Posts Tagged ‘John Ragan’
House approves bill to eliminate subpoena power from police community oversight boards
Debate moves to the full Tennessee Senate A proposal to eliminate subpoena power from police community oversights boards passed the Tennessee House on a 66-26 vote. A police community oversight board has operated — with subpoena power — in Knoxville, Tenn. for two decades with no interference from the state legislature. State lawmakers only seem to…
Read MoreAgencies denying child adoptions to same-sex couples may receive legal protection under bill
‘Religious or moral convictions’ will shield agencies that discriminate There are about 8,000 children in Tennessee in foster care or available for full adoption. Under a new law, private agencies working with the state could deny these children a home with a same-sex couple or any LGBTQ Tennessean. Under House Bill 836, private child-placing agencies…
Read MoreBan on abortion after six weeks passes House, focus moves to Tenn. Senate
The Tennessee House of Representatives approved a ban on abortion after a heart beat can be detected — roughly six weeks of pregnancy. The legislation still must be heard by the full Tennessee Senate. The legislation, HB0077, sponsored by Rep. James “Micah” Van Huss, R-Gray, District 6, is one of Republican’s most aggressive attempts to restrict…
Read MoreNo food for you: Conservatives vote against providing lunch to students with a meal debt
Republicans voted 4-2 to defeat The Tennessee Hunger-Free Students Act—a bill with three measures to ensure students can eat school lunches and not be punished when parents fail to pay meal fees or a meal debt. The bill sponsor Rep. John Ray Clemmons, D-Nashville, District 55, said the bill would stop school employees from throwing…
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