TTPC

Teaching Sexual Diversity Bill Rolled

On Wednesday, the Tennessee House K-12 Subcommittee rolled two bills by Representative Stacey Campfield (R-Knoxville), HB0821 which would ban teaching sexual diversity, and HB0812, which would require parents to sign written permission slips for students to take Family Life Courses, until the committee’s Last Calendar, which is expected to be on March 31.

The Tennessee Transgender Political Coalition remains opposed to both bills.

Other major bills of interest to TTPC this week are:

Voter ID:

The House Elections Subcommittee has rolled HB 0639 by *Maggart, a Voter ID bill which TTPC has previously opposed because it could disfranchise transgender voters in Tennessee, to Wednesday, March 23.  A separate bill, HB0270 by Watson, Rich, Bass and Evans, was amended to remove the new ID provisions.  TTPC, along with the ACLU and Common Cause, have all dropped their objections to that bill, which is moving through the House.  TTPC remains opposed to HB0639.

Members of the Elections Subcommittee are:

• Eddie Yokley (D-Greeneville), Chair
• Eric Watson (R-Cleveland), Vice-Chair
• Jim Cobb (R-Spring City)
• Joshua Evans (R-Greenbrier)
• Gary Moore (D-Joelton)
• Harry Tindell (D-Knoxville)

The House Elections Subcommittee meets Tuesday, March 23, 1:30 pm CDT, in Legislative Plaza, Room 16.

REAL ID Act:

The House Public Safety Committee rolled HB 1426 by *Niceley, opposing implementation of the REAL ID Act of 2005, until On Tuesday, March 23,.  The Senate companion bill, *SB 1934 by *Burchett,has already passed by a vote of 29 to 1.

In both 2007 and 2009, the full General Assembly passed resolutions opposing implementation of REAL ID by unanimous votes each time.  In addition, officials of the Tennessee Department of Safety testified in January 2008 about their concerns of compliance due to the cost to the state.

To date, Congress has delayed implementation of REAL ID until 2014 for people 50 years of age and younger, and until 2017 for people over the age of 50, but this law remains a real burden for transgender people.

TTPC is strongly opposed to the REAL ID Act of 2005 and continues to support efforts by the state to urge Congress to repeal the law.

Members of the House Public Safety Subcommittee are:

• Vince Dean (R-East Ridge), Chair
• Tony Shipley (R-Kingsport), Vice-Chair
• Ty Cobb (D-Columbia)
• Chad Faulkner (R-Luttrell)
• Pat Marsh (R-Shelbyville)
• Ben West (D-Hermitage)

The House Public Safety Subcommittee meets Tuesday, March 23, 4:00 pm CDT, in Legislative Plaza, Room 16.

Pay Equity in the Workplace:

The Tennessee House Employee Affairs Subcommittee will take up HB0776 by Mike Turner this Wednesday.  This bill, called Pay Equity in the Workplace, would increase penalties for denying equal pay for equal work based on gender.

TTPC strongly supports this bill.

We encourage you to contact members of the House Employee Affairs Subcommittee and express your support for equal pay for equal work regardless of gender.  Members of the Employee Affairs Subcommittee are:

• Mike McDonald (D-Portland), Chair
• Stacey Campfield (R-Knoxville), Vice-Chair
• Sherry Jones (D-Antioch)
• Gary Moore (D-Joelton)
• Donna Rowland (R-Murfreesboro)
• Mark White (R-Memphis)

The House Employee Affairs Subcommittee meets Wednesday, March 24, 12:30 pm CDT, in Legislative Plaza, Room 29.