111Th Legislative Session 2019-2020
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TAXPAYER SCORECARD 111TH LEGISLATIVE SESSION 2019-2020 @AFPTN @AFPTENNESSEE AMERICANSFORPROSPERITY.ORG Dear Concerned Taxpayer, TAXPAYER SCORECARD GRADING OVERVIEW Thank you for checking out our Taxpayers’ Scorecard, a labor of love by the Americans for Prosperity staff to show you how your Each legislator is scored based on the legislative votes they took. All legislators vote in key policy areas. Citizen involvement is the most votes scored are key votes - legislators were notified in writing of our important part of the legislative process. I welcome you to learn stance. Two points are awarded for prime sponsorship and one point more about the legislative process and our growing chapter here in for co-sponsorship of scored votes. Any sponsorship of a bill will count Tennessee. as a vote in favor of the legislation, if the member does not have the opportunity to vote on the item. For Freedom, For example, justice reform and educational freedom were our top legislative priorities, therefore votes and sponsorship of these** bills are weighted. Each sponsorship for or against key voted legislation Tori Venable, Tennessee State Director triggers a bonus point or demerit added to the final score, respectively. AMERICANS FOR PROSPERITY’S MISSION ABOUT THE Americans for Prosperity exists to recruit, educate, and mobilize citizens in support of the policies and goals of a free society at the local, state and federal level, helping every American live their dream – especially the least fortunate. TAXPAYER SCORECARD KEY ✔– Voted with the Taxpayer ✘ – Voted against the Taxpayer TAXPAYER SCORECARD PNV – Present Not Voting NV - Not Present for Vote AFP’s Taxpayer Scorecard is our good faith effort to inform citizens about the performance of their elected representatives. There is no PNV represents Present Not Voting; these votes are not included in the better barometer by which to measure lawmakers’ allegiance to fiscal average, however 3 demerit points will be taken from the final tally for responsibility, economic freedom, and breaking down barriers so every each blue light or PNV vote. Tennessean can live the American Dream than to evaluate their votes on important legislation. Simply put, their votes are their record. Of course, no legislative scorecard can take into consideration every TABLE OF CONTENTS bill affecting taxpayers. Each of Americans for Prosperity-Tennessee’s Tennessee Legislator Ratings....................................................................................2 (AFP-TN) legislative priorities is included on this scorecard, as well as Legislative Vote Explanations .............................................................................3-5 any additional issues we communicated support for or opposition to Bonus Point Votes and Demerits.............................................................................6 during the regular session. Legislative Votes – State Senate Members.....................................................7-8 Legislative Votes – State House Members....................................................10-14 Notes Regarding the 111th Legislative Session….....................................BACK 1 TENNESSEE LEGISLATOR RATINGS SENATE HOUSE TAXPAYER HEROES TAXPAYER NEUTRAL TAXPAYER HEROES CONT. TAXPAYER HEROES CONT. TAXPAYER NEUTRAL CONT. “A” rated Legislators: “C” rated Legislators: Taxpayer Score of 93-100+% Taxpayer Score of 74-84% Andrew Farmer 104 Cameron Sexton 95 Johnny Shaw 80 Timothy Hill 104 Dave Wright 95 Darren Jernigan 79 Kerry Roberts 109 Art Swann 83 William Lamberth 104 John Crawford 94 Larry Miller 79 Dolores Gresham 109 Jeff Yarbro 78 Tom Leatherwood 104 Kirk Haston 94 Yusuf Hakeem 76 Brian Kelsey 108 Raumesh Akbari 76 Dennis Powers 104 Terri Lynn Weaver 94 Karen Camper 74 John Stevens 108 Bryan Terry 104 Rush Bricken 93 Jason Hodges 74 Mark Pody 106 Chris Todd 104 David Byrd 93 Janice Bowling 105 John Mark Windle 74 TAXPAYER FOES Mark White 104 Gary Hicks 93 Ed Jackson 105 “D” rated Legislators: Clark Boyd 103 Jon Lundberg 105 Brandon Ogles 93 Taxpayer Score of 66-73% John DeBerry 103 Shane Reeves 105 TAXPAYER FOES Johnny Garrett 103 “D” rated Legislators: Dawn White 105 Brenda Gilmore 73 Dan Howell 103 Taxpayer Score of 66-73% Mike Bell 104 Sara Kyle 71 TAXPAYER DEFENDERS Sabi Kumar 103 Paul Rose 104 Katrina Robinson 67 “B” rated Legislators: Rick Staples 73 Susan Lynn 103 Rusty Crowe 103 Taxpayer Score of 85-92% Vincent Dixie 72 Pat Marsh 103 Bo Watson 103 Dwayne Thompson 71 Debra Moody 103 Mark Cochran 92 Jack Johnson 102 HOUSE REPS Antonio Parkinson 70 Jerome Moon 103 Ron Gant 92 Bill Powers* 102 Harold Love 69 Tim Rudd 103 Curtis Halford 92 Ferrell Haile 101 Jason Potts 67 TAXPAYER HEROES Iris Rudder 103 John Holsclaw 92 Randy McNally 101 London Lamar 66 “A” rated Legislators: Jerry Sexton 103 Jim Coley 91 Rosalind Kurita* 100 Taxpayer Score of 93-100+% Micah Van Huss 103 David Hawk 91 Joey Hensley 95 Ryan Williams 103 Lowell Russell 91 Frank Niceley 94 Martin Daniel 114 Jason Zachary 103 TAXPAYER ZEROS Robin Smith 114 Kent Calfee 89 Mark Hall 102 “F” rated Legislators: Michael Curcio 110 Bob Ramsey 88 Curtis Johnson 102 Taxpayer Score of 0-65% Jeremy Faison 109 Kevin Vaughan 88 TAXPAYER DEFENDERS Bill Dunn 101 Esther Helton 108 Dale Carr 87 “B” rated Legislators: Matthew Hill 101 Bob Freeman 64 Andy Holt 108 Taxpayer Score of 85-92% Bill Sanderson * 101 Jason Powell 64 Justin Lafferty 107 Mike Sparks 101 Joe Towns 63 Becky Massey 92 Mary Littleton 107 TAXPAYER NEUTRAL Rusty Grills* 100 John Ray Clemmons 62 Paul Bailey 91 Scott Cepicky 106 “C” rated Legislators: Patsy Hazlewood 100 Bo Mitchell 62 Steven Dickerson 91 Paul Sherrell 106 Taxpayer Score of 74-84% Chris Hurt 99 Barbara Cooper 61 Todd Gardenhire 89 Charlie Baum 105 John Ragan 99 Sam Whitson 84 Jesse Chism 59 Steve Southerland 88 Jay Reedy 105 Glen Casada 97 G. A. Hardaway 83 Mike Stewart 57 Richard Briggs 87 Rick Tillis 105 Bud Hulsey 97 Ron Travis 83 Gloria Johnson 54 Ken Yager 85 Mike Carter 104 Clay Doggett 95 Kelly Keisling 81 Bill Beck 52 Rick Eldridge 104 Bruce Griffey 80 *Denotes legislators seated mid-session or served partial term 2 LEGISLATIVE VOTE EXPLANATIONS **Indicates weighted key votes ✔ VOTES FOR TAXPAYERS | AFP POSITION: YES ✔ VOTES FOR JUSTICE REFORMS | AFP POSITION: YES 4 Drug Free Zone Reforms | HB 2517 / SB 2734 1** Educational Freedom / Education Savings Accounts HB 939 / SB 795 Result: Public Chapter TBD | Sponsors: Sen. Bell / Rep. Curcio Result: Public Chapter 506 | Sponsors: Sen. Johnson / Rep. Lamberth CoSponsors: Hulsey, Faison, Whitson, Cepicky, Dunn, Tillis, Farmer, Van Huss, Sherrell, Daniel, Eldridge, Hazlewood, Love, CoSponsors: Dunn, Casada, White, Holt, Kumar, Powers, Smith, Helton / Gresham, Kelsey Carter, Dixie, Staples, Camper, Ramsey, White, Haston, Clemmons, Byrd, Parkinson, Beck, Freeman, Hardaway, Stewart, Every child should have access to a quality education. The Tennessee Powell / Gilmore, Akbari, Stevens, Yarbro Education Savings Account Pilot Program will give eligible parents of children trapped in a failing K-12 school district (Shelby & Davidson This bill reforms Tennessee’s harsh drug free zone laws by reducing the ft ft Counties) up to $7300 to pay for tuition, textbooks, transportation, or zones from 1000 to 500 and giving judges discretion on whether an uniforms for private or charter schools. Ideally, this legislation could enhancement is appropriate. The previous law forced judges to deliver be expanded in the future to let education dollars follow the child in sentences that far exceeded the severity of a crime, wasting state whatever schooling option their parents deem the best fit. resources. This legislation is anticipated to save taxpayers $18,449,900. 2 School Funding | HB 2001 / SB 1962 5 Citation in Lieu of Arrest | HB 715 / SB 587 Result: Public Chapter 576 | Sponsors: Sen. Gresham / Rep. White Result: Public Chapter 316 | Sponsors: Sen. Lundberg / Rep. Faison CoSponsors: Smith, Hardaway, Bricken, Terry CoSponsors: DeBerry, Hicks, Dixie, Hardaway / Akbari, Gilmore, Jackson Many school boards will pass a budget in excess of funding needed to Gives law enforcement officers additional discretion to give a citation operate and upkeep public schools. This bill will make school boards in lieu of arrest for low-level, non-violent misdemeanor offenses. adhere to revenue projections in budget procedures to prevent local tax hikes or spending growth in excess of tax revenue. 6 Expungements / Second Chances | HB 941 / SB 797 Result: Public Chapter 200 | Sponsors: Sen. Johnson / Rep. Lamberth 3 Driver's License Restoration | HB 839/ SB 1143 CoSponsors*: Gant, Curcio, Carter, Littleton, Mitchell, Sherrell, Doggett, Garrett, Parkinson, Towns, Ogles / Dickerson, Akbari Result: Public Chapter 438 | Sponsors: Sen. Akbari / Rep. Lamberth Removes state expungement fees ranging from $180 - $350. This CoSponsors: Miller, Howell, Hardaway, Weaver, Thompson, Hodges, Potts, Moon, Camper, Helton, Russell, Daniel, financial barrier prevented people from truly having a second chance. Hazlewood, Smith, Shaw, Chism, Stewart, Littleton, Love, Hakeem, Dixie, Freeman / Gilmore, Robinson, Stevens 7 Voting Rights Restoration | HB 547 / SB 589 This common-sense policy enables Tennesseans with suspended Result: Passed House / Senate did not vote on bill | Sponsors: Sen. Dickerson / Rep. Curcio licenses over unpaid debts to enter into a payment plan unique to their financial situation and pay what is owed over time while still being able CoSponsors: Love, Lamberth, Farmer,