Knoxville, Be Damned: Rep. Daniel Helping GOP Cripple Community Oversight Boards in Tenn.
Despite nearly unified support from Knox County officials, state Rep. Martin Daniel, R-Knoxville, District 18, voted Feb. 27 with the majority party in committee to strip state-based community oversight boards of their subpoena power.
The city of Knoxville has successfully operated a police community oversight board for 20 years under both Democratic and Republican mayors. Knoxville Mayor Madeline Rogero, who opposed the legislation, says the board has been instrumental in building trust between the police department and the community—a credit she says would not be possible without subpoena power.
In November, 134,000 Nashville voters approved a ballot measure to create a community oversight board — with subpoena power.
Despite the majority of GOP members living in rural areas, the Republican-controlled Tennessee General Assembly has a growing record of using state law to block and alter policies being enacted in Nashville, Memphis and other large cities with Democratic mayors.
In the House Judiciary Committee, where HB0658 passed on a 13-6 party-line vote, Daniel was the only Republican who voted that even lives in a county with an active community oversight board.
Takeaway:
These aren’t small government conservatives—this is government intrusion. These Republicans are using the legislature to trample on the rights of Tennesseans who live in big cities.
How they voted:
Representatives voting aye were:
Rep. Martin Daniel, R-Knoxville, District 18
Rep. Mike Carter, R-Ooltewah, District 29
Rep. Rick Eldridge, R-Morristown, District 10
Rep. Bruce Griffey, R-Paris, District 75
Rep. Bud Hulsey, R-Kingsport, District 2
Rep. Curtis Johnson, R-Clarksville, District 68
Rep. William Lamberth, R-Portland, District 44
Rep. Mary Littleton, R-Dickson, District 78
Rep. Iris Rudder, R-Winchester, District 39
Rep. Bill Sanderson, R-Kenton, District 77
Rep. James “Micah” Van Huss, R-Gray, District 6
Rep. Michael Curcio, R-Dickson, District 69
Rep. Johnny Garrett, R-Goodlettsville, District 45
Representatives voting No were:
Rep. Bo Mitchell, D-Nashville, District 50
Rep. Bill Beck, D-Nashville, District 51
Rep. Jason Potts, D-Nashville, District 59
Rep. Joe Towns, Jr., D-Memphis, District 84
Rep. Karen Camper, D-Memphis, District 87
Rep. Antonio Parkinson, D-Memphis, District 98
Who is sponsoring the bill?
Rep. Michael Curcio, R-Dickson, District 69, primary sponsor
Rep. Mike Carter, R-Ooltewah, District 29
Rep. James “Micah” Van Huss, R-Gray, District 6
Rep. Mary Littleton, R-Dickson, District 78
Rep. Andrew Farmer, R-Sevierville, District 17
Rep. Jerome Moon, R-Maryville, District 8
Rep. William Lamberth, R-Portland, District 44
Rep. Cameron Sexton, R-Crossville, District 25
Rep. Ron Gant, R-Rossville, District 94
Speaker Glen Casada, R-Franklin, District 63
Rep. Rick Tills, R-Lewisberg, District 92
Rep. Patsy Hazelwood, R-Signal Mountain, District 27
Rep. Sabi Kumar, R-Springfield, District 66
Rep. David Byrd, R-Waynesboro, District 71
Rep. Andy Holt, R-Dresden, District 76
Rep. Kelly Keisling, R-Byrdstown, District 38
Rep. Curtis Halford, R-Dyer, District 79
Rep. Clark Boyd, R-Lebanon, District 46
Rep. Bruce Griffey, R-Paris, District 75
Rep. Dennis Powers, R-Jacksboro, District 36
Rep. Clay Doggett, R-Pulaski, District 70
Rep. John Holsclaw, Jr., R-Elizabethton, District 4
Rep. Curtis Johnson, R-Clarksville, District 68
Rep. Dan Howell, R-Cleveland, District 22
Rep. Jason Zachary, R-Knoxville, District 14
Rep. Timothy Hill, R-Blountville, District 3
Rep. John Crawford, R-Kingsport, District 1
Rep. Matthew Hill, R-Jonesborough, District 7
Rep. Bud Hulsey, R-Kingsport, District 2
Rep. Sam Whitson, R-Franklin, District 65
Rep. Robin Smith, R-Hixson, District 26
Rep. Esther Helton, R-East Ridge, District 30
Rep. Dale Carr, R-Sevierville, District 12
Rep. Mark Hall, R-Cleveland, District 24
Rep. Paul Sherrell, R-Sparta, District 43
Rep. Jay Reedy, R-Erin, District 74
Rep. Jim Coley, R-Bartlett, District 97
Rep. Mark White, R-Memphis, District 83
Rep. Brandon Ogles, R-Franklin, District 61
Rep. David Hawk, R-Greeneville, District 5
Rep. Iris Rudder, R-Winchester, District 39
Rep. Kirk Haston, R-Lobelville, District 72
Rep. Ron Travis, R-Dayton, District 31
Rep. Terri Lynn Weaver, R-Lancaster, District 40
Rep. Scott Cepicky, R-Culleoka, District 64
Rep. Kent Calfee, R-Kingston, District 32
Rep. Chris Hurt, R-Halls, District 82
Rep. Bryan Terry, R-Murfreesboro, District 48