Legislative Wrap
March 19, 2021

Rep. Gloria Johnson House District 13

"When I got home this weekend someone asked how things are going in Nashville. I’m not sure they were ready for my answer, but it went kind of like this…

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We have a “Don’t Say Gay” bill worse than Florida’s and about 4 more bills to go along with it–all equally filled with hate. GOP and b-list celebrities are accusing librarians and teachers of “grooming” kids.

We have a vigilante abortion bill worse than Texas’. A bill that makes your friends and family $10k if they rat you out. Heck, if you decide to abort your rapist’s baby, his family and friends can sue you for $10k.

Did you ever imagine Tennessee would give more rights to a violent rapist than a victim of a violent rapist. He can choose the mother of his child, but she can’t choose to not have her rapist’s baby. That is pure evil, folks. That is today’s GOP–they don’t believe women are equal.

We have a school funding formula that’s not ready for prime time. It takes away local control, doesn’t have details and is more than 50% rule making we won’t see until AFTER the vote. And counties will love the property tax it will inevitably bring in 3-4 years.

Then there is Governor Lee’s State Board of Education appointee with no public school experience, even evidence he is hostile to public schools. He’s in a lawsuit now as his company sold ammunition to an underage school shooter responsible for the 6th largest school shooting in the country. He has 4 kids and home schools them. I’m not against homeschooling, I am against someone who is hostile to public education and without public school experience being on the state school board.

You might think that would be it, but we just had a GOP Senator get 5 indictments for campaign finance problems, a Representative indicted for wire fraud-they both resigned. One said they resigned for “exciting family news” (that’s one way to put it.) The other because she was a Christian (a Christian would say no to the felony.)

All signs point to more indictments coming, but all those likely to go down are taken into the GOP fold. Criming in the GOP makes you leadership it seems. Yet they stand on the floor puffing out their chests screaming at Democrats for saying mean things.

Looks like we’re going to visit the whole voucher scandal again and see just who all was involved…I’m pretty sure I know a few of them and they all need to be held accountable. Buying votes that result in hurting our kids is truly evil. And if you read Tennessee Lookout, it seems some are looking at the Governor’s role in this as well!

We know Speaker Casada offered Rep. Windle the rank of General to change his vote to yes for vouchers, there is now a witness who saw it happen, a Republican legislator. We also know the only person who can make that offer is the Governor, so this should be interesting.

GOP who have left the party have told me it’s because of the meanness. We see it every day in how they govern. While they bring bills making Tennessee tougher for kids, women, black & brown people, teachers, librarians, and LGBTQ folks–they are licking the boots of lobbyists and billionaires.

Here is why there is hope, the Democrats care about all Tennesseans. They care about equality, equity, justice, fairness, and we are fighting for it! We are fighting for you, and here is some of the legislation we have brought this session.

*More money for teachers and other school salaries. Bills for more social workers and school nurses. Bills to bring smaller class sizes, and end corporal punishment and address students mental health.

*Bills to reform cannabis-medical, legalization, decriminalization. Bills to lower insulin cost.

*Bills for Paid Family Leave, Child Care, kids in DCS custody, DCS workers, and bills to raise the wage.

*Calling for sales tax relief on gas during this time of high gas prices and grocery sales tax relief for Tennessee families.

*Bills for real criminal justice reform, and not just the usual one step forward and two steps back we get from the GOP. There are more, but it’s getting late.

Of course the supermajority can stop every one of our bills in committee–or sometimes steal them. But we will keep pushing for TN families and we need you to spread the word about who is in Nashville fighting for the kitchen table issues that make life better for your family.

Make your vote count, vote for kindness, justice, and Tennessee families. Vote Democratic."