Capitol Notes

Capitol Notes | Peggy Sue, the Beagle Hound

Bigger Pile of Money than a Show Dog Could Jump Over.

Regular Annual Session Has Begun.

With the words, “Mr. Sergeant at Arms, Invite the members into the chamber and close the doors,” House Speaker Cameron Sexton of Crossville and Lieutenant Governor and Senate Speaker Randy McNally of Oak Ridge began the 2022 regular legislative session, the second of our 112th General Assembly. Legislative leaders quickly revealed their redistricting plans in response to the new federal census numbers. Generally, the population growth of Metropolitan Davidson County and the surrounding suburban counties have exceeded that of the other counties, so those rapidly growing areas will receive new state legislative districts to the detriment of communities of low or negative growth. Tennessee has 31 negative growth counties in the 2020 census, and all of those are rural.

Goals.

Not surprisingly, the General Assembly sliced up the former Fifth Congressional District and shared Davidson County with other districts while creating a new Fifth District with another slice of Davidson County. We are reminded of the words of Memphis attorney, John Ryder, who while consulting on the State Senate Republican redistricting maps noted that “Greed is the enemy of good redistricting.” While diluting the impact of one consistently Democratic seat, the risk, and the greed, rest in greatly moderating the three new districts. Time will tell.

Big Piles of Money.

While biscuit hunting, we learned of many legislative fundraisers being conducted in the last few days and even hours before the General Assembly convened. In a significant reform 27 years ago, the legislature prohibited political fundraising during a legislative session. Many members drive into Nashville on the Monday before the annual session typically begins and that 24 hour period is a target rich environment for political fundraising. Both House Speaker Sexton and Senate Speaker McNally conducted an event, as did Governor Lee in the last hours before the session began at noon on Tuesday, January 11. Speaking of money, state revenues for the 2021-2022 fiscal year are also providing an embarrassment of riches. The most recent monthly collections came in at $286.5 million more than the budgeted estimate.

Crystal Ball.

The 2022 regular legislative session is expected to run through late April or early May. We see some fatigue in our legislative friends after having three extraordinary sessions in 2021. After the redistricting bills are done, the General Assembly has to pass one bill and that is a balanced state budget. We also expect the General Assembly to revisit the COVID statutes that were enacted with very little public input during the October special session. Who would have thought that a business friendly legislature would permit an employee who quit working to draw unemployment compensation for refusal to be vaccinated…? The K-12 education funding formula with its litigious history has drawn the attention and focus of Governor Bill Lee. House Majority Leader William Lamberth of Sumner County will nudge the Governor to work on sentencing reform with a possible abolition of our parole system.

Judicial Elections.

Candidates for state trial court positions and general sessions court positions were eligible to pick up qualifying petitions from the election commission office for the May 3, 2022 primary on Monday, December 20, 2021. The campaign financial disclosure reports that were due by January 31, 2022, make for interesting reading for political nerds and some dogs. The qualifying deadline is noon on Thursday, February 17, 2022.

Calendar Notes.

Congratulations are in order for Sarah Campbell of the State Attorney General’s Office, whom Governor Lee has appointed to the Tennessee Supreme Court. She will face confirmation by the General Assembly, and that is expected to be uneventful.

Do not be surprised to see new Tennessee license plates in 2022. The first ones were issued on January 3. The new dark blue background plates will be available online, by mail, or in person as each motor vehicle owner completes his or her annual renewal in the designated renewal month.

The deadline for the introduction of general bills for the 2022 regular session was the close of business on February 3 in the Senate and February 2 in the House.

State and NBA offices will observe the Presidents Day holiday on Monday, February 21. n

PEGGY SUE is fond of the classic 1957 Buddy Holly song. When hunting legislative news or biscuits, she is hard to contact.