, ensure that firearm possession is limited to those who do not pose a threat of harm to themselves or others, require responsible gun ownership, and reduce gun fire in our neighborhoods.
John Ray has continuously worked with the MNPD and local officials to better enforce state laws targeting drag racing on our roadways and continues to evaluate new ways to assist law enforcement in safely enforcing drag racing laws and prosecute violators.
John Ray regularly meets with state and local prosecutors and law enforcement officials to discuss crime trends and learn how he can best assist their collaborative efforts to keep our neighborhoods safe and protect our families.
John Ray’s policy priorities are focused on freedom and improving the life of every Tennessee family. John Ray is guided by open communication and the exchange of ideas with District 55 residents, local officials and business owners, neighborhood organizations, educators, and members of the faith community.
As a youth ball coach, I preach the value of hard work and teamwork to our players. I apply the same principles to legislating. If we are all focused on the common goal of improving people's lives and we’re willing to listen to each and work hard, we can accomplish great things for every community.
Economy & Jobs
Economy & Jobs
Every Tennessee worker deserves the freedom to earn a fair, living wage, support their family and retire with dignity.
Tennessee must not only recruit companies, we must recruit companies that are going to invest in our communities and respect our workers with high-paying jobs and good benefits. We must also continue to support local businesses that have contributed to our local economies. Developing local talent, creating an inclusive environment and supporting entrepreneurs will strengthen our communities, foster innovation and ultimately spur quality job growth.
The state’s budget has doubled since 2011, but Tennessee’s working families have not experienced the benefits of that state spending. Healthcare costs have increased, gas taxes have increased, our schools remain underfunded, and roads and bridges statewide are in disrepair. We also have some of the highest grocery taxes in the country. The fiscal integrity of our state is in limbo, and John Ray continues to sound the alarm about the ongoing fiscal mismanagement and the need for our state to invest in families and lower costs of living.
The gender pay gap hurts our families, our businesses and our communities. Ensuring equal pay for equal work in a meaningful way is long overdue.
Education
Education
Every Tennessee child deserves the freedom to attend a quality public school.
John Ray sincerely believes that every child deserves an equal opportunity to succeed, and opportunity is created in our public schools classrooms. To enact effective education policies and ensure the best possible outcomes for our students, John Ray solicits input from and listens to educators and administrators in our schools. Our teachers deserve more respect, more support and higher salaries. The most efficient and productive way to ensure a promising future for our families, our communities, and generations to come, is to invest in public education and that starts with our teachers.
As both a legislator and the father of three children, all of whom attend Metro Nashville Public Schools, John Ray has earned a reputation as a leading, fierce advocate for our state’s public schools, teachers and students. During his first term in the state legislature, he passed a law to facilitate the recruitment and hiring of highly qualified administrators, and during his tenure he has introduced legislation to improve teacher retention rates, better assist schools with meeting RTII requirements, and provide free school-based meals to every student.
In addition to his proactive efforts to improve our public schools, John Ray has helped lead the fight against vouchers, ongoing efforts to privatize public education, the third-grade retention law, and the state’s over-emphasis on standardized testing.
We must protect our children in their classrooms. No child should fear going to school, and no parent should have to worry about whether their child will get off their school bus at the end of a school day. Common sense gun safety laws are necessary and long overdue. John Ray works with victims and advocates to push laws that will better protect our children in their schools from senseless gun violence.
Environment
Environment
Every Tennessean deserves the freedom to drink clean water, farm clean soil and breathe clean air.
Having grown up on a farm, John Ray fully understands the impact changing and unpredictable weather can have on a family’s bottom line and our local economies. Climate change is a real problem that requires immediate attention and real solutions. Our quality of life and our state’s economy relies upon clean air, water and soil. Without thoughtful action to protect our environment, we risk our children’s future and economic opportunities.
Equality
Equality
Every Tennessean deserves to live without fear of discrimination.
Tennessee deserves leaders who will take a stand against legislation or policies that discriminate against anyone.
Tennesseans continue to suffer from voter suppression laws and tactics that disenfranchise citizens. We must remove barriers to the ballot box.
Healthcare
Healthcare
Every Tennessean deserves the freedom to receive quality, affordable healthcare.
From day one in the state legislature, John Ray has worked to expand access to quality, affordable healthcare.
Medicaid expansion is long overdue. By finally accepting the federal reimbursement dollars for Medicaid expansion, our hard-earned tax dollars would return to Tennessee and provide hundreds of thousands of Tennesseans who are in the “coverage gap” access to much-needed care. Failing to expand Medicaid has resulting in rural hospital closures and devastated communities and local economies. Medical professionals have departed, emergency rooms have closed, and pregnant women must travel over an hour to get prenatal care or deliver their baby. Our government must stop playing politics with people’s lives.
The government does not belong in a doctor’s office between a woman, her doctor and her faith. Currently, Tennessee women and families suffer from the most draconian reproductive healthcare laws in the country, depriving women of equal rights and the choice to legally end a pregnancy even when their lives are at risk or they are victims of rape or incest. Access to contraception and fertility treatments are also in jeopardy. The women and families of Tennessee deserve better.
John Ray’s focus on mental health and substance abuse services has resulted in the state’s renewed focus on mental health parity and substance abuse equity. His work and legislation to ensure that Tennesseans have access to these vital services has received bipartisan support.
Sadly, suicide rates for Tennesseans, especially our veterans, remain alarmingly high, and the death rate from fentanyl and opioid addiction continues to increase. We have a lot more work to do to ensure that our friends and family can get the treatment and services they need and deserve.
Overall wellness must be addressed in all of our communities. Obesity rates and healthcare costs continue to rise. With increased access to insurance coverage and care, we can make great strides towards staying healthy and ensuring healthcare equity.
It is past time to legalize cannabis and make medical marijuana available to those who need it. We must also finally eliminate the excessive punishments and unnecessary prison sentences for simple possession of marijuana.
Infrastructure
Infrastructure
Every Tennesseans deserves the freedom to drive to work without spending hours in traffic or paying a toll.
Tennessee’s infrastructure, both above and below ground, is aging and insufficient. Our state’s failure to invest in a sustainable foundation for long-term economic prosperity is causing our infrastructure to crumble beneath our feet and costs to rise. From aging wastewater systems to roadways riddled with potholes to crumbling bridges, local economies require significant investment for the benefit of local economies statewide.
John Ray represents one of the fastest growing communities and most congested roadways in the country. The rapid growth of southeast Nashville and overwhelming congestion on I-24 require immediate action. This is why John Ray advocates strongly for regional and interstate commuter rail, as well as other forms of public transit that are available to our city and state. While ongoing investments in our roads are necessary, our transportation problems cannot be fully solved with more lanes (and certainly not toll lanes).
Fast, affordable, reliable internet access is essential to economic growth and opportunity. Companies invest in communities with a strong infrastructure, and in today’s economy, that includes quality, high-speed internet access. Our rural communities require more investment to ensure their place in today’s economy.
Public Safety
Public Safety
Every Tennessee family deserves to live in a safe neighborhood, send their children to a safe school, and live without fear of gun violence.
We must work together to address the increased gun violence that continues to plague communities statewide. Gun violence is the number one cause of death of Tennessee children. As a gun owner, John Ray advocates for personal responsibility and a heightened duty of care for fellow gun owners. Gun thefts from automobiles continue to increase, resulting in the possession of firearms by individuals who should never have access to a gun. Laws are needed to better protect our children, ensure that firearm possession is limited to those who do not pose a threat of harm to themselves or others, require responsible gun ownership, and reduce gun fire in our neighborhoods.
John Ray has continuously worked with the MNPD and local officials to better enforce state laws targeting drag racing on our roadways and continues to evaluate new ways to assist law enforcement in safely enforcing drag racing laws and prosecute violators.
John Ray regularly meets with state and local prosecutors and law enforcement officials to discuss crime trends and learn how he can best assist their collaborative efforts to keep our neighborhoods safe and protect our families.
