This year is moving fast. Our kids are back in school, the I-440 project has entered Phase II, the Tennessee House has already elected another new Speaker, and it’s almost hockey and football time in Tennessee.

*PLEASE NOTE: There will be several road closures in and around I-440 from Friday Sept. 20 at to Monday Sept. 23. See more details below.

Thank you

Tamara and I would like to thank you for your support throughout our recent campaign. It was a tremendous experience, during which I became more educated, gained new insight into the challenges facing District 55 and Nashville families, and participated in much-needed community conversations on the biggest issues facing our city. Because of my experience, I am more knowledgeable, have new perspectives on key issues, and feel even better equipped to represent you in the state legislature.

During the campaign, there was no lapse in your legislative representation. I was able to once again introduce a full legislative package and never missed a beat in the Tennessee House, making every committee hearing, meeting, floor session, and vote, and leading the fight on several important legislative issues. Also, I know of no one who experienced any delays or a drop-off in the quality of constituent services from me or my legislative office. If you feel that any of your concerns were not addressed or that you did not receive a timely response from my office on any topic, please let me know. My team and I worked hard to ensure that the residents of District 55 were fully represented and cared for at all times. I pride myself on being an accessible and attentive advocate for you and your family, so please do not ever hesitate to contact me for any reason.

Special Session

On Friday, August 23, 2019, the Tennessee House was called into a special session by Governor Bill Lee for the purpose of electing a new Speaker. The House elected Rep. Cameron Sexton (Crossville) to serve in this capacity, replacing disgraced, former-Speaker Glen Casada.

Great news! Following his election, Speaker Sexton announced new committee chairs and committee assignments for members. Thanks to the new Speaker, I will once again serve on the Health Committee, as well as the Education Committee. My respective subcommittee assignments are the Mental Health and Substance Abuse Subcommittee and the Higher Education Subcommittee. I will also remain on the Naming, Designating and Private Acts Committee. These committee assignments will allow me to more effectively represent District 55, which is home to five institutions of higher education, four hospitals, and countless medical clinics.

Gun Violence

On Monday, August 5^th, I co-hosted a rally and call-to-action with Safe Tennessee Project on the continued increase in gun violence we are experiencing in our city, state and country. I appreciate Congressman Jim Cooper, several of my state colleagues, and members of Moms Demand Action – Tennessee Chapter for joining us. While our event followed the recent tragic events in El Paso and Dayton, this is an issue on which many of us have been working for years. The August 5^th event will be followed by a roundtable discussion in the State Capitol in September with experts, medical professionals, law enforcement officials, gun sense advocates, and policymakers. The purpose of this roundtable event will be to discuss all sides of the issue and craft a policy package for introduction in the 2020 state legislative session. If you would like to attend, please email Debra Webb in my legislative office.

Hillwood Bridge

The Hillwood Bridge re-opened ahead of schedule to the delight of many neighborhood residents just before school started. This joint Metro/State road project was necessary due to the age of the old bridge and safety concerns arising from its structural integrity. The project created quite an inconvenience for many of you residing in District 55 and West Nashville, so I appreciate your patience while this much-needed project was completed.

I-440

The I-440 project is progressing smoothly. The latest TDOT Progress Update can be found here. As of last week, Phase II of the $152.9m project commenced as work crews began shifting traffic to inner lanes between Brightwood and Murphy Road. The lane shifts will continue as crews complete the initial paving of inner lanes. Please drive slowly and safely.

ATTENTION – UPCOMING ROAD CLOSURES

Fri. Sept. 20 at 9 p.m. – Mon. Sept. 23 at 5 a.m.

To widen the I-440 bridges over I-65, the interchange will need to be closed. The road closures are as follows:

I-440 and I-65 will be closed at the interchange in order to set beams. Traffic going towards the interchange will be reduced to one lane and detoured away from the construction area;
Eastbound traffic on I-440 will be detoured to I-65 South;
Westbound traffic on I-440 will be detoured to I-65 North;
Northbound traffic on I-65 will be detoured to I-440 East;
Southbound traffic on I-65 will be detoured to I-440 West;
Franklin Road will be closed from Berry Road to Woodmont Boulevard.

*The closure dates are dependent on weather and project progress. September 27-30 is the rain-check alternative weekend. TDOT will provide immediate updates if the closure schedule changes. For instant updates, follow TDOT on Twitter @myTDOT.

2019 Legislative Wrap-Up

Despite the open hostility exhibited by House leadership this past session and the instability that ensued, we managed to pass some legislation this year. I co-sponsored 33 bills that passed into law, and we picked up positive momentum on a few of our other bills, including my property tax relief equity bill, “Stop the Bleed” legislation, and transportation infrastructure study committee. Passage of the Katie Beckett Waiver was a tremendous bipartisan accomplishment. Though funding became an issue, a successful bipartisan effort in the House ultimately resulted in the waiver’s inclusion in our state budget. Now we need to work to ensure that it clears all the bureaucratic hurdles. I also worked with colleagues across the aisle to eliminate the professional privilege tax for certain professions, repeal the “fitness tax”, an issue of great concern to many local, small business owners who reached out to me last year for assistance. Additionally, we finally passed a law to prohibit the use of handheld devices while driving to improve safety on our roadways.

The list of legislation of serious concern to me that was passed this year is long. Among the most concerning are the Medicaid block grant, the criminalization of voter registration, a new concealed-carry handgun permit bill, the voucher bill, and the “bathroom bill.”

As bad as those bills are, the session could have been much more harmful were it not for all the hundreds of advocates and Tennessee residents who travelled to the State Capitol or otherwise made their voices heard. I cannot emphasize enough how much of a difference your presence, calls, and emails make in the state legislature. Please keep up the fight, and if you are not currently engaged, get engaged. If you do not know how to get involved, call me and I will be happy to assist you.

For a complete list of enacted public chapters from the 2019 session, click here.

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