From The Hill: GOP lawmakers in Tennessee advanced a bill Monday that would ban local governments from appointing state lawmakers who were previou
From The Hill: GOP lawmakers in Tennessee advanced a bill Monday that would ban local governments from appointing state lawmakers who were previously expelled due to their behavior.
The bill is one of Tennessee Republicans’ efforts to restrict the actions of lawmakers who have been ousted from either chamber of the state General Assembly after state lawmakers voted to expel state Reps. Justin Pearson (D-Memphis) and Justin Jones (D-Nashville) last year.
The bill, sponsored by state Rep. Johnny Garrett (R-Goodlettsville), would prohibit local governments from appointing a lawmaker who was previously expelled for “disorderly behavior,” according to the legislation. Garrett said during a hearing that the state constitution would allow for the change.
“I believe that the language is absolutely clear,” Garrett said, according to The Associated Press.
Pearson criticized the bill during a hearing on the bill Monday before he was ruled out of order by state House Speaker Cameron Sexton (R-Crossville), according to the AP.
“Truthfully, I am so tired of the retaliatory, racist reaction of bills targeting Rep. Jones and myself,” he said.
Jones was not called on to speak about the bill, and was ruled out of order twice Monday during two other House proposals, AP noted.
The vote to expel the lawmakers came last April after Jones and Pearson, along with state Rep. Gloria Johnson (D-Knoxville), participated in a protest on the legislative floor calling for more action on gun violence after a school shooting in Nashville left six people dead. Efforts to expel Johnson were unsuccessful.
Lawmakers are also proposing constitutional amendments that would bar lawmakers from returning to office after they were expelled, per the AP.
Jones and Pearson quickly returned to work after being appointed by local officials to serve in their vacant seats until the special election — which the two Democrats easily won in August.
The Hill has reached out to Pearson, Jones and Garrett for additional comment.
