Team JRC Update
Ms. Debra Webb, a vital member of our team who alone runs my legislative office, suffered a mild stroke last Sunday and is now recovering at home. Please wish her well and keep her in your thoughts. If you tried to contact my legislative office last week to schedule a meeting or request assistance and did not get through, we will get back to you as soon as possible.
Thank you
Thank you to all those who continue to visit us at the State Capitol and the new Cordell Hull Building. I sincerely appreciate the opportunity to meet with all of you and hear your valuable opinions on issues of importance firsthand. Thanks also to Michael Lottman and the Cheatham County Democratic Party for hosting me and others for a very informative panel discussion on broadband expansion and net neutrality.
Net Neutrality Roundtable
After introducing our Tennessee Net Neutrality and Internet Consumer Protection Act bill, HB1755, Sen. Lee Harris and I hosted a roundtable to discuss the issue and solicit more information on the topic. We will continue to rely on experts and interested parties to help us fine-tune our important legislation in the coming weeks. Thank you to Dan Hogan (Medalogix/EO Nashville), Cliff Anderson (Vanderbilt Libraries), Alex Curtis (Nashville Tech Council), Hedy Weinberg (TN ACLU), and Suzy Kim (Vanderbilt Internet Privacy and Electronic Rights Club) for joining us for our discussion.
Thus far
After a relatively slow start and little legislative activity, the legislative schedule will start speeding up this week. However, my colleagues across the aisle did manage to push an amended version of the “heartbeat bill” through both House health committees. The bill was voted on last night on the House floor. I voted against the bill in both committees and on the House floor.
Other than the few bills that have come through my committees, we have held preliminary budget hearings for several departments. Following the Department of Human Services’ presentation, I shared my serious concerns about the new administrative requirements for those receiving vital state services and being sold as “work requirements.” I also asked the Department of Health why it refuses to recognize medical marijuana as a viable alternative to opioid-based medications while other states have done so and legalized it. We also heard informational presentations from several groups including Life Science Tennessee, the Tennessee Chamber of Commerce, and local businesses developing blockchain technology.
2018, Vol. 2