Capitol Hill Week

(NASHVILLE, Tenn.), April 14, 2022 – The Senate continued to wind down its business as many important bills received final approval this week. The Judiciary Committee completed its last meeting, where it approved two judicial appointments to the Court of Criminal Appeals and one to the Court of Appeals. Next week, the Finance, Ways and Means Committee – the final Senate committee to remain open – is expected to present the Senate’s amended state budget.

Removing roadblocks to obtain a Commercial Driver License

Consumers everywhere have felt the effects of the backlog in moving freight across the country. The American trucking association currently estimates that the United States is 80,000 truck drivers short, causing supply chain issues across Tennessee and the nation. To address this issue, I sponsored legislation to help increase the number of Commercial Driver Licenses (CDLs) issued to Tennesseans by expanding eligibility, implementing a quicker turnaround for issuing CDLs and creating a program within the Department of Safety to train qualifying incarcerated individuals and prepare them for a job in the trucking industry.

I am very proud of this legislation. We have worked over the past year with the Department of Safety, the Department of Corrections and TCATs to help solve the shortage of truck drivers in the state of Tennessee by removing roadblocks to obtain a CDL, and I am confident this bill will alleviate some of the issues in our state.

Senate Bill 2399 creates a program to enable qualifying incarcerated individuals who will return to society to receive a CDL prior to or after their release. Inmates with certain criminal convictions will not be eligible for this training program.

At my trucking company we have hired formerly incarcerated individuals, and they are some of our best drivers. They appreciate freedom and the ability to have a job. This training program with the Department of Corrections will yield positive results for the trucking industry, formerly incarcerated individuals and public safety. Giving these individuals jobs prevents them from returning to a life of crime and steers them towards a life of productivity.

Prohibiting camping on local public property and protect public safety passes in Senate

I also sponsored legislation enabling local governments to prevent homeless populations from camping on public property which was passed by the full Senate on Wednesday. Senate Bill 1610 will encourage homeless individuals to relocate to safer areas and receive needed assistance, including mental and physical health care.

This bill focuses on public safety and human dignity. Allowing individuals to sleep under bridges and near roadways is not compassionate. It is unsafe. Through this bill, we hope to give local governments the ability to protect public safety and connect homeless populations with the resources they need to restore their dignity and improve their living situations.

Similar to the Equal Access to Public Property Act of 2012, which prohibited camping on state public property, this legislation prohibits camping on local public property. It would give local governments a legal mechanism to remove homeless camps from local public land. If it becomes law, each local governing body could decide how or if they want to enforce the legislation.

Under the legislation, the penalty for camping on public property after an initial warning is a Class C misdemeanor offense punishable by either 20 to 40 hours of community service or a $50 fine. The bill lists camping on the shoulder, berm, or right-of-way of a state or interstate highway or under a bridge or overpass, or within an underpass of a state interstate or highway as punishable offenses.

Teaching virtues of capitalism in Tennessee schools

We also gave final approval Tuesday to legislation I supported that requires students to be taught the virtues of capitalism and the constitutional republic form of government of the United States and Tennessee. Senate Bill 2728 calls for these forms of government to be compared to other political and economic systems such as communism and socialism.

Please continue to reach out to me with questions or comments about any of these bills or other legislation in the General Assembly. Thank you for allowing me to serve the great citizens of Senate District 15.