TTPC

The Tennessee Transgender Political Coalition is anticipating a big week for Hate Crimes legislation at both the state and federal levels.
This Wednesday, April 29, the House Judiciary Committee will consider HB0335 by Jeanne Richardson (D-Memphis). This bill would add “gender identity or expression” to Tennessee’s hate crimes sentencing enhancement statute.

We were thrilled last week when the Criminal Practice Subcommittee passed the bill without any dissent or controversy. Please contact the members of the full House Judiciary Committee and ask them to vote “Yes” on HB0335:

Kent Coleman (D-Murfreesboro), Chair & Bill Co-sponsor, rep.kent.coleman@capitol.tn.gov
Jon Lundberg (R-Bristol), Vice-Chair, rep.jon.lundberg@capitol.tn.gov
Janis Sontany (D-Nashville), Secretary & Bill Co-sponsor, rep.janis.sontany@capitol.tn.gov
Eddie Bass (D-Prospect), rep.eddie.bass@capitol.tn.gov
Karen Camper (D-Memphis), Bill Co-sponsor, rep.karen.camper@capitol.tn.gov
Vance Dennis (R-Savannah), rep.vance.dennis@capitol.tn.gov
Chad Faulkner (R-Luttrell), rep.chad.faulkner@capitol.tn.gov
Henry Fincher (D-Cookeville), rep.henry.fincher@capitol.tn.gov
Brian Kelsey (R-Germantown), rep.brian.kelsey@capitol.tn.gov
Judd Matheny (R-Tullahoma), rep.judd.matheny@capitol.tn.gov
Mike Stewart (D-Nashville), Bill Co-sponsor, rep.mike.stewart@capitol.tn.gov
Eric Watson (R-Cleveland), rep.eric.watson@capitol.tn.gov

The House Judiciary Committee meets on Wednesday, April 29, at 8:30 am, in Legislative Plaza, Room 31.
We also wish to thank the additional co-sponsors who have signed onto the bill since it passed in subcommittee on Wednesday:

Sherry Jones (D-Antioch)
Mark Maddox (D-Dresden), House Democratic Whip
David Shepard (D-Dickson)
Mike Kernell (D-Memphis)
Janis Sontany (D-Nashville), Secretary, Judiciary Committee
MIke Turner (D-Old Hickory), House Democratic Caucus Chair
Gary Odom (D-Nashville), House Democratic Leader
Kent Coleman (D-Murfreesboro), Chair, Judiciary Committee
Joe Pitts (D-Clarksville)
Joe Armstrong (D-Knoxville), Chair, Health & Human Resources Committee

Furthermore, on Thursday, the Nashville chapter of the NAACP voted unanimously to endorse HB0335, and ask all of its members to support this legislation. We greatly appreciate their action as well.

This week, the United States House of Representative may also vote on federal Hate Crimes legislation, the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act, H.R.1913, possibly as early as Wednesday. The Tennessee Transgender Political Coalition strongly supports this legislation which would provide federal support to local law enforcement to prosecute hate crimes targeting many groups, including those who are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender.

When the House passed this legislation in 2007, two Tennesseans voted in favor of it. Please contact Stephen Cohen (D) and Jim Cooper (D) to thank them for their previous support of hate crimes legislation and to ask them to vote YES on H.R.1913. Then please contact the other members of the Tennessee delegation and ask them to vote to help prosecute hate crimes:

Phil Roe, M.D.(R)
John Duncan (R)
Zach Wamp (R), candidate for Governor of Tennessee
Lincoln Davis (D)
Bart Gordon (D)
Marsha Blackburn (R)
John Tanner (D)
Other major bills of interest to TTPC this week are:

SB 1250, by Dewayne Bunch,
Ban on Teaching Sexual Diversity in Schools
Senate Education Committee
Tuesday, April 28, 3:30 pm
Legislative Plaza, Room 12
TTPC Opposes this bill.

*SB 1934 by *Burchett
Opposes Tennessee’s compliance with the Federal REAL ID Act of 2005
Senate Transportation Committee
Tuesday, April 28, 11:00 am
Legislative Plaza, Room 12.
TTPC Supports this bill

HB 1426 by *Niceley, companion bill to SB1934
Opposes Tennessee’s compliance with the Federal REAL ID Act of 2005
House Public Safety Subcommittee
Tuesday, April 28, 3:45 pm
Legislative Plaza, Room 16.
TTPC Supports this bill

Other bills of interest that were heard last week were:
HB 0451 by *Dunn
Requires, rather than encourages, school districts to include certain criteria in policies prohibiting harassment, intimidation, or bullying.
Passed 90 to 2. The Senate companion bill had passed previously, 33 to 0.
TTPC Supported this bill

HB 0639 by *Maggart, Faulkner, Evans, Weaver
New requirements for Voter ID’s in Tennessee
House Elections Subcommittee
A Senate amendment opposed by TTPC was defeated. No further action on the bill has been scheduled to date.
TTPC Opposes this bill

A similar bill, HB1838 by Todd, was defeated in this same subcommitteee 2 weeks ago.