Top State Senate Stories

  • Wednesday, November 6, 2024
  • Brandon Puttbrese, Senate Democratic Caucus Press Secretary

The 114th Tennessee General Assembly is officially open for business

  • Democratic legislation to cut TN’s grocery tax is expected to be among the early bill filings.
  • You can see new bills as they get posted here.

How did Election Day change the Tennessee General Assembly? It didn’t. 

  • Gerrymandering prevails. Republican-rigged election maps for U.S. Congress and the Tennessee legislature produced the intended results — artificially boosting Republican control of government. 
  • Some evidence to consider: Trump got 64% of the vote in Tennessee, yet Republicans won: 
    • 89% of TN’s congressional districts…
    • 82% of State Senate Districts…
    • 76% of State House Districts… 
  • That’s not luck. It’s gerrymandering. 
  • Here’s the kicker: Fair maps would not erase the Republican Party’s legislative advantage, but fair maps would produce better representation.
  • Context: The Tennessee Supreme Court heard arguments last month in a case challenging the constitutionality of Tennessee’s Republican-drawn state House and Senate maps.

Health, DCS & Environment: Governor continues budget hearings with departments marked by controversy 

  • The full schedule is included below and you can watch these meetings live at www.tn.gov/budgethearings
  • I’ll call out some points of interest to consider under some departments:

Wednesday, November 6, 2024

9:00-9:30    Department of Health

  • Republican “parental consent” laws are causing mature teens to be denied preventative care
  • Once a point of pride, Tennessee’s child vaccination rates are going the wrong way.
  • Tennessee would reduce state spending by offering TennCare coverage to low-income workers through ObamaCare

9:45-10:15  Department of Children’s Services

  • The deep and persistent issues at Children’s Services are well known – from kids sleeping on office floors to kids being kept in dangerous conditions at DCS-aligned homes.

10:30-11:00  Department of Mental Health & Substance Abuse Services

11:15-11:45  Department of Human Services

1:00-1:45   Department of Environment & Conservation

  • Last year, the department received a $3 million grant to develop Tennessee’s first-ever plan to cut climate pollution.
  • The department then submitted applications for climate grant funding, but lost.
  • The demand for Tennessee water and drought is creating problems.
  • A court recently halted development of a 32-mile natural gas pipeline through rural Tennessee.
  • Developers want to relax the rules protecting Tenn. wetlands.
  • TN Cities: Solid waste disposal a growing statewide issue

2:00-2:45   Department of Safety & Homeland Security

Opinion
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