Capitol – Memphis Flyer

SisterReach recently hosted their 7th annual “Black Folks Day On The Hill,” on Tuesday, February 21.

According to a post on the SisterReach social media account, the purpose of this event was to “discuss key issues that affect the lives of Black, Brown, and other marginalized communities in Tennessee.”

SisterReach invited elected officials to a virtual Zoom call to discuss bills that were focused on human and reproductive rights, which are essential to SisterReach’s purpose.

Each lawmaker was invited to talk about different pieces of legislation that they either sponsored or filed.

SisterReach is a “grassroots, 501(c)3 nonprofit that supports the reproductive autonomy of women and teens of color ,poor and rural women, LGBTQIA+people and their families through the framework of Reproductive Justice.” The organization was founded by Cherisse Scott in 2011.

During an information session held prior to the event hosted by SisterReach’s director of programming, Reverend Elise Saulsberry and a policy associate for the organization, SisterReach explained that legislators and policymakers “need to hear the voices of the lives most impacted by their actions and poor policy decisions.” Some of their key legislative concerns for 2023 include reproductive health and healthcare justice, reproductive rights, environmental justice, and RFRA and religious exemptions.”

The organization pulled bills for elected officials from both parties to discuss during their time slot. Here are a few of the bills discussed by a few of the representatives present for the virtual session.

Representative Torrey Harris(D-Memphis)

HB539: Juvenile Offenders – As introduced, requires that an interview or interrogation of a child taken into custody for a delinquent act must be recorded or conducted in the presence of an attorney who represents the child.

“Many people are running this piece of legislation across the country right now. That is to make sure that an adequate perspective of what actually took place during the time of an interaction between a juvenile[ a youth] and an officer, or member of our law enforcement actually gets properly documented.”

Harris explained that this bill was run four years ago by Senator Raumesh Akbari, but it failed in the House.

HB1392: Law Enforcement – As introduced, requires the Tennessee bureau of investigation’s annual report on the use of force by law enforcement to include data for each law enforcement agency, in addition to statewide and countywide aggregate data. – Amends TCA Title 38; Title 39 and Title 40.

Harris explained that this is a caption bill, and that he and Sen. Akbari met a few weeks ago in the aftermath of the murder of Tyre Nichols.

“You notice and see a lot of things, especially in Tennessee, or in Memphis, when Tyre Nichols was murdered, everybody wanted their opportunity to be on TV to talk about it…but where’s the actual action behind all of that work? We’re holding this slot to figure out what is going to be the best way to put action behind all the talk people have.”

Representative Sam McKenzie(D-Knoxville)

HB279: “Criminal Procedure – As introduced, allows certain persons deprived of the right of suffrage to apply for a voter registration card and have the right of suffrage provisionally restored if the person enters into a payment plan to become current on all child support obligations. – Amends TCA Title 40, Chapter 29.”

“Bottom line is it is every person’s, man or woman, it’s their responsibility to provide for their child,” McKenzie said. “It’s our right to vote.”

“What this bill says is ‘okay, we know you have a back balance.’ If you enter an agreement with the court, and you’re making adequate payment for that agreed amount, you can vote.”

McKenzie said that once someone serves their time, they should be able to be whole citizens. According to McKenzie, being able to take part in the election process is a “huge” part of that.

“It gives a man or woman their dignity back.”

HB929: Driver Licenses – As introduced, exempts a person under 18 years of age who is in custody of the department of children’s services or receiving foster care services from payment of fees for issuance, renewal, or reinstatement of a driver license, instruction permit, intermediate driver license, or photo identification card.

McKenzie explained that these services would be for children that are in state custody.

“This is something to say ‘we want you to get all of your life, and to become great, productive citizens,’ so we’re going to waive those fees,” said McKenzie.

McKenzie added that there are people who are supposed to be advocates for children, who try to block them from getting their license. He also stressed the importance of transportation in Tennessee.

Representative Caleb Hemmer(D-Knoxville)

HB575: Physicians and Surgeons – As introduced, requires the board of medical examiners to consider including a course in maternal mental health when establishing continuing medical educational requirements for persons licensed to practice medicine. – Amends TCA Title 63.

Hemmer said that they wanted to urge the Board of Medical Examiners and the Osteo board to create a more “streamlined” education requirement so that those in these positions can learn more about maternal mental health issues.

“We think this is a good common sense step forward that’ll really help this patient population,” said Hemmer.

Representative John Ray Clemmons(D-Nashville)

HB370: Infectious Diseases – As introduced, requires the department of health to seek federal funding to implement programs for the prevention, testing, and treatment of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) for residents of this state, including programs in partnership with community and nonprofit partners; requires the department to annually report to the general assembly certain information about the programs and funding.

During the session, Clemmons was asked would this bill allow for the State Health Department to not only request, but gain access to the funding without interference from the governor or “any other entity.”

According to Clemmons, this bill would “restore the status quo.”

“Any money that comes through the state is going to necessarily include the fingerprints of the Department of Health most likely, and or the governor’s office” said Clemmons. Nothing comes through the state of Tennessee, distributed through there without their fingerprints on it to some extent. Our bill is more to return to the status quo, but they do have a duty to distribute it as those funds are intended. That’s what they don’t like.”

Jj Gouin/Dreamstime

Sports have been hard to properly cheer for almost a year now. Our favorite teams and athletes are finding ways to compete, to create memories for us, despite a pandemic in which almost two million people worldwide have now died. We saw Major League Baseball squeeze a season into two months, baseballs clearing fences but into empty seats, players crossing the plate after a home run to cheers only from their teammates. The country is revved up these days — like every January — for the NFL playoffs, but we still see virtually empty stadiums as twenty-first century gladiators do what we love them to do: clash and crash.

But after January 6th? Good lord, does “clash and crash” now mean, yes, insurrection at our nation’s Capitol? How does sports fill its “distraction” role when we’re choosing to distract from what could be the dissolution of democracy? A Grizzlies game is always welcome this time of year, even if background to the evening chores, or muted for the sake of dinner conversation. But after January 6th? Are we really going to fret over two missing stars — and the Grizzlies really miss Ja and Jaren — while the legislative branch of our government is discussing the level of madness in the executive branch?

Most of last weekend, I utilized the last-channel button on my remote, bouncing between football and CNN’s updates on the status of President Donald J. Trump. Where was he? How would he choose to communicate with Twitter having silenced him? Would he lower the White House’s flag to half staff in honor of fallen Capitol police officer Brian Sicknick? Would he face removal via the Constitution’s 25th Amendment? Would he face a second impeachment? Who is Taylor Heinicke and what the hell is he doing competing with Tom Brady?

It’s a mad world, somewhat literally, here in the early stages of America’s 2021. The growing divide between those of us who adhere to science and facts and those (many) who choose to ignore them resulted in this country’s first outright coup attempt, one orchestrated and encouraged by the American president. Right there in public, though behind a pane of bulletproof glass. In a time when we are not allowed to gather in stadiums or arenas to cheer our favorite football and basketball teams, thousands gathered — not many in protective masks, you may have noticed — to destroy. The contact tracing from January 6th’s attack is going to reach a lot of morgues, I’m afraid. Insurrection in the time of coronavirus is a social cocktail mixed by Lucifer himself.

The Founding Fathers — Washington, Jefferson, Franklin, Hamilton, you know the names — are popular among so-called “patriots,” the type who will chant “Hang Mike Pence!” as they breach Capitol security. It’s almost quaint now to consider that sedition — conduct in opposition to government authority — was once a hanging offense. Had the American Revolution failed, it’s often noted by historians, Washington, Jefferson, and friends would likely have ended up dangling from a rope in front of British officers. Here, almost 250 years later, there will be no hanging of those responsible for January 6th. The question remains if there will be any consequences for the man most responsible for the seditious act.

I share all these thoughts because fear and anxiety (for Democracy, an experiment I’ve come to love) has reduced my rooting interest (for the teams I love) to its lowest level of my lifetime. Will the St. Louis Cardinals find a bat to improve their anemic offense in 2021? (If they don’t, no glass will be broken.) Might the Memphis Tigers find their way to some version of an NCAA tournament come March? (If they don’t, no gas will be sprayed.) No, I find myself merely rooting for peace — and significantly, a return to health — for my fellow man, both here in America and abroad. I also hope to see the day when, yes, the Cardinals’ run production is my most significant concern. At least for that day. It would be a new time for our planet, and quite welcome for all of us who occupy it.