[0:02] >> mr. Sergeant of arms, invite
[0:04] the members into the chamber.
[0:07] the 114th
[0:09] legislature of the state of tennessee
[0:10] now an extraordinary session.
[0:13] remain standing through the pledge
[0:14] of allegiance. Representative martin
[0:16] will serve as chaplain.
[0:19] >> thank you mr. Speaker. Members,
[0:20] first and foremost, today
[0:22] is national day of prayer, it is an
[0:23] honor to stand
[0:24] before you guys. I want to thank each
[0:25] and everyone of you guys for
[0:27] your willingness to serve and be here
[0:28] today. As I
[0:31] think back, core memories
[0:34] that stand out to us, one of those
[0:37] in my mind was growing up
[0:43] ,
[0:45] every sunday, the martin family would load
[0:46] up the car and go to grandma's
[0:47] house for lunch after church period
[0:49] every sunday you would open the door
[0:50] and walk
[0:51] in and there would sit grandpa in
[0:52] his chair, with a cigarette and a
[0:53] diet coke
[0:54] and his yankees hat. You sat on that
[0:55] porch with grandpa and he talked about
[0:58] three things. God, family
[1:19] , and the new york yankees. But every
[1:20] time he talked
[1:21] about god, what he would relate back
[1:22] to, continually, was the book of james.
[1:23] he always
[1:24] talked about how practical the book
[1:25] of james was. He would always talk
[1:26] about how
[1:27] you could learn just about everything
[1:28] you need to know by the book of
[1:30] james. It is only five chapters. Anyone
[1:31] can start with the book of james.
[1:32] they
[1:33] made it easy. I was praying over this
[1:34] as I knew I would be
[1:36] leaving us today and james came out
[1:37] to me, there's three lessons I want
[1:38] to talk
[1:39] about here that I think relate to
[1:40] us in this moment in time as
[1:41] legislators as we leave this great
[1:43] state. As we turn to those words,
[1:44] the first
[1:45] one is embracing trials. James tells
[1:46] us my brother and, count all joy when
[1:47] you
[1:48] fall into various trials, knowing
[1:49] that testing your faith produces
[1:55] patience. Let patience have its perfect
[1:56] work that you may
[1:57] be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
[1:58] each of us deal with trials every
[1:59] day and
[2:00] god never said in this book that we would
[2:02] not have trials, he just gave
[2:03] us a map of how to handle and address
[2:05] those trials. Number two, controlling your
[2:06] emotions. In a legislative world,
[2:07] he tells us, in james one, 19 through
[2:08] 20, he
[2:11] tells us
[2:16] beloved brethren, let every man be
[2:17] swift to hear, slow
[2:18] to speak, and slow to wrath. For the
[2:20] wrath of man does not produce the
[2:21] righteousness of god. Finally, third,
[2:23] jesus in james, they talk about
[2:26] seeking wisdom and remaining humble.
[2:29] james 1:5 tells us,
[2:34] if any of you lack wisdom let him ask of
[2:35] god, who gives all generously
[2:36] and without reproach. It will be given
[2:38] to him.
[2:41] and finally,
[2:44] james 4:the 6.
[2:49] god resists the proud, but gives grace
[2:50] to
[2:53] the humble. Let us pray.
[2:56] lord, how great you are. We come
[2:57] to you today, standing shoulder to
[2:59] shoulder with a room
[3:00] full of sinners, a room full of men
[3:02] and women who are just trying
[3:04] the best we can. We know that only
[3:05] through you and for your
[3:08] grace are we allowed to do
[3:09] the things we do and we thank you,
[3:11] lord, for the many blessings you
[3:14] give us.
[3:16] we are thankful to live in a state
[3:17] where we
[3:18] can profess your name from the schoolhouse
[3:19] to the wonderful capital here today.
[3:20] we thank
[3:21] you for the men and women who are
[3:23] serving this great
[3:24] country and state. We thank you for
[3:26] the 99 men and women who stand here
[3:27] today. Lord, we thank you so much
[3:29] for the grace and the generosity
[3:35] , and the things that you give us
[3:36] that we do not deserve, lord. We pray
[3:38] that you continue to lead us and
[3:41] direct our ways , as we think of
[3:44] you, lord . Thank you
[3:45] again for your son, in christ's name
[3:47] we pray, amen.
[3:50] >>
[3:54] representative martin, the pledge of
[3:55] allegiance.
[3:56] >> attention, salute, pledge.
[3:58] I pledge allegiance, to the flag,
[3:59] of the
[4:00] united states of america, and to the
[4:02] republic for which it stands
[4:07] , one nation, under god, indivisible,
[4:08] with liberty and justice
[4:11] for all.
[4:14] >> gallery, this is your warning.
[4:15] if
[4:17] you shout out, if you make
[4:19] any gesture that disrupts this proceeding,
[4:20] if we cannot identify
[4:23] you, we
[4:25] will clear you all out but that is
[4:26] your one warning.
[4:27] we do not do that. Mr. Clerk please
[4:29] take role.
[4:30] >> roll call.
[4:44] >> mr. Clerk, please
[4:47] take the role.
[4:48] >> 96 members
[4:50] present.
[4:51] >>
[4:52] representative hicks of hawken and
[4:53] representative brecon are excused.
[4:54] >>
[4:56] mr. Lambert, your
[4:59] recognized.
[5:00] >> in place of the consent
[5:02] calendar referred to the appropriate
[5:03] standing committee.
[5:04] >> without objections
[5:05] ordered.
[5:06] >>
[5:08] representative lamberth?
[5:09] >>
[5:17] pursuant
[5:18] to rule number 17 in place of the
[5:19] consent calendar.
[5:20] >> so ordered. >>
[5:21] next order?
[5:22] >> representative lamberth? >> referred
[5:23] to the appropriate standing committee.
[5:24] >> so
[5:26] ordered.
[5:27] >> consideration has bills
[5:28] on second, standing committee support
[5:30] select committees outside consent
[5:32] calendar.
[5:33] >>
[5:46] chair moody?
[5:47] >> I move the passage of
[5:48] the consent
[5:49] calendar on third and final consideration.
[5:50] in keeping with rule 50.
[5:51] >> moves a
[5:52] passage of
[5:53] the consent calendar broadly seconded.
[5:54] mr. Clerk, any objections?
[5:55] >> esther
[5:56] speaker, no objections filed.
[5:57] >> mayor lambert? >> thank you since
[5:58] last we gathered one of our
[5:59] members passed. A true giant of a
[6:00] representative. His
[6:01] son has since been appointed this
[6:02] morning to fill his role. With consultation
[6:03] from the minority leader, I will gladly humbly
[6:05] ask that all members
[6:08] vote in the affirmative as
[6:11] co-prime sponsors on
[6:12] hjr 7017 to memorialize the death
[6:14] of our friend, representative hardly.
[6:17] >>
[6:20] anyone
[6:23] else on the consent calendar?
[6:26] see none.
[6:31] all right. We are voting. All those
[6:32] in favor of the
[6:33] consent calendar, vote yes when the
[6:35] bell rings because
[6:38] every member voted? Does any member
[6:39] wish to change
[6:41] their vote?
[6:43] >> mr. Clerk, please take the vote.
[6:53] >> receiving a
[6:56] constitutional majority , the
[6:58] recent mission is tabled. Next order
[6:59] mr. Clerk?
[7:00] >>
[7:02] mr. Speaker the house
[7:03] has a regular calendar brickhouse
[7:05] resolution one,
[7:08] honoring mcwilliams for example a
[7:09] service to
[7:11] the state of tennessee.
[7:20] >>
[7:24] chairman speaker your recognized.
[7:26] >> thank you mr. Speaker. Of adoption
[7:27] of house
[7:28] resolution 7001.
[7:29] >> mr. Clerk, any amendments?
[7:32] >> thank you
[7:34] mr. Speaker. I renew my motion.
[7:35] >>
[7:36] any discussion?
[7:37] we are just voting. All those in favor,
[7:38] house resolution
[7:41] 7001. Has
[7:43] every member voted? Does any member
[7:44] wish to
[7:47] change their vote?
[7:53] >> mr. Clerk, please take the vote.
[7:59] >> 73-19. >> has resolution
[8:02] I hereby declare adopted
[8:05] without objection.
[8:07] >> house joint resolution 1 by representative
[8:08] kalman.
[8:09] >>
[8:11] thank you
[8:14] mr. Speaker. I move to withdraw hjr
[8:15] 1
[8:16] from the committee at house.
[8:17] >> without
[8:18] objection, withdrawn.
[8:23] next
[8:26] bill mr. Clerk?
[8:27] >> resolution 2. >>
[8:29] thank you mr.
[8:32] speaker. I move to withdraw hjr 2.
[8:33] >>
[8:35] withdrawn.
[8:36] >>
[8:38] house joint
[8:44] resolution 3.
[8:45] >> thank you mr. Speaker.
[8:46] moved
[8:47] to hold on the desk.
[8:48] >> without objection,
[8:49] hold on the desk.
[8:56] next bill mr.
[8:59] clerk?
[9:02] >> joint resolution 4
[9:05] retirement from the bench in the fourth
[9:06] judicial
[9:08] district.
[9:09] >>
[9:11] presented of ashley, you are recognized.
[9:13] >> thank you mr. Speaker. I move adoption
[9:15] of hjr 7004.
[9:16] >>
[9:17] seconded, mr. Clerk any minutes filed?
[9:22] representative ashley, your recognized.
[9:23] >> thank you mr. Speaker. I renew
[9:24] my
[9:27] motion.
[9:28] >>
[9:29] any objection to the question? See none,
[9:30] we are voting. All
[9:31] in favor of house resolution 7004?
[9:33] has every member voted? Has
[9:34] any member wish to change their vote?
[9:48] mr.
[9:50] clerk, please take about.
[9:51] >> 73-21.
[9:54] >> house
[9:57] joint resolution
[10:00] 7000 and
[10:01] for having received a constitutional
[10:02] majority I hereby declare adopted
[10:03] without objection.
[10:04] >>
[10:06] resolution honoring the
[10:07] franklin theater on the 50th anniversary of
[10:09] its opening.
[10:10] >>
[10:11] mr. Speaker, move adoption of hjr
[10:15] 7005.
[10:16] >> any minutes of
[10:18] been filed? Presented every is
[10:20] your recognized.
[10:21] >> discussion on
[10:22] the bill?
[10:24] we are
[10:25] voting for those in favor, has resolution 7005,
[10:31] those opposed, vote no. Has any member voted,
[10:33] does any member wish to change
[10:36] their vote?
[10:39] mr. Clerk, please take the vote.
[10:45] >>
[10:48] 73-22.
[10:50] >> having received a constitutional
[10:51] authority to declare adopted
[10:54] without objection.
[10:58] >> honoring james kenneth arrow in
[11:00] 50 years of the railroads
[11:02] in tennessee.
[11:03] >> I move adoption of
[11:04] hjr
[11:05] 7007.
[11:06] >> mr. Clerk, any amendments have
[11:09] been filed? Share your recognized.
[11:11] >> thank you. I renew my motion. >>
[11:15] and discussion on the bill? See none,
[11:16] objection to the question, we are
[11:17] voting. All those in favor of house
[11:18] joint
[11:19] resolution 7005, vote yes when the
[11:21] bell rings. Does
[11:23] any member wish to change their vote?
[11:36] please take the vote.
[11:37] >>
[11:39] 73-22.
[11:40] >>
[11:42] I declare adopted without objection
[11:45] .
[11:48] >> has
[11:51] bill 2,
[11:53] presented district.
[11:54] >> there has been
[11:55] a 34 minute
[11:57] time limit set on this bill.
[12:12] >>
[12:15] representative?
[12:16] >> mr. Speaker, I
[12:17] know
[12:18] I am out of order. However,
[12:23] I would like to recognize any member
[12:24] that is here this morning.
[12:26] representative hardaway . Let's all
[12:27] give a round of applause if
[12:30] we can.
[12:48] >>
[12:51] mr. Clerk?
[12:52] >> mr. Speaker, house
[12:54] bill two.
[12:55] >>
[12:57] lamberth
[12:58] your recognized.
[12:59] >> with the passage of
[13:00] house bill 7002 on
[13:02] third and final consideration.
[13:03] >>
[13:04] have any amendments been filed?
[13:05] >>
[13:06] no
[13:07] amendment seven filed.
[13:09] >> thank
[13:11] you, mr. Speaker. I renew my motion.
[13:12] >> mr. Lamberth renews his mission.
[13:13] any discussion?
[13:15] leader amber?
[13:24] >> thank you mr. Speaker.
[13:27] mr. Speaker ,
[13:30] I would yield
[13:36] two minutes to representative powell.
[13:37] >> representative
[13:38] powell, you are recognized for two minutes.
[13:42] >> thank you, mr. Speaker. Are there
[13:45] not amendments on this bill?
[13:48] okay.
[13:51] so, on
[13:54] this bill , it
[13:56] is very important to recognize the
[13:57] fact that we are
[14:00] even here. We should not even
[14:02] be here at this special session. In
[14:03] our code, it
[14:06] clearly lays out
[14:12] the state law says that we shall not redistrict
[14:15] . We shall not
[14:18] redistrict except for every 10 years
[14:21] . That is what the law says.
[14:24] the exact call of the governor is illegal.
[14:27] we should not be here.
[14:30] the very fact that we
[14:33] are here
[14:36] is illegal. The fact that
[14:39] the speaker
[14:48] convened us together,
[14:49] illegal. The fact that lieutenant
[14:50] governor mcnally convened us together,
[14:51] illegal. The people of tennessee
[14:53] have a. What are our laws if we can
[14:54] come in here and break
[14:56] the law? What are our laws?
[14:57] >> trooper,
[14:58] please remove that section right there,
[15:00] please. They go.
[15:06] >> we are here under a legal terms. This
[15:07] entire proceeding
[15:09] is illegal, and I am here to say
[15:12] if we
[15:15] are going
[15:18] to listen
[15:20] to washington, we always talk about
[15:21] how we don't listen to washington.
[15:22] we are
[15:24] to rename our state
[15:29] washington, tennessee, because we
[15:30] are here doing the work of dc. We
[15:31] might
[15:32] as well rename the state capital,
[15:33] the white house, for various reasons.
[15:39] because you are discriminating against
[15:40] minorities, you are
[15:41] attacking communities , dividing them,
[15:42] and ripping
[15:47] them apart, and we should all be ashamed. We
[15:48] should stand up and walk out
[15:52] and show what we mean.
[15:55] >> leader camper.
[15:58] >> thank you
[16:01] mr. Speaker. Esther speaker,
[16:04] I yield four minutes
[16:07] to representative dixie
[16:10] .
[16:11] >> representative
[16:12] dixie, you are recognized for four
[16:13] minutes.
[16:14] >> thank you, mr. Speaker.
[16:16] you know,
[16:17] over these last couple of days, we have
[16:19] heard a lot of legal and
[16:20] constitutional reasons of why --we
[16:22] have tried to appeal
[16:25] to you through the legal and
[16:28] constitutional ways.
[16:29] now it is just trying to appeal to
[16:31] your hearts and your humanity. Where
[16:34] is your humanity in this?
[16:37] I would always want to
[16:38] say my ancestors, but I can't. It
[16:40] was my
[16:43] grandparents.
[16:44] in some cases here, our parents, who
[16:46] were beaten at lunch counters.
[16:48] they died to drink out of water fountains
[16:51] with you. They died because they wanted
[16:55] to use restrooms,
[16:57] died because they wanted to love who
[16:58] they wanted to
[17:00] love, and died for us to have this
[17:01] right to vote.
[17:04] and I think it is important,
[17:06] to think, to pause, and I would hope
[17:07] everyone is
[17:18] paying attention and not just letting
[17:19] this
[17:20] go over their heads. This is a very
[17:22] important bill. We are about to change
[17:23] the course of history and we need
[17:24] to be paying attention and not having
[17:25] sidebar
[17:26] conversations, because that shows
[17:27] me how important it is to you, that
[17:28] you don't care.
[17:30] this is a game. This is not a game.
[17:31] this is real life, and I
[17:32] have to fight as if my life depends
[17:34] on it. Laws are in place.
[17:35] they had to put these protections
[17:37] and laws
[17:38] in place because white men throughout
[17:39] history have chosen, have shown, that
[17:40] they will
[17:41] do the wrong thing. And look at where
[17:43] we are now.
[17:46] you know, we are going to
[17:47] force people to do something they
[17:49] are not supposed to do.
[17:51] just because you can do something
[17:55] , doesn't mean that you have to
[17:58] do something.
[18:01] if this legislature was in
[18:02] place in the 1960s, black people still
[18:04] wouldn't have the right to vote.
[18:05] they still wouldn't have their civil
[18:06] rights if this legislature was in
[18:07] place
[18:10] right now. So, I want you
[18:13] to pause and think about this. Republicans
[18:16] have been
[18:19] in charge for the last 14
[18:20] to 16 years. Still, constituents across
[18:21] tennessee still have no healthcare,
[18:24] still have problems finding shelter, housing,
[18:28] grocery prices are rising .
[18:31] and what are we doing
[18:33] about it? We are taking away their voice.
[18:34] my
[18:37] question is,
[18:39] if the republican policies are so great,
[18:42] then why do we need to change the
[18:43] lines to rig the
[18:46] elections? Why should people
[18:49] be forced
[18:52] to listen to what we are
[18:55] doing here? People should
[18:57] pick their representation , not elected
[19:01] officials picking who they want to
[19:03] represent. This is all kinds of wrong.
[19:04] and
[19:07] I can't explain to
[19:09] you how hard it is to keep the emotions
[19:10] in check,
[19:13] when I know the importance of what
[19:16] people, mike
[19:17] parents and grandparents went through
[19:19] for me to have this right to stand
[19:20] here
[19:22] today. So, I am asking my colleagues
[19:23] across
[19:25] the aisle , do the right thing.
[19:31] don't
[19:35] do what you think you are supposed
[19:37] to do by following your leadership.
[19:38] when
[19:39] we got in here, we pledged allegiance
[19:40] to the flag of the united states.
[19:41] we did
[19:42] not pledge allegiance to one person
[19:43] in charge.
[19:46] so please,
[19:49] as you
[19:50] get ready to make your vote, please
[19:52] vote no, against these bills, and
[19:54] let's make sure that we have fair elections,
[19:57] fair elections meeting for everyone, not
[20:00] the rigged elections we are getting
[20:01] into now.
[20:03] thank you, mr. Speaker.
[20:04] >> leader campbell.
[20:10] >> thank you, mr.
[20:11] speaker. Mr. Speaker, I yield three
[20:12] minutes to representative johnson.
[20:19] >> representative johnson, your
[20:20] recognized for three minutes.
[20:21] >> thank
[20:22] you, mr. Speaker.
[20:25] what I want to
[20:26] be people to understand, the people outside,
[20:28] the people listening, the people that
[20:29] we are
[20:30] doing this to, not with. Before we
[20:31] do anything else,
[20:36] we have to undo a that has been on
[20:37] the books for
[20:39] more than 50 years, because it is
[20:40] illegal to do what we are
[20:43] getting ready to do
[20:49] . So
[20:51] what do you do when you have a super
[20:52] majority? You just change the rules,
[20:54] you change the laws and so you can
[20:55] do the bad things that smarter folks
[20:58] this for us knew were wrong. I didn't
[21:00] say my usual --I didn't say the pledge
[21:01] today. And I certainly didn't say
[21:04] my usual, very
[21:05] loudly and justice for all. And the
[21:07] reason I didn't say it,
[21:10] it is so disingenuous to
[21:13] say it
[21:16] with folks who, in a few minutes,
[21:17] are going to vote against justice
[21:19] for all. You don't believe it. You
[21:20] need
[21:22] to stop saying it. We
[21:25] need to write your own pledge,
[21:27] because you don't believe the pledge
[21:28] that we say
[21:31] every day. There is
[21:32] no court decision that requires us
[21:34] to be here. Zero.
[21:40] that is a lie, told by the folks who
[21:41] called
[21:43] us here. It is a lie. We do not have
[21:44] to
[21:45] be here. We are costing our counties
[21:46] a fortune,
[21:49] we are making
[21:52] a mockery of this body
[21:55] , and of this state. We are the shame
[21:57] of the nation, and the shame of this state
[21:58] .
[22:01] we are here to take away the voices
[22:04] of black voters and the people
[22:07] of memphis ,
[22:10] to crack their districts
[22:13] and diluted their voices .
[22:18] you should be ashamed. But guess what?
[22:19] I know that you
[22:22] are not.
[22:33] this is not a special session, this
[22:34] is a white power rally, and a white
[22:36] power grab. That is what this is,
[22:37] and you can deny it all you want,
[22:39] but the people in this state no better.
[22:40] they don't want partisan gerrymandering.
[22:41] they
[22:42] don't want gerrymandering by race,
[22:43] they don't want any of it. We have
[22:44] the ability to
[22:45] have independent redistricting done
[22:48] , so that it is fair for all, so that
[22:49] voters choose their
[22:52] elected officials ,
[22:53] instead of elected officials choosing
[22:55] their voters.
[23:04] this is
[23:06] shameful, and that is why when you
[23:07] walked through these halls, you heard
[23:08] shame, shame,
[23:09] shame. Because the people are ashamed
[23:10] of you. I know you have got tons of
[23:13] calls and emails and you will ignore
[23:14] them. Well, this is
[23:16] on you. Vote yes,
[23:18] you are telling everyone you are a racist.
[23:25] >> leader camper?
[23:28] >> thank you,
[23:31] mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I yield
[23:35] four minutes to
[23:39] representative love.
[23:40] >> representative
[23:41] love, you are recognized for four minutes.
[23:44] >> thank you, mr.
[23:45] speaker. Thank you, members. I want to
[23:46] lay something out for your members
[23:47] to understand
[23:48] this process that is not being done
[23:50] the right
[23:53] way. 1981, 1992,
[23:56] 2001,
[23:59] 2012, 2022
[24:02] . Each of those moments
[24:05] were moments when
[24:06] a redistricting process took place
[24:11] . Bills were filed,
[24:13] bills were deliberated, bills were passed
[24:17] after
[24:20] data was collected from the 10 year
[24:28] --what we call the census. The reason
[24:29] that
[24:30] was done was because we wanted to
[24:31] make sure that if there were population
[24:32] shifts in
[24:33] the state, we didn't want any district having
[24:37] fewer people, or one district having
[24:38] more
[24:39] people, and the representation not
[24:41] being fair. This was the process
[24:44] , and it has worked .
[24:47] as a matter of fact, there was
[24:49] an ad hoc redistricting committee,
[24:50] many of
[24:51] you were members of, not long ago
[24:53] , in
[24:56] 2021 and 2022. In
[24:59] the call
[25:01] of the governor for this special session,
[25:02] the language said
[25:04] we are being called to consider ,
[25:05] and then to act
[25:07] upon legislation. We have not even
[25:08] had time
[25:10] to consider if there have been changes,
[25:12] because it was a rushed process in
[25:14] the middle of
[25:17] the decade.
[25:20] I want you to ask yourself, members,
[25:22] what kind of sense does that really make?
[25:24] and if we set this president, does
[25:26] that mean that next year, around
[25:28] this time, that we should have another
[25:29] call from
[25:31] a different governor, to see if the
[25:32] lines are
[25:35] good enough
[25:39] in that congressional district, and
[25:40] perhaps the one you have now will
[25:41] be shifted again?
[25:43] this is the danger of what we are
[25:44] doing. It has worked
[25:46] before we got here , it will work
[25:47] after
[25:50] we leave.
[25:53] I am appealing to your common
[25:54] sense, and not just your common sense,
[25:56] but your decency.
[25:59] if this was being done to your statehouse
[26:00] district,
[26:02] would you sit here and say it
[26:05] is okay? If there was a call from
[26:08] the governor to look at every
[26:11] statehouse district in the middle of
[26:14] a 10 year period,
[26:17] while you were
[26:18] prepared to run for re-election. Think
[26:20] about that.
[26:23] and
[26:24] the lines were moved, and maybe you
[26:25] didn't have those same precincts you
[26:26] had a,
[26:27] where your base was. How would you
[26:29] feel if you had your base taken away
[26:32] from you?
[26:33] and the representation not given .
[26:35] so, here we are. About
[26:37] to do something that doesn't make
[26:41] any sense. 1981,
[26:44] 1992, 2001,
[26:47] 2012,
[26:50] 2022 .
[26:52] how is it that none of that is good
[26:53] enough for us to look
[26:56] back and say
[26:59] , if it worked then, why must we change
[27:02] it now? So I appeal to your conscience,
[27:05] and I appeal to your sensibility
[27:08] , and I also appeal to
[27:09] your intelligence. Vote against this bill
[27:14] it sets a
[27:15] bad precedent, and more than that,
[27:17] it is dismantling the power
[27:20] of those african-american voters
[27:23] in the
[27:24] ninth congressional district. Anybody who
[27:26] says any different,
[27:28] is not being forthright and truthful
[27:29] , because
[27:32] you don't just accidentally
[27:35] stumble upon a map
[27:38] that divides, within a few
[27:40] percentage points, the black voters
[27:41] in the ninth
[27:44] district. Thank you.
[27:47] >> leader campbell. >>
[27:56] mr.
[27:58] speaker, I yield four minutes to representative
[27:59] glenn.
[28:00] >> representative glenn, you
[28:01] are recognized for four
[28:02] minutes.
[28:03] >> thank you, mr. Speaker.
[28:04] members, I want you to
[28:05] think about something. I want you
[28:06] to think about what we call a commitment
[28:07] to conscience.
[28:08] a commitment to conscience.
[28:10] in the book of daniel, there were
[28:11] three young men.
[28:14] shadrach, meshach and abednego. Their
[28:16] commitment to conscience would not
[28:17] allow them to
[28:20] bow down to the king.
[28:26] their commitment to conscience would
[28:27] not
[28:28] allow them to bow down to the king
[28:29] . So, this
[28:32] commitment that we have
[28:34] to our conscience, saying this is
[28:35] not right , this is
[28:38] not who we are. When I joined
[28:41] the army, I had three priorities.
[28:44] my faith, my family, and my career.
[28:47] if it did not
[28:49] align with my faith, it wasn't good
[28:50] for me.
[28:53] if it brought shame on my family,
[28:56] it wasn't good for me.
[28:59] if it jeopardized my career, it wasn't
[29:00] good
[29:02] for me. So my
[29:05] commitment to conscience said
[29:08] I had to do the right thing, no matter what.
[29:12] when I deployed across seas , no
[29:14] matter how I felt about the war, it
[29:17] doesn't matter . I was called to do
[29:18] a
[29:20] duty, but I did it the right way.
[29:24] I did it the
[29:27] way it was supposed to be done. Because
[29:30] my commitment to conscience
[29:31] said, do it the way it is supposed
[29:33] to be done.
[29:36] do not bring
[29:37] shame on your family. Do not go against
[29:38] your faith, and do not jeopardize
[29:41] your career. As many of you know,
[29:46] I umpire baseball. Sometimes there
[29:48] is a team out there that I
[29:51] really don't like.
[29:52] but because I umpire baseball, I don't
[29:54] change the rules in the middle of
[29:55] the
[29:56] game to allow the team that I like
[29:57] to win.
[29:59] because those kids deserve a fair umpire
[30:03] .
[30:05] and umpire that says a ball is a ball
[30:06] and
[30:08] a strike is a strike. So, I challenge
[30:12] you to this.
[30:13] allow your commitment to conscience
[30:18] , like the three young men
[30:19] in the bible who would not bow down
[30:21] to the king of babylon
[30:24] , because their faith
[30:27] was higher than the king
[30:30] , and they believed in that. So
[30:33] I tell you again,
[30:35] what we are about to embark on right
[30:36] now. Right now.
[30:42] a moment
[30:45] that will remain stenciled
[30:50] into the mental sheets of unfolding
[30:51] generations. Do the
[30:54] right thing. Do the right thing.
[30:57] I yield my time back.
[31:05] >> gallery, you all have been warned.
[31:06] you
[31:09] cannot do that. Sorry.
[31:36] leader camper?
[31:39] >> thank you, mr. Speaker.
[31:41] I reserve the balance of my time.
[31:42] >> leader
[31:45] lamberth?
[31:46] >> thank you
[31:53] for speaker. The house republican
[31:54] caucus will not be utilizing our
[31:55] entire time on this piece of legislation.
[31:57] I appreciate the comments that have
[31:58] been made. This
[31:59] bill just deletes the last sentence
[32:00] of tc 18-to-102 that allows us to
[32:01] enter
[32:02] into this conversation. With that,
[32:03] I renew my motion.
[32:08] >> all right. We are voting. All those
[32:09] in favor,
[32:12] house bill 7002,
[32:13] vote yes when the bell rings. Those
[32:15] opposed vote no. Does any member was
[32:18] to change their vote?
[32:27] >> mr. Clerk ,
[32:30] please take the vote.
[32:33] >>
[32:36] house bill 7002 have received a constitutional
[32:37] majority to declare past, without
[32:39] objection, the mission is tabled.
[32:40] >>
[32:42] leader lamberth,
[32:47] you are recognized.
[32:48] >> thank you mr.
[32:49] speaker. That
[32:50] passage of house bill 7001 on third
[32:51] and final consideration.
[32:52] >>
[32:54] mr. Clerk, call the first commandment.
[32:59] >> chairman farmer, you are recognized.
[33:00] >> thank you mr. Speaker.
[33:02] I moved to adopt.
[33:03] >> adoption of committee member
[33:04] number one, scene none. All
[33:06] those in favor, so yes.
[33:09] next
[33:10] amendment mr. Clerk?
[33:11] >> has amendment
[33:12] number two, not timely filed.
[33:15] >> representative jones,
[33:18] you are recognized.
[33:21] >> thank you, mr. Speaker.
[33:24] I just handed representative lamberth
[33:25] a
[33:26] confederate flag saying you will not
[33:28] go back,
[33:34] bring us
[33:35] back --
[33:36] >> I will stop you right there.
[33:37] you have one minute to
[33:38] do your amendment, which is untimely
[33:39] filed. We are not grandstanding on
[33:40] this floor,
[33:43] talking
[33:44] to another member in this regard but
[33:45] you know the rules but if you want
[33:46] to address your amendment, please
[33:48] adjust your amendment.
[33:49] >> thank you
[33:50] mr. Speaker.
[33:51] can the clerk read the amendment,
[33:52] since they told us last minute
[33:53] come into the record that I will respond.
[33:55] would you mind reading the amendment
[33:58] for the record.
[33:59] >> we have
[34:01] an objection.
[34:04] if you want to put it up, we can
[34:07] put it up.
[34:15] are presented of jones?
[34:16] >> thank you.
[34:17] I see we are
[34:18] working according to jim crowe's rules
[34:19] today. This amendment is trying to
[34:20] point out the
[34:21] fact that this gathering that we have
[34:22] here today
[34:24] is about disenfranchising specifically
[34:25] black people.
[34:26] the speaker yesterday said this is
[34:27] not about race, but everything that
[34:28] we have seen
[34:29] about this map and about this process
[34:30] has been racialized. The ways that
[34:31] we
[34:32] have stacked these committees to put
[34:34] members on who are seething with racism
[34:36] . The rhetoric used to attack majority
[34:37] black communities as not to deserving
[34:40] representation under the guise of
[34:41] fairness. And so this amendment is
[34:42] simply trying to add into the record
[34:45] a process , to prevent this from happening
[34:46] on behalf of
[34:47] our constituents. I think cameron
[34:49] sexton has
[34:55] brought us here as
[34:56] the grand wizard of this chamber to
[34:57] try and disenfranchise black people.
[34:58] we call it for
[34:59] what it is. It is shameful.
[35:00] >> you
[35:01] failed to move for consideration amendment
[35:04] number two.
[35:13] failed for lack of motion.
[35:16] >>
[35:19] representative jones, you
[35:21] are recognized.
[35:22] >> again, the clerk delayed
[35:23] to the
[35:25] amendment to tell us what number
[35:28] we are
[35:30] talking about. We are here today once again,
[35:37] for a white sheets caucus meeting,
[35:38] in
[35:39] which they are trying to disenfranchise
[35:40] people --
[35:41] >> there is an objection,
[35:42] presented of
[35:43] jones once again, that is out of order.
[35:44] if you would like to stick to
[35:46] the amendment, we will continue
[35:49] --the continuation of what you're
[35:50] doing
[35:51] is against house rules. There has
[35:52] been objection. You can go back.
[35:55] but I caution you
[36:04] to
[36:05] stick to the amendment. Representative
[36:06] jones?
[36:07] >> mr. Speaker, once again,
[36:08] the clerks you have
[36:09] hired have given us a second's notice
[36:10] of a list of amendments but we are
[36:11] not even clear what amendment is which
[36:13] number because they wait until the
[36:14] last minute
[36:15] to hand us these papers. We are here,
[36:16] again, counting jellybeans in a jar.
[36:17] they want to create a process that
[36:19] is unfair and unequal that we cannot
[36:20] adequately deliberate this legislation
[36:25] . She gave us a stack
[36:26] of amendments here saying they were
[36:28] not in the call and give us a list
[36:29] saying
[36:30] that if you are. This is the unfairness
[36:31] of this process that has been
[36:33] the subject of his entire special session
[36:43] . A roster decisions, a rush of deliberation.
[36:44] is a form
[36:45] of jim crow terror, you know what
[36:46] you are doing. It is shameful. We
[36:47] know
[36:48] you will all fall in line behind this
[36:49] man here who will lead you down
[36:51] the path of racism and white the primacy.
[36:52] it is wrong, it is immoral when
[36:54] we say do justice and love mercy and
[36:55] walk humbly --
[36:56] >> it fails for
[36:57] lack of a motion. Mr. Clerk?
[36:58] >> has
[36:59] many number four was not timely
[37:00] filed.
[37:01] >> represented of jones, you
[37:02] are recognized.
[37:03] >> once again, the clerk
[37:04] has put us
[37:05] at a disadvantage by giving us our
[37:06] amendments seconds before.
[37:12] >> revlimid of johnson of knox, it
[37:13] is her amendment. Members so you know,
[37:14] all these amendments were filed after
[37:16] session started at 9:20 a.m. For the record.
[37:24] presented of johnson, your recognized.
[37:25] >> thank you mr. Speaker. What this
[37:26] amendment
[37:27] does is allow some transparency and
[37:28] accountability. It requires the public
[37:29] disclosure of outside consultants
[37:30] or contractors involved in congressional
[37:31] map drawing
[37:34] . The public deserves to know who
[37:37] helped draw the maps.
[37:40] there has been no transparency, no
[37:41] one has talked to
[37:42] the public, given anything to the
[37:43] public in time to respond
[37:46] to the maps that were drawn yesterday
[37:49] morning, that we got.
[37:52] this allows for transparency and
[37:54] public disclosure of anyone involved
[37:55] in the congressional
[37:58] map drawing. Move consideration.
[38:04] >> there we go. Is a proper motion,
[38:07] promptly seconded. We
[38:08] are voting for consideration amendment
[38:10] number four. All those in favor, considering
[38:11] amendment number four,
[38:12] vote yes when the bell rings. Those
[38:13] opposed vote no. Has any member
[38:16] voted, wish to change their vote?
[38:25] the balcony, hissing
[38:28] will get the whole balcony gone. Trooper,
[38:31] remove all the balcony. Mr. Clerk,
[38:32] take the
[38:34] vote.
[38:35] >> 23-73.
[38:37] >> having
[38:40] failed to receive the necessary two
[38:41] thirds vote, the motion
[38:42] to consider amendment number four fails.
[38:45] >> amendment five, represent of johnson,
[38:46] not timely filed.
[38:49] >> representative johnson, you
[38:53] are recognized.
[38:56] >> thank you, mr. Speaker.
[38:58] this one is also about public access
[38:59] and transparency.
[39:02] it requires proposed maps
[39:06] , files, demographic data and written
[39:08] findings to be publicly released
[39:11] before passage of the bill. If
[39:14] the public must live
[39:16] under the map, the public should be
[39:17] allowed to see
[39:19] the map for more than 24 hours. This
[39:23] is outrageous
[39:26] , it is not
[39:27] how we have done this in the past,
[39:29] and we are changing laws to do
[39:30] it now. So, this requires proposed maps,
[39:36] files and demographic data and written
[39:38] findings to be publicly released
[39:41] before passage. We work for the
[39:42] people, we don't work for billionaires
[39:44] and lobbyists. I
[39:45] move consideration of this amendment.
[39:47] >> you have heard
[39:50] the motion, we are voting
[39:51] for consideration of amendment number
[39:52] five. All those in favor of considering
[39:53] amendment
[39:55] number five, vote yes when the bell rings.
[39:59] those opposed vote no.
[40:01] has every member voted, does any member
[40:02] wish to
[40:05] change their vote? Mr.
[40:08] clerk, please take the vote.
[40:09] >>
[40:13] 2371.
[40:14] >> having failed to receive
[40:15] the
[40:16] necessary two thirds vote, the motion
[40:17] to consider amendment number five fails.
[40:21] >> houseman six, represented of johnson
[40:22] was not timely filed.
[40:23] >> representative
[40:24] johnson, you
[40:26] are recognized.
[40:31] >> here we are again. This amendment
[40:32] is about transparency and accountability.
[40:35] it requires the written findings identifying
[40:36] the
[40:38] legal basis ,
[40:39] necessity, and minority voting impact
[40:41] of opposed maps .
[40:43] let me say that again. It requires
[40:47] reporting
[40:49] of the minority voting impacts of
[40:50] proposed maps.
[40:53] if districts
[40:56] are being changed ,
[40:57] if they are being cracked middecade,
[41:01] the public deserves a written explanation
[41:02] of why this
[41:05] is happening.
[41:07] the public deserves this information.
[41:11] I move consideration of
[41:14] amendment six.
[41:15] >> voting for consideration amendment
[41:17] number six. All those in favor
[41:20] , vote yes when the bell rings. Those
[41:21] opposed, vote no. Does any member
[41:23] wish to change their vote?
[41:31] mr. Clerk, please take the vote.
[41:32] >>
[41:35] 21-73.
[41:36] >> having failed to receive
[41:38] the necessary vote the
[41:41] motion fails.
[41:42] >> houseman and seven, represented
[41:44] powell was
[41:45] not timely filed.
[41:46] >> representative
[41:47] powell, you are recognized.
[41:53] >> thank you, mr. Speaker. This amendment
[41:56] is very important. Anyone who is interested in
[41:59] making sure
[42:04] that anything we are doing here, as
[42:05] we already know it
[42:06] is illegal, this amendment says that
[42:08] there is a legal basis for this,
[42:14] but there is a legal basis for the purpose
[42:15] of even being here and the necessity
[42:17] for new revisions to districts
[42:21] between apportionment and the impact
[42:23] the proposed plan will have on minority
[42:24] voting strength
[42:25] and communities of interest will be
[42:26] considered. This is a very important amendment.
[42:28] we know everything that is being done
[42:29] with these maps
[42:34] , and that is why it is extremely
[42:35] important, and I move
[42:36] for consideration, of my amendment.
[42:43] spoke proper motion properly seconded,
[42:46] considering amendment number seven.
[42:47] all those in favor
[42:50] , vote yes when the bell rings because every
[42:53] member voted?
[42:59] mr.
[43:02] clerk?
[43:03] >>
[43:05] having failed to receive the necessary
[43:06] two
[43:07] thirds vote, the motion to consider
[43:08] the amendment fails.
[43:09] >> amendment eight
[43:11] by representative johnson. A
[43:12] >>
[43:14] representative johnson?
[43:17] >> thank you,
[43:19] mr. Speaker. What this amendment does
[43:29] , it
[43:30] is a voting rights act protections.
[43:31] it prohibits maps drawn to diminish
[43:32] her fragment minority
[43:33] voting strength. Communities should
[43:35] not fear
[43:36] that district lines are being adjusted
[43:38] to weaken minority voting strength
[43:41] , which is what we are doing today,
[43:42] with
[43:44] full knowledge. What this
[43:47] amendment does
[43:50] , it prohibits maps drawn to diminish it
[43:52] or fragment minority voting strength.
[43:56] this is
[43:57] a voting rights act protection, because
[43:59] our communities should not be
[44:02] cracked and divided and diluted
[44:07] their voices in our democracy. I move
[44:08] consideration.
[44:09] >>
[44:11] we are voting for
[44:12] consideration of amendment number
[44:14] eight. All those in favor,
[44:15] of considering amendment number eight,
[44:17] but just when the bell rings. Has
[44:20] every member voted, does any member
[44:21] wish to
[44:23] change their vote?
[44:26] mr. Clerk, please take the vote.
[44:32] >> having failed to receive the necessary
[44:33] two thirds vote,
[44:35] the motion fails.
[44:36] >> amendment
[44:38] number nine , this amendment was not
[44:41] timely filed.
[44:42] >> representative salinas
[44:43] you
[44:44] are recognized.
[44:45] >> this amendment
[44:46] is about
[44:47] fair elections .
[44:48] congressional districts should not
[44:49] be designed to protect politicians
[44:53] . Politicians should not get to
[44:54] pick their voters. Voters should get
[44:56] to pick
[44:59] who there a politician is. This is
[45:00] an amendment
[45:02] that is anti-incumbent protection.
[45:03] I move
[45:05] for consideration.
[45:11] >>
[45:13] you heard the motion, we are voting
[45:14] for consideration of amendment number
[45:15] nine. All those
[45:16] in favor of considering amendment
[45:17] number nine, vote yes when the bell
[45:18] rings. Has every
[45:19] member voted, does any member wish
[45:20] to change their vote? Mr. Clerk, please
[45:21] take
[45:23] the vote.
[45:29] in accordance with rule 60 be having failed
[45:30] to receive
[45:31] the necessary two thirds vote the
[45:32] motion to consider amendment number
[45:33] nine fails.
[45:34] >> member amendment 10, not timely
[45:35] filed.
[45:36] >> representative jones, you
[45:38] are recognized
[45:39] >> thank you mr. Speaker.
[45:40] this amendment
[45:41] requires written
[45:44] evaluation of impact on minority communities.
[45:46] it requires voting rights analysis.
[45:47] the general assembly should understand
[45:48] how
[45:49] the map would affect minority committees
[45:52] before voting. Yesterday the speaker
[45:54] was asked how this
[45:55] would affect minority communities
[45:56] and he said he didn't know, but we
[45:59] know this is based on census data.
[46:00] the speaker has
[46:03] clearly been working with
[46:09] doug times in the ethics
[46:10] counsel to create a regionally gerrymandered
[46:11] map intentionally. This requires us
[46:12] to be provided that
[46:13] racial analysis before we are able
[46:14] to vote on a legislation. I move for
[46:15] consideration of amendment number
[46:17] 10.
[46:18] >> we are voting for consideration
[46:19] of amendment 10. All those
[46:21] in favor
[46:23] , vote yes when the bell rings. Those
[46:24] opposed vote no.
[46:25] has every member voted, does any member
[46:27] wish to change their vote?
[46:30] mr.
[46:33] clerk, please take the vote?
[46:34] >>
[46:37] having failed to receive the necessary
[46:39] two thirds vote, the motion to
[46:40] consider amendment number 10 fails.
[46:44] chairman clemens, for what purpose?
[46:45] >> parliamentary work. >> come
[46:48] on up.
[48:00] >>
[48:03] mr. Clerk?
[48:04] >> mr. Speaker,
[48:06] the question was about the
[48:08] speaker's authority to clear the gallery.
[48:12] rule four,
[48:13] in case of any disturbance or disorderly
[48:15] conduct in the gallery,
[48:18] the speaker shall have the
[48:20] power to order the same be cleared.
[48:21] >> thank you mr. Clerk.
[48:24] next amendment.
[48:25] >> amendment 11,
[48:32] not timely filed.
[48:33] >> representative
[48:34] powell?
[48:35] >> thank you,
[48:36] mr. Speaker. You should like this
[48:37] one, mr. Speaker. It gives you the
[48:38] power to
[48:39] create an independent commission to
[48:40] create these maps. It also gives
[48:42] the minority leader
[48:45] appointments . The point
[48:47] of this is to make sure that these
[48:48] maps are
[48:51] drawn fairly
[48:54] and nonpartisan and. A the states
[48:55] are
[48:56] not in this kind of ridiculous partisan predicament
[49:00] , and actually have people who
[49:02] represent them , because they have
[49:03] independent commissions.
[49:05] they draw these maps. All this amendment
[49:08] does is simply create an independent commission,
[49:12] republican and democrat, to draw
[49:15] these maps . Without, I move consideration.
[49:26] >> averred the motion, we are voting
[49:27] for consideration of amendment
[49:29] number 11. All those in favor of considering
[49:30] amendment number 11 vote yes. Those
[49:31] opposed vote no. Does any member wish
[49:33] to change their vote?
[49:39] mr. Clerk, please take the vote.
[49:40] >>
[49:45] 21-72.
[49:46] >> the motion to consider amendment
[49:48] number 11 fails. Next amendment
[49:51] mr. Clerk .
[49:52] >> and 12,
[49:53] were present of sillies is not timely
[49:54] filed.
[49:55] >> presented of salinas? >>
[50:00] republicans and democrats,
[50:01] independents, all of voters are tired
[50:03] of gerrymandering.
[50:06] they know that our system
[50:09] is not working.
[50:11] this is an anti-gerrymandering amendment
[50:12] which requires
[50:17] congressional districts to remain
[50:18] reasonably compact. That means
[50:21] that we will not have
[50:22] districts that reach from memphis
[50:24] all the way past middle tennessee
[50:27] I move
[50:30] for consideration.
[50:33] >>
[50:35] proper motion, we are voting for consideration
[50:36] of
[50:39] amendment 12 . All those in favor
[50:40] vote yes.
[50:42] all those opposed vote no.
[50:44] has every member voted, does any member
[50:45] wish to change
[50:47] their vote? Mr. Clerk, please take
[50:48] the vote.
[50:51] >>
[50:54] 22-72.
[50:55] >>
[51:00] in accordance with rule 60 be having
[51:01] failed to
[51:02] receive the necessary vote the motion
[51:03] to consider amendment 12 fails. Next
[51:04] amendment
[51:05] mr. Clerk.
[51:06] >> houseman 13, the speaker
[51:07] is not timely filed.
[51:12] >> representative jones, you are recognized. >>
[51:17] I can't hear what you're saying.
[51:18] >>
[51:19] I can't help that, you need
[51:21] to continue.
[51:22] >> the speaker is ordering
[51:23] the
[51:24] gallery cleared for the record. This
[51:25] amendment requires districts
[51:27] to reflect residents and committees
[51:28] rather than
[51:30] a statewide.
[51:33] congressional district are intended to
[51:34] represent people and communities within
[51:36] those districts, not
[51:38] a predetermined statewide ideology.
[51:39] yes, this is the people's house.
[51:45] this amendment is to say that this
[51:47] is the people's house. Is not cameron's
[51:48] house. It is not the governor's house.
[51:50] it is the people's house. People are
[51:51] being dragged from the gallery for
[51:52] exercising their
[51:53] voice under the state constitution
[51:54] . The state constitution says that
[51:55] nonresistance against arbitrary power
[51:57] is slavish , and that we must
[52:00] resist this type of arbitrary
[52:03] power grab.
[52:12] people above me, we cannot even
[52:14] hear, they are being taken out by
[52:15] the order of cameron sexton. The citizens
[52:16] whose voices
[52:17] are being taken away are being dragged
[52:18] from the gallery around us but this
[52:19] is
[52:20] what history will witness this moment.
[52:21] >> amendment 13 fails for lack of
[52:22] emotion.
[52:23] >> are presented to powell, your recognized.
[52:24] >> thank you, mr. Speaker.
[52:27] this is one of the
[52:28] most important american amendments
[52:30] that I'm sponsoring today.
[52:33] it says that we are going
[52:36] to use constitutional restraint
[52:38] stability and representation and public
[52:39] confidence in our elections, when
[52:42] we draw these maps
[52:45] for government, which is a representative government
[52:47] . This is a very important principle,
[52:54] standing with his amendment
[52:57] shows that we believe in a representative
[52:59] democracy, we believe in a republic.
[53:00] we believe invoices
[53:03] . There are reasons why we are representatives.
[53:06] there are reasons why there
[53:07] are congressional districts. It is
[53:09] because we don't
[53:11] live --congress is not the senate.
[53:18] the
[53:19] u.s. Congress is not the u.s. Senate.
[53:20] we have representatives that represent
[53:21] districts. We need to keep it
[53:22] that way. Move for consideration.
[53:24] >> we are voting for consideration
[53:25] of amendment number 14.
[53:26] all those in favor considering amendment
[53:27] number 14 vote yes when the
[53:30] bell rings. Has every
[53:31] member voted? Does any member wish
[53:33] to change their vote?
[53:36] mr. Clerk, please take the vote. In
[53:39] accordance with
[53:42] --amendment number
[53:45] 14 fails.
[53:48] >> not timely filed.
[53:51] >> mr.
[53:54] speaker, this is about making sure
[53:58] that candidates
[54:01] have adequate time to
[54:07] qualify.
[54:09] as we know, we will have to go back and
[54:10] change all the laws, the
[54:11] entire system. We will rig the entire
[54:13] system. For years.
[54:15] because we are here today. There are
[54:16] people
[54:18] who are already qualified, people
[54:23] that are campaigning, there are people
[54:24] in this body that are already running
[54:25] for
[54:28] these congressional districts.
[54:31] we are going to make
[54:32] the people --I have an entirely new
[54:34] congressional district.
[54:37] the person
[54:39] who doesn't even represent my city currently
[54:42] is now going to be my congressman.
[54:43] how
[54:45] absurd is that? We have no idea. We
[54:46] don't
[54:47] have time. This is about making sure
[54:49] that we have time.
[54:51] >> you heard the motion, we are voting
[54:52] for consideration
[54:55] of amendment number 15.
[54:59] has every member voted? Does any member wish
[55:01] to change their vote?
[55:09] mr. Clerk, please take the vote.
[55:10] >>
[55:16] 23-73.
[55:17] >> having failed to
[55:18] receive the necessary two thirds vote,
[55:19] the motion to consider amendment number
[55:20] 15 fails. Next
[55:21] amendment, mr. Clerk.
[55:22] >> mm and 16, by
[55:23] presented
[55:25] of salinas.
[55:26] >> representative salinas, your recognized. >>
[55:28] his amendment is about
[55:30] election stability . It requires the state
[55:34] to finalize maps at
[55:35] least 90 days before qualifying deadlines.
[55:40] this gives candidates notice
[55:43] , so they can make plans,
[55:45] this should be a bipartisan vote,
[55:49] who is against,
[55:50] if you vote against this you are against
[55:52] having candidates have 90 days
[55:55] before their maps are put into place
[55:58] . This would allow candidates
[56:01] to plan accordingly,
[56:03] to budget accordingly, to reach the
[56:04] right voters at
[56:06] the right time . With that, I move
[56:07] for consideration.
[56:13] >> all those in favor
[56:15] of considering amendment number 16,
[56:21] vote yes when the bell rings. Has
[56:22] every member voted, does any
[56:23] member wish to change their vote?
[56:27] mr. Clerk, please take the vote.
[56:28] >>
[56:31] 22-72.
[56:32] >>
[56:33] having failed to receive the necessary
[56:34] vote, minute 16 fails. Mr.
[56:37] clerk?
[56:38] >> amended 17,
[56:40] from presented of salinas. This
[56:43] is not timely filed.
[56:44] >>
[56:49] representative salinas, your recognized.
[56:50] >>
[56:51] this amendment is about election stability. It requires
[56:52] implementation in minimizing disruption
[56:53] to voters and
[56:54] election officials. Let's not forget
[56:55] that what we are doing
[56:57] is putting a strain on election officials.
[57:04] that
[57:05] is your administrator of elections
[57:06] in your county. It is putting a financial
[57:07] strain and putting
[57:10] a lot of work on their plates
[57:13] in the middle of
[57:14] an active election. Let's not forget
[57:16] that we have an active election. They
[57:17] are going
[57:18] to have to reach out to voters and
[57:19] explain to them, and then retrain
[57:20] the
[57:21] people who run the elections. This
[57:22] is going to negatively impact everybody
[57:25] . A lot of
[57:26] our voters have to drive far to cast
[57:28] their vote.
[57:33] public transportation is not good
[57:34] in tennessee because we refuse to
[57:35] invest
[57:36] in it. With that I move for consideration.
[57:37] >> you
[57:38] have heard the motion. We are voting
[57:40] for consideration of amendment number 17.
[57:42] all in favor of considering amendment
[57:43] number 17 vote yes
[57:44] when the bell rings. As opposed vote
[57:46] no. Does any member wish to change
[57:47] their vote? Mr. Clerk, please take
[57:49] the vote.
[57:52] >>
[57:56] 22-71.
[57:57] >> having failed to receive
[57:58] the necessary vote the motion to consider
[57:59] amendment
[58:00] 17 fails.
[58:01] >> has amendment 18 resented
[58:02] of powell. Not
[58:04] timely filed.
[58:06] >> representative powell, your recognized.
[58:07] >> thank you,
[58:10] mr. Speaker.
[58:11] it was interesting in the discussions
[58:13] yesterday, in committee. The census
[58:16] is drawn
[58:19] --collected in 2020 and redrawn
[58:20] others district for the 2022 elections.
[58:21] tennessee has dramatically changed
[58:22] its makeup
[58:25] in population,
[58:28] in demographics,
[58:36] since we use that census data. This
[58:37] simply says congressional district
[58:38] established
[58:39] in 2026 must be established based
[58:40] on the residents and communities contained
[58:41] within each district,
[58:43] regarding a single ideological identity.
[58:49] yesterday it was stated that the only
[58:50] reason
[58:51] we are doing this is for politics.
[58:52] that is absurd. That is wrong.
[58:55] that is --we know that is
[58:56] not even right but this is being done
[58:58] because of race.
[59:00] this is being done because of race, it
[59:01] is being done to divide
[59:03] a city. It is now being done to divide
[59:04] my city yet
[59:07] again. I move consideration.
[59:12] >> we are voting for consideration
[59:13] of amendment number 18. Those in favor
[59:14] that
[59:16] yes when
[59:19] the
[59:20] bell rings. Mr. Clerk, take the vote.
[59:22] >> 21-70.
[59:25] >> having failed receive the necessary
[59:26] vote, the motion to consider amendment
[59:28] number 18 fails.
[59:29] >> amendment 19
[59:30] by rivers and johnson not timely filed.
[59:35] >> resented johnson, your recognized.
[59:37] >> thank you, mr. Speaker.
[59:40] this amendment is about
[59:43] stability. It
[59:47] recognizes historic decennial redistricting
[59:48] as promoting democratic legitimacy.
[59:49] it is about
[59:52] public confidence in the things that
[59:55] we do up here, in the drawing of these maps,
[59:58] but we are not drawing
[1:00:00] them for our own benefit, to keep
[1:00:04] our seats, because that is what some
[1:00:05] of these folks are
[1:00:06] going to be voting for, today. They
[1:00:07] are worried about keeping their power.
[1:00:13] they are taking advantage of the voters,
[1:00:14] taking
[1:00:15] their voice, and they are choosing
[1:00:16] their voters. Stable
[1:00:18] congressional districts strengthen confidence
[1:00:22] in representative government.
[1:00:25] that is what we need here. We need
[1:00:26] confidence in
[1:00:27] this government, because everything
[1:00:28] we are doing
[1:00:31] in this special white power
[1:00:33] session is taking away confidence.
[1:00:34] I move adoption
[1:00:40] .
[1:00:41] >> we are voting
[1:00:42] for consideration of amendment 19.
[1:00:43] all in favor of considering amendment 19,
[1:00:49] as opposed vote no. Has
[1:00:51] every member voted? Does any member
[1:00:52] wish to change their vote? Mr. Clerk,
[1:00:53] take the
[1:00:54] vote.
[1:00:55] >> 19-72. >> having failed to
[1:00:56] receive the necessary two thirds vote,
[1:00:57] the motion to consider amendment number
[1:00:58] 19 fails.
[1:01:00] >> amendment 20 by representative
[1:01:01] johnson. Not timely filed.
[1:01:02] >>
[1:01:03] representative johnson?
[1:01:04] >> which one
[1:01:05] is this?
[1:01:17] >> thank you, mr. Speaker.
[1:01:21] this amendment will add to fairness
[1:01:23] for everyone
[1:01:28] , making sure that every voter has
[1:01:29] their voice
[1:01:30] heard and that is in a district that
[1:01:32] has their voice heard.
[1:01:35] we need to talk about
[1:01:37] voter education , so that people understand
[1:01:38] what we
[1:01:41] are doing.
[1:01:42] we are doing something to people up
[1:01:44] here, not something for them.
[1:01:50] move adoption.
[1:01:51] >> we are voting for consideration
[1:01:52] of amendment number 20. All those
[1:01:53] in favor of considering
[1:01:54] amendment number 20, vote yes when
[1:01:55] the bell rings. Has every member voted?
[1:01:56] does any
[1:01:57] member wish to change their vote?
[1:01:59] mr. Clerk? Please take the vote.
[1:02:00] >>
[1:02:03] having failed receive the necessary vote,
[1:02:05] the amendment fails.
[1:02:06] >>
[1:02:07] amendment 20 by representative faye
[1:02:08] powell not timely
[1:02:11] filed.
[1:02:12] >> sometimes people
[1:02:15] in here say we live in a democracy,
[1:02:17] a lot of people yell at me
[1:02:19] and say no we don't. We live in a republic.
[1:02:22] well then, this is one you should
[1:02:23] all like. All
[1:02:24] of those who yell at me and say we
[1:02:26] don't live in a democracy, we live
[1:02:27] in a republic. We do live in a democratic
[1:02:29] republic. This says the general
[1:02:30] assembly finds stable and fairly construed
[1:02:33] electoral districts strengthen republican
[1:02:35] self-government and preserve
[1:02:37] confidence in representative democracy.
[1:02:38] it
[1:02:39] is a very simple principle. It is
[1:02:41] a very simple principle.
[1:02:44] we have these congressional
[1:02:45] districts, because each congressman represents
[1:02:50] , just as we do
[1:02:53] , districts and people.
[1:02:56] I move for consideration.
[1:02:59] >> all those in favor of
[1:03:02] considering amendment 21,
[1:03:03] vote yes when the bell rings. Does
[1:03:05] any member wish to change their
[1:03:07] vote?
[1:03:08] >> mr. Clerk, please take the
[1:03:11] vote.
[1:03:12] >> 21-73.
[1:03:13] >> having failed to receive the necessary
[1:03:14] vote, amendment 21 fails.
[1:03:17] >>
[1:03:21] not timely filed.
[1:03:22] >> you are recognized.
[1:03:23] >> I want to state for the
[1:03:26] record, the reason
[1:03:41] they are not timely filed is because
[1:03:42] there was no way to file a timely
[1:03:43] process because we were rushed through
[1:03:44] this process
[1:03:45] in 24 hours. That is why these are
[1:03:46] untimely. This amendment recognizes
[1:03:47] tennessee's geographic,
[1:03:48] racial, cultural and political diversity.
[1:03:49] it is about inclusive representation
[1:03:50] and making sure that tennessee's
[1:03:51] diverse communities have well-deserved,
[1:03:52] meaningful representation. With that,
[1:03:53] I move for consideration mr. Speaker.
[1:03:54] >>
[1:03:55] we are voting for consideration, all
[1:03:56] those in favor vote yes when the bell
[1:03:57] rings.
[1:03:58] as opposed vote no. Has every member
[1:03:59] voted, does any member wish to change
[1:04:01] their vote? Take the vote.
[1:04:02] >> in accordance
[1:04:03] with rule 6b,
[1:04:04] having failed to receive the necessary vote,
[1:04:09] amendment 22 fails.
[1:04:10] >> amendment 23
[1:04:11] by representative powell not timely
[1:04:12] filed.
[1:04:13] >> you are recognized. >> thank you
[1:04:14] mr. Speaker. This
[1:04:15] minutes as the general assembly finds
[1:04:16] that representative democracy functions
[1:04:17] best when
[1:04:18] voters choose their representatives
[1:04:19] and congressional districts remained
[1:04:20] stable between appointments. This
[1:04:21] is the
[1:04:23] whole point of why we do this every
[1:04:26] 10 years.
[1:04:28] it is because people need to know
[1:04:29] who their congressman is
[1:04:32] . People need to know who their congressperson is
[1:04:38] . Right now, these
[1:04:39] maps are going to dramatically change
[1:04:40] whose people congressman's are. You
[1:04:41] know who will get the
[1:04:42] phone calls? Everyone in this room.
[1:04:44] they are not going to know. I won't
[1:04:45] even
[1:04:46] know to tell my constituents who their
[1:04:47] congressperson is.
[1:04:55] right now is my constituents called
[1:04:56] me I would not
[1:04:58] be able to tell them who their congressperson
[1:04:59] is based on these maps. We
[1:05:00] don't even have the overlay. Think
[1:05:01] about this. This is absurd. This is
[1:05:02] absurd. We
[1:05:03] have people, right now, applying to
[1:05:05] the military academies.
[1:05:08] applying to military academies
[1:05:09] and their congressperson is going
[1:05:11] to change. Think about that if you care
[1:05:12] about
[1:05:13] our military academies. I move for consideration.
[1:05:17] >> you heard the motion, we are voting
[1:05:18] for
[1:05:19] consideration of amendment 23, all
[1:05:20] those in favor vote when the
[1:05:22] bell rings. Members wish to change
[1:05:23] their
[1:05:26] vote?
[1:05:27] >>
[1:05:30] having failed to receive the necessary
[1:05:32] two thirds vote, the motion to consider
[1:05:35] amendment 23 fails.
[1:05:36] >>
[1:05:37] resented jones, your recognized.
[1:05:38] >>
[1:05:39] we are filing
[1:05:40] amendment because many of us were
[1:05:41] not put on committees
[1:05:47] meant to consider this legislation,
[1:05:48] forced
[1:05:49] through in less than 24 hours. This
[1:05:50] is an untimely amendment because there
[1:05:51] is no way
[1:05:52] to have the maps within a few hours
[1:05:53] of the committee meeting and we are
[1:05:55] here the next day voting on maps that
[1:05:56] we have not been able to analyze
[1:05:57] to breakdown or understand. This amendment
[1:05:58] is about avoiding fragmentation. It
[1:05:59] prohibits unnecessary fragmentation
[1:06:00] of
[1:06:01] urban, rural, minority and historically
[1:06:02] black communities,
[1:06:11] communities should not be
[1:06:12] unnecessarily divided for political
[1:06:13] purposes. Again, we know what this
[1:06:14] is about, it is about
[1:06:15] diluting minority vote and taking
[1:06:16] us back to pre-1965, pre-voting rights
[1:06:17] act, and act bought
[1:06:19] with days in jail cells in the smacker
[1:06:20] billy clubs.
[1:06:23] perhaps some of you who want to take
[1:06:24] us back
[1:06:26] to this time but this is
[1:06:31] an amendment saying we must move forward toward
[1:06:32] a multiracial democracy and about
[1:06:33] maintaining the diversity of our state
[1:06:34] when it comes to race, geography,
[1:06:35] urban and rural.
[1:06:36] with that, I move consideration of
[1:06:38] this amendment.
[1:06:39] >> you ever the motion,
[1:06:40] all those in favor in considering
[1:06:41] amendment number 24 . As opposed
[1:06:44] vote no. Does any member wish to
[1:06:47] change their vote? Take
[1:06:50] the vote.
[1:06:53] >>
[1:06:54] having failed to receive the necessary
[1:06:56] two thirds vote, consideration of
[1:06:58] amendment 24 fails.
[1:06:59] >> amendment 25
[1:07:00] not timely filed.
[1:07:04] >> mr. Speaker, this simple says general assembly
[1:07:12] finds that stable congressional districts
[1:07:13] promote public confidence in represented
[1:07:14] of government and preserve constitutional
[1:07:16] restraint in the exercise of redistricting
[1:07:17] authority. We set a dangerous precedent,
[1:07:18] here. Now that
[1:07:20] we have changed the law
[1:07:22] , we can come back whenever and change
[1:07:23] these congressional districts.
[1:07:26] we set a dangerous precedent in
[1:07:27] this state. A dangerous precedent.
[1:07:31] everybody in this room should stop
[1:07:32] and think
[1:07:35] about that our president
[1:07:38] ,
[1:07:39] not my president, but the president
[1:07:41] does not control
[1:07:44] the state of tennessee and how we
[1:07:45] draw our contract congressional districts.
[1:07:47] we are telling people
[1:07:50] not to have confidence in
[1:07:53] representative democracy . That is
[1:07:54] what
[1:07:56] we are doing right now. This
[1:07:59] is alarming
[1:08:02] . If you stand for representative
[1:08:03] democracy, I
[1:08:04] ask you to vote for this and move
[1:08:05] for consideration.
[1:08:06] >> we are
[1:08:07] voting for consideration of amendment 25.
[1:08:11] as opposed vote no. Is any
[1:08:13] member voted ? Does any member wish
[1:08:14] to change their vote? Mr.
[1:08:17] clerk?
[1:08:18] >>
[1:08:19] 19-71.
[1:08:20] >> having failed to receive
[1:08:21] the necessary two
[1:08:23] thirds vote,
[1:08:24] >>
[1:08:26] amendment 26 by
[1:08:29] representative salinas.
[1:08:30] >> thank
[1:08:31] you. This amendment is about voter awareness
[1:08:32] .
[1:08:34] I don't know if you all remember the
[1:08:35] quote of trump saying
[1:08:40] that he loves the uneducated. I think
[1:08:41] that we have an opportunity to
[1:08:43] prove him wrong, and put something
[1:08:44] that educates our voters, that
[1:08:47] lets them know
[1:08:49] , explains to them the voting process
[1:08:50] and making sure that we
[1:08:53] have civics back into our state.
[1:09:02] aware of not only what and who they
[1:09:03] are
[1:09:04] voting for and what district they
[1:09:05] are in. This would require a 60 day period
[1:09:07] that would allow us to educate voters.
[1:09:08] education. We all say that we are
[1:09:09] passionate
[1:09:10] about education. Why would we not
[1:09:11] want our voters to know
[1:09:14] ? It gives us time to
[1:09:16] have these conversations. I move for consideration.
[1:09:23] >> all those in favor considering
[1:09:24] amendment 26,
[1:09:26] but
[1:09:28] yes when the bell rings. Has every
[1:09:29] member voted, does any member wish
[1:09:30] to change their
[1:09:32] vote? Please take the vote.
[1:09:35] in accordance with rule six be having
[1:09:36] failed to
[1:09:37] receive the necessary vote the motion
[1:09:39] to consider
[1:09:47] amendment 26 fails.
[1:09:48] >> amendment 27
[1:09:49] by
[1:09:50] repetitive gents, not timely filed.
[1:09:51] >> you are recognized. >> thank you
[1:09:52] mr. Speaker. Again,
[1:09:53] this is untimely because we were given
[1:09:54] three days for a sham process without
[1:09:55] real
[1:09:56] deliberation, forced through committee
[1:09:57] with less than 24 hours notice of
[1:09:58] being aware of
[1:09:59] what these maps were and I am on the
[1:10:00] house floor at 9:00 alien to
[1:10:01] vote on this racist gerrymandered
[1:10:03] map. Is is about minority
[1:10:04] opportunity preservation, it preserves
[1:10:06] voting opportunities
[1:10:07] according to federal law. Tennessee
[1:10:09] should reserve minority
[1:10:12] voting opportunity required by
[1:10:13] federal law. We know this is about
[1:10:14] race no matter what the speaker says.'s
[1:10:15] chief
[1:10:16] of staff went to school in memphis,
[1:10:18] he knows it's a majority
[1:10:21] black city.
[1:10:24] if they have
[1:10:25] questions they have some members of
[1:10:26] shelby county here in the republican
[1:10:27] caucus who can
[1:10:28] clearly tell them that is a majority
[1:10:29] black city. Yesterday in committee,
[1:10:30] sensitive lowell wanted
[1:10:32] to bring up crime in memphis, racializing
[1:10:33] this
[1:10:34] debate. You brought that up in committee
[1:10:35] saying there is crime and this will
[1:10:36] help
[1:10:39] to we can crime.
[1:10:45] he revealed what they were
[1:10:46] looking caucus is doing, it is about
[1:10:48] race, he has given us a basis
[1:10:49] to know this is about race. Thank
[1:10:51] you for doing that. This is once again
[1:10:52] about the voting rights act compliance
[1:10:53] and I move for consideration of this
[1:10:54] amendment.
[1:10:55] >>
[1:10:56] voting for consideration of amendment
[1:10:57] 27. All those in favor, but yes when
[1:10:58] the bell
[1:10:59] rings. Does any member wish to change
[1:11:00] their vote? Take the vote.
[1:11:03] >> 1472.
[1:11:06] >> having failed to
[1:11:07] receive the necessary two thirds vote,
[1:11:08] the motion to consider amendment fails.
[1:11:09] >> amendment 28
[1:11:10] by rivers of the powell not timely
[1:11:11] filed.
[1:11:12] >> your recognized. >> just
[1:11:13] so everyone
[1:11:14] in here knows, I want to point out,
[1:11:15] memphis is a majority
[1:11:18] black city.
[1:11:24] I know that was brought
[1:11:25] up yesterday and people seems to have
[1:11:26] no clue that memphis is a majority
[1:11:27] black city.
[1:11:28] but honestly, everyone in this room
[1:11:30] knows that. This is a very important
[1:11:31] bill,
[1:11:32] it says prior to final passage of
[1:11:33] any congressional redistricting plan,
[1:11:34] and acted
[1:11:36] between apportionments
[1:11:38] , the general assembly shall evaluate
[1:11:39] whether the proposed plan
[1:11:40] does proportionately fragments, pacs,
[1:11:42] or splits minority populations
[1:11:47] . We haven't even evaluated these maps.
[1:11:48] they
[1:11:51] are unconstitutional . They are
[1:11:52] clearly going to be unconstitutional
[1:11:56] , because the voting rights act still
[1:11:57] stands. The voting
[1:12:00] rights act still stands. We, in here,
[1:12:08] give the budget 24 hours to layover,
[1:12:09] but we cannot give
[1:12:10] these maps 24 hours to layover so
[1:12:12] that we can analyze them? I move
[1:12:13] for consideration.
[1:12:14] >> we are voting
[1:12:15] for consideration of amendment number
[1:12:16] 28. All those in
[1:12:18] favor of amendment 28 vote yes when
[1:12:19] the
[1:12:20] bell rings. Does any member wish to
[1:12:21] change their vote? Mr. Clerk?
[1:12:26] >> having failed to receive the necessary
[1:12:27] vote, the motion
[1:12:29] to consider amendment 28 fails.
[1:12:30] >> amendment
[1:12:33] 29 by were resented
[1:12:34] of salinas not timely filed.
[1:12:35] >> representative
[1:12:36] salinas?
[1:12:37] >> this amendment is about
[1:12:38] equal representation. I know not everybody
[1:12:39] reads the
[1:12:40] amendments, so I will take the time
[1:12:42] to read this
[1:12:44] . It is very simple. It says the general
[1:12:45] assembly recognizes
[1:12:48] that all tennessean voters,
[1:12:53] regardless of political affiliation,
[1:12:54] race, ethnicity, or
[1:12:55] geographic location, are entitled
[1:12:56] to meaningful and effective representation
[1:12:57] in congress.
[1:13:00] if you
[1:13:01] want to say that you are not prejudiced,
[1:13:03] if you want to say that you
[1:13:04] are not racist, that you care about
[1:13:06] equality, you will vote yes on this
[1:13:07] amendment,
[1:13:08] and I moved for consideration.
[1:13:09] >>
[1:13:10] you have heard the
[1:13:11] motion, we are voting for consideration
[1:13:12] of amendment 29. All those in favor
[1:13:13] of considering
[1:13:15] amendment 29 , but yes when the bell
[1:13:16] rings
[1:13:17] because any member wish to change
[1:13:18] their vote? Mr. Clerk, please take
[1:13:19] the
[1:13:21] vote.
[1:13:22] >>
[1:13:24] 20-72.
[1:13:25] >> having failed to receive
[1:13:26] the
[1:13:27] necessary vote of the motion to consider
[1:13:28] amendment 29 fails.
[1:13:31] >> amendment 30 not timely filed.
[1:13:32] >> representative johnson? >> thank
[1:13:33] you, mr. Speaker. The
[1:13:36] key thing of
[1:13:39] this amendment, is
[1:13:42] local governmental integrity
[1:13:45] --I'm sorry, wrong one.
[1:13:48] election administration.
[1:13:50] what we are getting ready to do is
[1:13:51] going to create chaos in
[1:13:55] every one of our election commissions
[1:13:57] and it will cost them a lot of
[1:13:59] money, to make all the changes they
[1:14:00] will have to make in the middle of
[1:14:01] an election. What this amendment does,
[1:14:03] it requires the implementation , minimizing
[1:14:06] disruption to voters , candidates,
[1:14:07] and
[1:14:09] election officials .
[1:14:11] election changes should not create chaos
[1:14:15] for voters , or for candidates
[1:14:18] . Move consideration.
[1:14:19] >> you have
[1:14:20] heard
[1:14:21] the motion, we are voting for consideration
[1:14:22] on
[1:14:23] amendment 30. All in favor of considering
[1:14:24] him 30, those opposed
[1:14:27] that no.
[1:14:29] has every member voted, does any member
[1:14:30] wish to change their vote? Mr. Clerk,
[1:14:33] please take note.
[1:14:36] in
[1:14:37] accordance with rule six be, having
[1:14:38] failed to receive the necessary vote,
[1:14:39] the motion to
[1:14:41] consider amendment 30 fails.
[1:14:42] >> emoni 31,
[1:14:47] not timely filed.
[1:14:48] >> you are recognized.
[1:14:49] >> thank you, mr.
[1:14:50] speaker. What is happening to memphis
[1:14:51] today has already happened to nashville.
[1:14:52] as somebody who
[1:14:53] represents nashville, we have decreased
[1:14:54] representation for our committee,
[1:14:55] we get
[1:14:59] calls from people trying to get passports,
[1:15:00] trying to get in touch with
[1:15:01] their relatives with the immigration
[1:15:02] process and because we have three
[1:15:03] members of congress
[1:15:05] none of them who live here and are
[1:15:06] sponsored to constituents, none of
[1:15:07] whom have
[1:15:09] offices here.
[1:15:12] this is about saying we must
[1:15:13] prohibit unnecessary fragmentation
[1:15:14] of minority populations and communities
[1:15:15] of interest, it's about community
[1:15:16] integrity. Communities
[1:15:17] with shared interests should not be
[1:15:18] unnecessarily fragmented. What you're
[1:15:19] doing is, you're going to create
[1:15:20] this method we are looking at, memphis
[1:15:21] and willington county will have the
[1:15:22] same
[1:15:23] congressman. Who do you think they
[1:15:24] will listen to in williamson county?
[1:15:25] who
[1:15:27] do you think will be responsive
[1:15:30] ? We will have
[1:15:32] a whole community that is paying taxes
[1:15:33] but has no reputation. I think some
[1:15:34] of
[1:15:35] your forefathers raised sub type of
[1:15:36] tea party revolution about that.
[1:15:42] we are here to
[1:15:43] say that communities of interest must
[1:15:45] be maintained, because they have specific
[1:15:46] things that must
[1:15:47] be considered in policy. I move consideration
[1:15:48] of this amendment.
[1:15:49] >> we are voting
[1:15:50] for consideration of amendment 31.
[1:15:51] all in favor
[1:15:56] vote yes when the bell rings. Those
[1:15:57] opposed that no. Has every member
[1:15:59] voted, does any member wish to change their
[1:16:00] vote? Mr. Clerk, please take the
[1:16:02] vote.
[1:16:03] >> 16-72. >> having failed to
[1:16:04] receive the necessary vote, the motion
[1:16:05] to
[1:16:06] consider amendment
[1:16:08] 31 fails.
[1:16:09] >> amendment 32 by resented
[1:16:10] of johnson not timely filed.
[1:16:11] >> you
[1:16:12] are recognized.
[1:16:13] >> thank you mr. Speaker.
[1:16:14] this amendment
[1:16:15] is about election preparedness
[1:16:20] . We are talking about that here,
[1:16:21] because what we are getting ready
[1:16:23] to do, as I just said with the other
[1:16:24] amendment, this is going to create
[1:16:26] chaos in our election commission,
[1:16:27] and confusion for voters and for candidates.
[1:16:30] this requires a certification
[1:16:33] that election officials have sufficient
[1:16:34] time
[1:16:36] and resources .
[1:16:39] this will cost our individual counties
[1:16:40] a lot
[1:16:42] of money. May be
[1:16:45] my county, knox, will be able
[1:16:47] to afford it but some of your counties
[1:16:48] will absolutely not. Election officials
[1:16:49] should have
[1:16:51] sufficient time and resources to implement major
[1:16:54] election changes.
[1:16:57] we are in a situation where folks
[1:16:58] out of
[1:17:00] the country
[1:17:03] , fighting for
[1:17:05] us, will probably not get to vote because
[1:17:06] they won't have time to get their
[1:17:08] ballots, and that is wrong. I move consideration.
[1:17:15] >> we are voting for consideration
[1:17:16] of emoni
[1:17:17] 32. All in favor consider amendment
[1:17:18] 32, but yes when the bell rings. Has
[1:17:19] every
[1:17:20] member voted, does any member wish
[1:17:21] to change their vote? Please take
[1:17:22] the vote.
[1:17:23] >>
[1:17:24] 21-73.
[1:17:25] >> having failed to receive
[1:17:26] the necessary vote, amendment
[1:17:28] 30 fails.
[1:17:29] >>
[1:17:33] emoni 33, resented of powell.
[1:17:34] >> thank
[1:17:35] you mr. Speaker. This
[1:17:36] amendment says that if the general
[1:17:37] assembly revises the
[1:17:40] composition of one or more
[1:17:48] congressional district for the 2026
[1:17:49] primary or general election in
[1:17:50] accordance with part two of this chapter,
[1:17:51] general assembly shall evaluate the
[1:17:52] impact that the
[1:17:53] proposed plan may have on voter confusion,
[1:17:54] election administration prior to final
[1:17:55] passage. Again,
[1:17:56] this is going to cause incorruptible confusion
[1:17:58] . Incredible confusion. Many of
[1:18:01] you, now, surely, you can
[1:18:04] vote for this because you have
[1:18:10] --
[1:18:11] your county is currently just one
[1:18:12] congressional district and now it
[1:18:13] is multiple congressional districts.
[1:18:14] surely you can join me in voting for
[1:18:15] this because there is confusion. There
[1:18:16] is
[1:18:17] confusion. We have a new congressperson
[1:18:19] for nashville if this passes.
[1:18:22] this is going to cause
[1:18:25] unbelievable confusion
[1:18:26] . People often rely on their voter
[1:18:28] cards and that is
[1:18:30] totally out the window. I move for
[1:18:31] consideration of this
[1:18:34] amendment.
[1:18:35] >>
[1:18:41] you have heard the motion, we are
[1:18:42] voting for consideration of amendment
[1:18:43] 33. All those
[1:18:44] in favor of considering amendment
[1:18:45] 33, vote yes when the bell rings.
[1:18:46] has every member
[1:18:47] voted? Does any member wish to change
[1:18:49] their vote? Please take the vote.
[1:18:54] >> 1873. >> having failed to receive
[1:18:55] the necessary
[1:18:56] vote, the motion to consider emoni
[1:18:57] 33 fails.
[1:18:58] >> amendment 34, representative
[1:18:59] powell. Not timely
[1:19:00] filed.
[1:19:01] >> this is a very important
[1:19:02] amendment. If there
[1:19:03] is any prayer . There is no prayer
[1:19:07] for this
[1:19:11] withstanding judicial scrutiny, but
[1:19:12] this is about an important amendment
[1:19:13] because it
[1:19:14] says the authority to alter congressional district,
[1:19:20] constitutional restraint and only
[1:19:21] when clearly necessary to comply with
[1:19:22] federal law. We are here
[1:19:25] --there has been no finding.
[1:19:28] there is no federal
[1:19:29] authority that has told us to come
[1:19:31] back here. No court did that.
[1:19:34] our districts
[1:19:37] have been upheld
[1:19:40] , as they
[1:19:41] currently stand, our districts are
[1:19:43] good. Our districts are good.
[1:19:45] what we are getting ready to do today
[1:19:46] ,
[1:19:49] is blatantly
[1:19:50] unconstitutional, and a violation
[1:19:52] of federal law.
[1:19:55] everyone should be for this .
[1:19:58] I move for consideration .
[1:19:59] >>
[1:20:01] we are voting for consideration of
[1:20:02] emoni
[1:20:03] 34. All those in favor vote yes when
[1:20:04] the bell rings. Has
[1:20:06] every member voted, does any member
[1:20:07] wish to change
[1:20:09] their vote? Please take the vote.
[1:20:10] >>
[1:20:13] in accordance with
[1:20:16] 6b, the
[1:20:17] motion to consider emoni 34 fails.
[1:20:19] >> amendment 35,
[1:20:21] not timely filed.
[1:20:22] >> you are recognized. >>
[1:20:23] this all started when somebody went
[1:20:25] on twitter or social media, and
[1:20:28] put up a map that was all red
[1:20:31] . All red and everybody bend the knee
[1:20:34] . The speaker bent
[1:20:35] the knee, the lieutenant governor bethany
[1:20:37] . The governor bend the knee
[1:20:40] , because this
[1:20:43] is all
[1:20:46] about making sure
[1:20:48] that we no longer have a congress
[1:20:51] that reflects the values of tennesseans.
[1:20:55] yes, I am a democrat. We have
[1:20:58] well over
[1:21:01] 40% of our state, who
[1:21:04] are democrats.
[1:21:10] well over. Multiple democrats. Yet, you
[1:21:12] will take estate and make it all red,
[1:21:13] because of some
[1:21:14] tweet and pressure you have gotten
[1:21:16] from the white house? Come on.
[1:21:19] this prevents that.
[1:21:22] that keeps real
[1:21:25] congress people,
[1:21:28] I
[1:21:29] move consideration.
[1:21:30] >> all in favor,
[1:21:31] considering emoni 35, vote yes when
[1:21:32] the bell rings. Does
[1:21:33] any member wish to change their vote?
[1:21:34] mr. Clerk, please
[1:21:37] take the vote.
[1:21:38] >>
[1:21:40] 18-73.
[1:21:41] >> having failed to receive the necessary
[1:21:43] two thirds vote, the motion to consider
[1:21:44] emoni
[1:21:46] 35 fails.
[1:21:47] >> emoni 36, resented salinas
[1:21:49] , not timely filed.
[1:21:50] >> this
[1:21:51] amendment has to do with election
[1:21:52] stability. I will call this amendment
[1:21:55] the representative johnny garrett
[1:21:56] amendment.
[1:21:58] what it does is,
[1:22:04] it makes it such that maps have to
[1:22:05] be in
[1:22:06] place 180 days before a candidate
[1:22:07] qualifying deadline. So, this brings
[1:22:09] stability. Stability to our elections
[1:22:13] , for all the candidates
[1:22:15] that have worked hard to get on the ballot,
[1:22:19] with that, I hope
[1:22:20] that you will honor your colleague
[1:22:22] and vote for my amendment. I move
[1:22:25] for consideration.
[1:22:26] >> we are voting
[1:22:27] for consideration of emoni 36. All
[1:22:28] in favor of considering emoni 36 vote
[1:22:29] yes when
[1:22:31] the bell rings.
[1:22:33] has every member voted, does any member
[1:22:34] wish to change their vote? Take
[1:22:37] the vote.
[1:22:38] >>
[1:22:40] 20-72.
[1:22:41] >> having failed
[1:22:42] to receive the necessary two thirds
[1:22:43] vote of the motion to consider emoni
[1:22:44] 36
[1:22:46] fails.
[1:22:47] >>
[1:22:51] amount of 37, resented pearson not
[1:22:52] timely filed.
[1:22:53] >> the voting rights
[1:22:54] act was
[1:22:55] the most significant piece of legislation
[1:22:56] to make american democracy reach towards
[1:22:57] its ideals.
[1:22:58] the gutting in calais and
[1:23:01] the actions across the south to take away
[1:23:02] reputation from
[1:23:03] black majority communities is wrong
[1:23:04] and is a moral. In the state
[1:23:07] of tennessee,
[1:23:13] which had the
[1:23:14] lowest voter engagement and dissipation
[1:23:16] of any state in the united states
[1:23:17] of america, here,
[1:23:18] we need a voting rights act and we
[1:23:19] need to protect individuals right
[1:23:20] to vote,
[1:23:21] not as a privilege, but truly is a
[1:23:22] fundamental right of this american,
[1:23:23] constitutional
[1:23:24] democratic republican experiment.
[1:23:25] what is happening now is wrong. It
[1:23:26] is unjust, it is unfair.
[1:23:27] it takes away our community's ability
[1:23:28] to elect representatives of
[1:23:31] their choosing
[1:23:33] , and instead has made this statehouse
[1:23:34] the arbiter of democracy. We need
[1:23:35] a voting
[1:23:37] rights act
[1:23:43] in the state of tennessee, and that
[1:23:44] is what this
[1:23:45] legislation aims to do. We need to
[1:23:46] protect people's rights to vote. We
[1:23:47] need to
[1:23:48] protect our communities right to engage
[1:23:49] in this process. With that I move
[1:23:50] for
[1:23:52] consideration.
[1:23:53] >>
[1:23:54] all those in favor considering emoni
[1:23:55] 37 vote yes when the bell rings.
[1:23:57] does any member wish to change their
[1:23:58] vote? Please take
[1:24:01] the vote.
[1:24:04] >> in accordance with
[1:24:06] rule six be having failed to receive
[1:24:07] the necessary vote the motion fails.
[1:24:08] next amendment
[1:24:09] mr. Clerk took
[1:24:10] >> no further amendments.
[1:24:13] >>
[1:24:18] leader lamberth, your ms.
[1:24:19] >> leader
[1:24:20] camper your recognized.
[1:24:25] >> thank you mr. Speaker.
[1:24:28] mr. Speaker, I would yield four minutes
[1:24:31] to resented
[1:24:33] of freeman.
[1:24:34] >> represented a freeman,
[1:24:35] your recognized.
[1:24:36] >> thank you,
[1:24:37] mr. Speaker.
[1:24:40] members, I just want to talk through
[1:24:41] a
[1:24:42] bit about what this bill is doing.
[1:24:49] I know it has been fast,
[1:24:51] a lot of changes, there was an amendment
[1:24:52] put on late. I just want to
[1:24:53] make sure everybody understands what
[1:24:55] we are doing. We are shortening the time
[1:24:58] that is required for a
[1:25:00] candidate to qualify for office just
[1:25:02] for this one election.
[1:25:03] if it made sense, let's change it
[1:25:05] forever. But it doesn't.
[1:25:07] we are just doing it for this one
[1:25:08] instance, because we
[1:25:09] are coming back, hurriedly changing maps,
[1:25:11] so
[1:25:14] that the supermajority can
[1:25:16] pick up a seat. The only saving grace
[1:25:17] for me,
[1:25:20] is that idiot down
[1:25:21] south no longer represents me in congress.
[1:25:23] that the only upside
[1:25:26] for me. Outside of that,
[1:25:29] we are now taking away the
[1:25:30] only majority minority district in
[1:25:31] the state of tennessee. And the reason
[1:25:34] that is significant, is because we
[1:25:37] don't listen to minorities in this
[1:25:38] state. Right?
[1:25:47] we are not listening
[1:25:48] to what they want and need. We are
[1:25:50] telling them what we are going to
[1:25:51] do, and that is not right. We have
[1:25:52] an opportunity right now to vote against
[1:25:54] about map. To vote against this, to
[1:25:56] keep this map the way
[1:25:59] it is, and to make sure the only
[1:26:02] majority
[1:26:03] minority district in the state of
[1:26:05] tennessee has
[1:26:06] representation, someone listening
[1:26:08] to them, that they have someone
[1:26:11] that is doing what they want. When
[1:26:12] we voted on the maps a couple of years
[1:26:14] ago, I said, when you split
[1:26:15] up nashville, you are going to have
[1:26:17] three members that don't live in nashville,
[1:26:18] they will use nashville as a punching
[1:26:20] bag. And that is what
[1:26:23] has happened.
[1:26:26] they use us as a punching bag.
[1:26:28] we are a means to an end for political gains
[1:26:31] , and we are going to do it with the
[1:26:32] majority
[1:26:33] minority district. We are better than
[1:26:35] this. We can do better.
[1:26:38] I am amazed that we are here
[1:26:40] a couple of weeks after we left, to
[1:26:41] do this.
[1:26:44] thank you.
[1:26:45] >>
[1:26:47] leader camper?
[1:26:48] >> thank you,
[1:26:50] mr. Speaker. High yield
[1:26:53] four minutes to representative mckenzie.
[1:26:54] >> your recognized for four minutes.
[1:26:56] >> thank you,
[1:26:59] mr. Speaker.
[1:27:02] for those of us in a certain age,
[1:27:10] there was a tv show called happy days.
[1:27:11] happy days was
[1:27:13] a show based in the 50s, and it was
[1:27:14] all about jukeboxes and racecars.
[1:27:15] there
[1:27:17] was a
[1:27:18] character called fonzie. Fonzie was
[1:27:20] the cool guy. This was
[1:27:22] a really popular show, starring ron
[1:27:23] howard
[1:27:26] and all those folks .
[1:27:32] but what happened? The show kept going
[1:27:34] on and it ran out of things to talk
[1:27:35] about. They ran out of
[1:27:36] subject matter, so they ended up going
[1:27:38] a little too long, and
[1:27:41] ended up
[1:27:44] with fonzie
[1:27:47] in swim trunks and a
[1:27:50] leather jacket on water skis jumping
[1:27:53] over a shark.
[1:27:55] and that became a thing. That became
[1:27:56] a term.
[1:27:59] don't jump the shark. Don't
[1:28:02] stay around too long ,
[1:28:09] don't keep going with episodes because
[1:28:11] it is paying you money to the point
[1:28:12] that you're doing something so ridiculous
[1:28:14] as having a man jump a shark.
[1:28:20] that term
[1:28:21] is used in hollywood and all kinds
[1:28:23] of places even today. People use that
[1:28:24] term don't have a clue why they are
[1:28:26] using that term. That is what we
[1:28:27] are doing here today. We are jumping
[1:28:29] a shark you have heard all
[1:28:31] of this. We have jumped through all
[1:28:32] manner of hoops
[1:28:35] ,
[1:28:38] we have
[1:28:39] done away with laws older than I am,
[1:28:41] older than half the membership
[1:28:44] in here
[1:28:46] for nefarious and racial reasons.
[1:28:47] that
[1:28:50] is what we are doing.
[1:28:56] we have come here today,
[1:28:57] we have spent $2 million of our people's
[1:28:59] money to come here and do something,
[1:29:00] to do someone else's bidding. That,
[1:29:02] to me, is a shame.
[1:29:05] so let's fast forward to today.
[1:29:08] what we
[1:29:11] are looking at is , the speaker
[1:29:14] , lieutenant
[1:29:17] governor, governor , trying to
[1:29:20] tell us
[1:29:23] that they happen to
[1:29:26] get this thing right, and there
[1:29:28] mind right for them, by splitting
[1:29:29] memphis up, in
[1:29:32] a perfectly
[1:29:35] racial african americans equal way.
[1:29:38] they didn't hold their race didn't go.
[1:29:50] the african-american
[1:29:53] population in memphis
[1:29:54] is concentrated but it's spread out
[1:29:56] across there. They got it within one
[1:29:57] percentage point.
[1:29:58] ladies and gentlemen, statistically,
[1:29:59] the chances of doing that is
[1:30:02] you hitting the powerball twice.
[1:30:05] you have
[1:30:06] a better chance of doing that, then
[1:30:08] hitting these numbers. So, that is
[1:30:11] a lie. That just didn't happen.
[1:30:12] they took race into consideration.
[1:30:14] period . Another
[1:30:17] historical point,
[1:30:20] there was a governor of massachusetts,
[1:30:26] governor jerry who created a district
[1:30:27] that looks
[1:30:28] like a salamander. That is where the
[1:30:29] term comes from.
[1:30:32] what does leadership is not telling
[1:30:33] you, we
[1:30:34] have gerrymandered memphis for political reasons.
[1:30:38] that is not
[1:30:40] how the ninth district came to be.
[1:30:41] the ninth district came to
[1:30:44] be because it is continuous.
[1:30:47] it's the only one that's just concentrated
[1:30:49] within basically a county. So, you
[1:30:50] can't tell yourself that this
[1:30:52] didn't happen for racial reasons.
[1:30:56] it is an assault on african-americans.
[1:30:59] >> leader campbell, you are recognized.
[1:31:02] >> thank you, mr. Speaker. I yield
[1:31:05] three minutes to representative,
[1:31:08] .
[1:31:09] >> chairman clemens, you
[1:31:11] are recognized.
[1:31:12] >>
[1:31:13] I have a couple of questions. This
[1:31:14] bill considers
[1:31:15] notice issues and noticed deadlines.
[1:31:17] on the notice deadlines referred to
[1:31:20] in this bill,
[1:31:23] does that refer to changing deadlines
[1:31:24] in all
[1:31:25] 95 counties and every congressional
[1:31:26] district?
[1:31:27] >> leader lambert
[1:31:30] .
[1:31:31] >> that is my understanding. There
[1:31:32] is also a grandfather clause, for
[1:31:33] those that have
[1:31:34] already qualified to run for congress
[1:31:35] , they do not have
[1:31:37] to do anything, if they are remaining
[1:31:38] within the district they qualified in.
[1:31:41] if they are for some reason in
[1:31:43] a different district or want to run
[1:31:44] in a different district they would
[1:31:45] have to
[1:31:46] notify the secretary of state.
[1:31:47] >>
[1:31:48] chairman clemens.
[1:31:49] >> my concern here
[1:31:50] is the
[1:31:56] confusion of voters.
[1:31:57] I think people in all 95 counties
[1:31:59] don't know what we are doing here
[1:32:00] but they
[1:32:01] know we are redrawing district lines.
[1:32:02] to the extent that everyone is going
[1:32:03] to
[1:32:04] be scratching their heads, wondering
[1:32:05] what happened up here today, and whether
[1:32:06] or not there
[1:32:07] congressional district changed or
[1:32:08] if it didn't, I think we do need to
[1:32:09] make sure
[1:32:10] that all voters in all 95 counties
[1:32:11] received some sort of notice with
[1:32:12] the respective
[1:32:13] timeline and to ensure whether or
[1:32:14] not they remain in the same
[1:32:15] congressional district. The reimbursement
[1:32:17] after the submission of cost,
[1:32:19] to the county election commissions,
[1:32:26] if they submit cost to this body that
[1:32:27] has not
[1:32:28] been accounted for, to the state of
[1:32:29] tennessee, coordinator of elections,
[1:32:30] the secretary of
[1:32:31] state's office, what is there reimbursement
[1:32:32] procedure if the state does not satisfy
[1:32:33] the
[1:32:35] request?
[1:32:36] >>
[1:32:38] thank you. That qualifying deadline
[1:32:39] would end at noon
[1:32:41] on may 15th. Either new
[1:32:42] candidates that wish to qualify for
[1:32:44] candidates that wish to requalify.
[1:32:50] so, may 15th at noon, and
[1:32:52] I would encourage candidates to get
[1:32:53] the paperwork in. The parties have
[1:32:54] two days after
[1:32:55] that to determine whether or not to
[1:32:56] remove someone. The reimbursement
[1:32:57] rate is to
[1:32:59] be submitted to
[1:33:01] the secretary of state and comptroller,
[1:33:02] to evaluate those to ensure that obviously,
[1:33:03] it
[1:33:04] is reimbursable under this section.
[1:33:05] I hope that answers your question.
[1:33:06] I know we
[1:33:08] have limited time.
[1:33:11] >>
[1:33:16] thank you mr. Speaker. My question
[1:33:17] was, what is the recourse if
[1:33:18] they don't get the adequate reimbursement,
[1:33:20] because I want to make sure that we
[1:33:21] are
[1:33:22] protecting the physical integrity
[1:33:23] of these governmental budgets. Here's
[1:33:24] the other thing.
[1:33:27] this bill,
[1:33:32] there is a provision in here that
[1:33:34] says a candidate who qualified in
[1:33:35] the district a who will now live in
[1:33:36] district
[1:33:37] b is treated differently than a candidate
[1:33:38] who qualifies industry day and still
[1:33:39] lives in
[1:33:40] district a. There seems to be a disparate
[1:33:41] treatment between candidates who qualified
[1:33:42] for the
[1:33:44] same office , which is really concerning.
[1:33:45] you also
[1:33:48] have an issue where
[1:33:52] there is a provision there, and allowance
[1:33:53] an exception for those candidates
[1:33:54] who will
[1:33:57] still qualify
[1:33:59] , even though there district got completely
[1:34:00] changed they just happen
[1:34:03] to reside in the same district.
[1:34:09] voters who no
[1:34:10] longer live in that district which
[1:34:11] defeats the very purpose and intent
[1:34:12] of a candidate
[1:34:13] qualifying position. Doesn't seem
[1:34:14] to be legal issues I'm concerned with.
[1:34:15] >> leader lambert.
[1:34:16] I'm sorry, leader camper.
[1:34:17] >> thank
[1:34:18] you, mr. Speaker. I would like to
[1:34:19] hear
[1:34:21] this answered, so I will yield
[1:34:26] 30 seconds.
[1:34:27] >> you have 50. Do you
[1:34:28] want all 50?
[1:34:30] >> 30 seconds.
[1:34:32] >> leader lambert, your recognized.
[1:34:33] >> thank
[1:34:34] you. Is hard for me to say anything
[1:34:36] in 30 seconds but I
[1:34:39] will try.
[1:34:40] this was repealed on december 31st
[1:34:41] on the reimbursement makes it clear
[1:34:42] that secretary of
[1:34:43] state shall review those expenses,
[1:34:44] the comptroller's office is a part
[1:34:45] of those
[1:34:48] processes as well. I don't think
[1:34:49] there is any disparate treatment here
[1:34:50] and I will say to any candidates that
[1:34:51] have
[1:34:52] already qualified, I recommend that
[1:34:54] you requalify.
[1:34:59] because if for some reason, some court
[1:35:00] interprets this differently than it
[1:35:01] is written, I hope they interpret
[1:35:02] it exactly as written, there is a
[1:35:03] grandfather
[1:35:04] clause but I encourage them to requalify.
[1:35:06] >> leader camper. >> I
[1:35:07] reclaim the balance of my time.
[1:35:08] >>
[1:35:09] very good. Leader lamberth? You
[1:35:12] have 10.
[1:35:13] >> I renew
[1:35:15] my motion.
[1:35:16] >> we are voting.
[1:35:18] all those in favor of house bill
[1:35:21] 7001, as amended,
[1:35:24] for just as the bell rings. It is
[1:35:25] any member wish to change their vote?
[1:35:30] mr. Clerk? Please take the vote.
[1:35:33] >> 68-25. >>
[1:35:34] house bill 7100 received a majority
[1:35:35] I declare past without objection.
[1:35:39] mr. Clerk?
[1:35:40] >>
[1:35:42] house bill five by chairman
[1:35:45] williams appropriations.
[1:35:46] >>
[1:35:48] your recognized.
[1:35:49] >>
[1:35:50] on the passage of house bill 7005
[1:35:51] on third and final consideration.
[1:35:52] >>
[1:35:55] first amendment.
[1:35:56] >> hounds finance
[1:35:57] ways and means committee.
[1:35:58] >> you are
[1:35:59] recognized.
[1:36:00] >> thank you mr. Speaker. This amendment
[1:36:01] rewrite the bill, I moved to adopt.
[1:36:03] defer to sponsor for
[1:36:06] further expedition.
[1:36:07] >>
[1:36:08] any discussion of the amendments,
[1:36:09] seeing them. All those in favor
[1:36:12] say yes. Next him and
[1:36:15] mr. Clerk.
[1:36:16] >> mr. Williams
[1:36:17] your recognized.
[1:36:18] >> thank you mr.
[1:36:19] speaker. This bill funds
[1:36:20] 100% of the local expenditures associated
[1:36:21] with
[1:36:24] limitation of house bill 7003
[1:36:26] and appropriates a sum sufficient
[1:36:27] for paying
[1:36:30] the expenses
[1:36:31] of this special session. With that,
[1:36:32] I renew my motion.
[1:36:33] >> any discussion
[1:36:34] on
[1:36:35] the bill. Representative mcallen,
[1:36:36] you are recognized.
[1:36:39] >> thank you mr. Speaker. Move
[1:36:40] previous question.
[1:36:41] >> is there objection?
[1:36:47] objection on the board for all those
[1:36:48] in favor vote yes when the
[1:36:49] bell rings. As opposed. Is any member
[1:36:51] wish to change their vote?
[1:36:54] mr. Clerk, take the vote.
[1:36:57] >>
[1:37:00] previous question prevails.
[1:37:03] those in favor of house
[1:37:04] bill 7005 just when the bell rings.
[1:37:06] has every member voted, does any member
[1:37:07] wish
[1:37:09] to change their vote?
[1:37:12] mr. Clerk, please take the vote.
[1:37:15] >>
[1:37:17] house bill 7005, having received constitutional majority
[1:37:20] I declare past without objection.
[1:37:24] mr.
[1:37:27] clerk.
[1:37:28] >>
[1:37:32] has built three by speaker zachary.
[1:37:33] >> passage
[1:37:36] of house will 7003
[1:37:38] on final consideration.
[1:37:39] >> mr. Clerk,
[1:37:41] call the first amendment.
[1:37:42] >> amendment
[1:37:43] number
[1:37:45] one.
[1:37:46] >>
[1:37:47] your matt picht
[1:37:48] >> thank you I moved
[1:37:49] to adopt.
[1:37:50] >>
[1:37:51] any discussion amendments seeing them.
[1:37:52] say yes. All
[1:37:54] those opposed. Next amendment mr.
[1:37:57] clerk.
[1:37:58] >> has amendment to,
[1:38:00] not timely filed.
[1:38:01] >> johnson.
[1:38:11] >> thank you, mr. Speaker. What this
[1:38:12] amendment does,
[1:38:15] when we are
[1:38:16] establishing congressional districts
[1:38:18] pursuant to subsection
[1:38:21] crime statistics arrest data and
[1:38:22] generalized public safety assertions
[1:38:26] , must not be utilized as a basis
[1:38:27] for fragmenting
[1:38:30] diminishing or diluting the representation
[1:38:33] influence. I
[1:38:35] believe we had someone in committee
[1:38:39] use that as a reason
[1:38:42] for these maps.
[1:38:47] that was representative loel russell.
[1:38:48] I think that is important, but,
[1:38:51] crime statistics and arrest data
[1:38:54] should not be used . I move consideration.
[1:39:00] >>
[1:39:03] all those
[1:39:04] in favor of considering amendment
[1:39:06] number two vote yes when the bell
[1:39:07] rings.
[1:39:09] has any member voted or was to change
[1:39:12] the vote? Mr. Clerk, please take the vote.
[1:39:21] >>
[1:39:23] mr. Speaker, and a further amendment.
[1:39:30] >> thank
[1:39:33] you mr. Chairman
[1:39:35] . Mr. Speaker, I yield five minutes
[1:39:36] to
[1:39:39] chairman clements.
[1:39:41] >> chairman clements, you are recognized
[1:39:42] for five minutes.
[1:39:43] >> thank you
[1:39:45] mr. Speaker.
[1:39:51] I realize the person in the well
[1:39:52] didn't run this bill yesterday. Here's
[1:39:54] my question. Yesterday, speaker sexton
[1:39:55] was
[1:39:56] asked about who drafted this bill
[1:39:57] , he pointed to
[1:40:00] the senate, senator stevens,
[1:40:03] senator johnson,
[1:40:05] yesterday senator stevens was asked
[1:40:06] the question, what numbers
[1:40:08] were relied upon to draw these maps,
[1:40:09] and his
[1:40:11] answer was conclusive that it was
[1:40:12] census data.
[1:40:15] section 1, here, refers to
[1:40:18] all census descriptions and
[1:40:21] so forth. Is that
[1:40:23] correct, that the census data was the
[1:40:24] sole basis for drawing these
[1:40:27] lines for 2020?
[1:40:30] >> speaker zachary? >> thank you,
[1:40:31] yes,
[1:40:32] that is my understanding, the census
[1:40:33] was used to draft the map you have
[1:40:35] in front of you. Based on the population.
[1:40:36] >>
[1:40:39] that's pretty interesting, because
[1:40:41] census data does not include any partisan scores
[1:40:44] or partisan data. Your entire argument
[1:40:45] this week has been
[1:40:48] that
[1:40:49] this is about politics and partisanship.
[1:40:51] so if you solely relied on census
[1:40:52] data, I
[1:40:54] am confused about how you knew
[1:40:57] partisan
[1:40:59] scores when drawing this map if that
[1:41:00] is not considered?
[1:41:03] >> speaker zachary.
[1:41:05] >> thank you. Did you have a question?
[1:41:09] >> if that is your answer, that is
[1:41:10] fine by me but
[1:41:13] that is all I need.
[1:41:16] I yield the balance of my time.
[1:41:21] >> leader camper, you are recognized.
[1:41:22] >> thank
[1:41:25] you mr. Speaker. I yield
[1:41:26] four minutes to represented of shaw.
[1:41:31] >> representative shaw, you are
[1:41:32] recognized.
[1:41:33] >> thank you, mr. Speaker.
[1:41:35] I didn't rise today to be emotional.
[1:41:40] I am
[1:41:43] here to say that this is my second
[1:41:46] go around .
[1:41:49] I am standing here today ,
[1:41:52] because my dad went out
[1:41:54] to register to vote , but he never
[1:41:55] got a chance
[1:41:58] to vote.
[1:42:00] but I am standing here today because he
[1:42:02] didn't get a chance. I feel it is
[1:42:04] my responsibility
[1:42:06] to take up the mantle and run with
[1:42:07] it.
[1:42:10] I did get a chance to vote.
[1:42:13] but all of my life,
[1:42:20] voting has been a problem with the
[1:42:22] other side.
[1:42:25] from
[1:42:28] childhood to this moment
[1:42:31] ,
[1:42:32] and this probably is the last time
[1:42:34] I will get a chance to stand
[1:42:36] in this well and talk. Here is what
[1:42:37] I will tell
[1:42:40] you all .
[1:42:46] you are not stopping anything.
[1:42:49] it has been tried
[1:42:52] over.
[1:42:53] in fact, my dad, when he registered
[1:42:55] to vote,
[1:42:58] he had to move to a
[1:42:59] government tent city, because they
[1:43:01] put him out of a place
[1:43:04] to live .
[1:43:07] I remember one friday evening,
[1:43:08] he came home and announced to us,
[1:43:10] we've
[1:43:13] got to move. And reset why?
[1:43:18] he said, because I registered to vote.
[1:43:19] we
[1:43:20] have to move. Where will we move?
[1:43:22] we have no place but we have to
[1:43:23] go to the tent city. This was friday.
[1:43:25] but because we knew
[1:43:27] someone higher than the government
[1:43:34] , we called a family prayer,
[1:43:37] and from friday evening,
[1:43:39] late to early monday morning, we had
[1:43:40] a place
[1:43:43] to stay.
[1:43:52] so what I am telling you folks
[1:43:53] today is, it doesn't matter what you
[1:43:55] pass, how you draw maps, it doesn't
[1:43:56] matter
[1:43:57] how you --you can draw them anyway
[1:43:58] you want to, you cannot stop
[1:44:01] god's people. Trust me.
[1:44:04] if you don't ever hear me say
[1:44:06] anything else, even if you get to
[1:44:07] attend my funeral,
[1:44:10] you remember this one thing.
[1:44:13] you are not doing
[1:44:16] anything but hurting yourself
[1:44:21] . And listen at the midnight hour.
[1:44:22] we normally like to blame
[1:44:25] everything on everybody else. Somebody
[1:44:28] else made me angry, no, you have
[1:44:30] to live with yourself. And at midnight,
[1:44:34] when nobody else
[1:44:35] is in your room but you, yourself, you
[1:44:37] have got to live with you. If
[1:44:40] you can go to sleep , close your
[1:44:42] eyes and rest at night after doing
[1:44:43] what you're doing ,
[1:44:46] you do it.
[1:44:48] but I can tell you this one thing,
[1:44:49] there is
[1:44:52] a man that is higher than all of us
[1:44:57] , and he is looking down on us right
[1:44:58] now, and you can just
[1:45:01] remember this. Missile black
[1:45:04] I told you before he left here,
[1:45:06] you ain't heard nobody but yourself
[1:45:07] .
[1:45:10] god bless you
[1:45:13] and we will all be okay.
[1:45:16] >> leader camper
[1:45:19] ?
[1:45:25] >> thank you, mr.
[1:45:27] speaker. I yield four minutes to representative
[1:45:28] miller.
[1:45:29] >> representative miller. >>
[1:45:31] speaker sexton and leader lamberth
[1:45:34] , and to the
[1:45:37] chairman's of the standing committee.
[1:45:38] that question has
[1:45:40] been asked, why are we here?
[1:45:42] you know, I am thinking about why
[1:45:43] we are here
[1:45:46] , and I said, okay.
[1:45:52] the governor gets a call or
[1:45:55] email,
[1:45:58] would be governor
[1:46:00] blackburn, and the president says
[1:46:01] to
[1:46:04] the governor,
[1:46:07] I need a few thousand votes
[1:46:10] . We have heard
[1:46:12] this before. Right? I need a few thousand votes.
[1:46:13] because
[1:46:16] I want to flip
[1:46:21] the democratic seat, the ninth congressional
[1:46:22] seat is
[1:46:25] shelby county. I want to make it bleed.
[1:46:28] I want to flip
[1:46:31] it to a republican.
[1:46:37] that came from a convicted felon
[1:46:40] .
[1:46:46] it came
[1:46:48] from, probably, one of the worst presidents
[1:46:49] in the history of the united states,
[1:46:50] a
[1:46:52] corrupt president, amazing.
[1:46:55] it is
[1:46:57] almost demonic. It is almost devious.
[1:47:04] and it is definitely devilish.
[1:47:07] so what happens at this point
[1:47:10] ? We say we
[1:47:13] want to continue this golden age
[1:47:16] of president donald trump.
[1:47:19] these are the words that come from
[1:47:22] our senior senator .
[1:47:28] it is almost insane.
[1:47:31] as my colleague
[1:47:34] has said ,
[1:47:39] people will remember, your constituency
[1:47:40] will remember
[1:47:43] the worst things you will do
[1:47:46] .
[1:47:49] not often the good things, but they
[1:47:50] will remember the
[1:47:52] worst things that you do.
[1:47:55] dependent on this vote that you take today
[1:47:58] , you have to live with this.
[1:48:01] you have to live with this vote
[1:48:04] . Sometimes being here
[1:48:07] long enough,
[1:48:10] I can make predictions. And I have
[1:48:12] a prediction as to what will happen
[1:48:13] on this vote.
[1:48:16] but I have another prediction .
[1:48:19] you have to live with it.
[1:48:25] regardless of what you do from this
[1:48:28] point on , whatever bills you may introduce
[1:48:34] , this one, this vote ,
[1:48:37] your constituency, my constituents
[1:48:39] will remember. I don't think that
[1:48:40] you have got
[1:48:45] a ton of emails, phone calls from
[1:48:46] your constituents, saying
[1:48:50] do this .
[1:48:55] do this, follow the president of the
[1:48:56] united states.
[1:48:59] follow
[1:49:02] stephen miller.
[1:49:04] when you look at their ratings, the
[1:49:05] approval ratings
[1:49:06] of the president of the united states,
[1:49:08] it is the lowest
[1:49:11] of probably any president of the
[1:49:12] united states, and you want to follow that?
[1:49:17] you want to follow that, you
[1:49:18] want your name, your signature on
[1:49:20] this legislation?
[1:49:23] you better think about it.
[1:49:26] thank you.
[1:49:29] >>
[1:49:32] leader camper?
[1:49:34] >> thank you, mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker,
[1:49:38] I yield four minutes to
[1:49:41] chairman chiswick .
[1:49:44] >> you are recognized. >> thank
[1:49:46] you mr. Speaker. To my colleague in
[1:49:47] the well,
[1:49:50] I have a few questions if you
[1:49:52] will indulge me. State government,
[1:49:56] we have
[1:49:57] a map in place, now, that was defended
[1:49:59] in court
[1:50:02] saying he did not dilute
[1:50:05] minority voters. Why
[1:50:08] would this plan replace one
[1:50:09] that was already backed by this body?
[1:50:11] >> repeat
[1:50:14] that last part again?
[1:50:15] >>
[1:50:19] I was stating that we have a map that
[1:50:20] was defended in
[1:50:22] court, now. Why would this plan right
[1:50:23] here replace
[1:50:24] the one that is already in place?
[1:50:25] >>
[1:50:26] speaker zachary?
[1:50:27] >>
[1:50:30] members, it is important to know that
[1:50:32] the map you have in front
[1:50:34] of your was drafted based on the population
[1:50:35] related
[1:50:38] to the last census , but it
[1:50:39] was absolutely drafted on politics,
[1:50:41] based on court rulings
[1:50:44] , this gives us a
[1:50:46] unique opportunity for the first time
[1:50:47] in history, to
[1:50:50] have an
[1:50:54] all republican delegation sent from
[1:50:55] tennessee to washington, d.c. To represent
[1:50:56] conservative values,
[1:50:57] to represent conservative principles,
[1:50:59] and this gives us
[1:51:02] a
[1:51:03] historic opportunity and we are taking advantage
[1:51:05] of that as the super majority in this
[1:51:06] body. That is why we are doing it.
[1:51:07] >> representative chisholm. >> yes.
[1:51:08] I am
[1:51:11] trying to be
[1:51:14] concise. How does this map apply
[1:51:15] with the 14th amendment's equal protection
[1:51:17] clause?
[1:51:18] >> speaker zachary?
[1:51:20] >> thank you
[1:51:23] mr. Speaker.
[1:51:24] we drafted this in consultation with
[1:51:25] legal, and we are confident that this
[1:51:26] meets the
[1:51:27] criteria that we are required to by
[1:51:28] law and the constitution draft maps.
[1:51:29] >> many
[1:51:32] of us are still confused. Whose legal consultation
[1:51:35] drew the map?
[1:51:36] >>
[1:51:38] representative
[1:51:39] zachary?
[1:51:40] >> the senate was the primary
[1:51:41] drafter of the map
[1:51:43] with the input and collaboration with
[1:51:44] the house.
[1:51:47] >> repetitive chisholm. >> thank you.
[1:51:53] mapmakers are skilled in using proxies
[1:51:54] such
[1:51:56] as urban areas and
[1:52:00] people who live predominantly near
[1:52:02] black churches or schools, so,
[1:52:08] were proxies used to identify
[1:52:11] racial demographics?
[1:52:14] >> speaker zachary? >>
[1:52:18] thank you mr. Speaker. As I stated
[1:52:20] earlier, the criteria used to draft
[1:52:21] this
[1:52:22] map was politics and population based
[1:52:23] on census
[1:52:25] data.
[1:52:26] >> representative chisholm. >>
[1:52:29] I'm curious, was the word
[1:52:35] urban used in drawing this map?
[1:52:36] >>
[1:52:37] speaker zachary.
[1:52:38] >> thank you. Again, this map
[1:52:39] was drafted based on
[1:52:41] politics, based on population
[1:52:42] and the opportunity for the first
[1:52:44] time in history
[1:52:47] for us to
[1:52:48] send an entire republican delegation
[1:52:49] from tennessee to represent the state
[1:52:50] in washington,
[1:52:53] d.c.
[1:52:54] >>
[1:52:56] how does this map not cause voter
[1:52:57] confusion if the primary election
[1:52:59] is already going on?
[1:53:08] >> speaker
[1:53:09] zachary.
[1:53:10] >> I trust the people of
[1:53:11] tennessee who were informed and have
[1:53:12] plenty of
[1:53:13] time before they go to vote in august,
[1:53:14] to be informed about who the candidates
[1:53:15] will be.
[1:53:16] >> repetitive chisholm. >>
[1:53:17] let me say this. I know you
[1:53:19] probably think this is my constituents
[1:53:20] were not informed.
[1:53:23] let me
[1:53:24] caution, many of your constituents
[1:53:26] are not informed either. So, I
[1:53:29] have to --
[1:53:31] let me speak to the humanity of everyone
[1:53:32] in the room for the next
[1:53:34] 10 seconds. This is not a good thing
[1:53:35] for my district, nor yours
[1:53:37] . It is going to hurt more than it
[1:53:38] helps you, and
[1:53:41] I
[1:53:42] think history is going to show that
[1:53:44] the wrong thing was done today.
[1:53:47] thank you.
[1:53:48] >> leader camper. >> thank
[1:53:50] you mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker,
[1:53:52] I would like to yield three minutes
[1:53:53] to representative
[1:53:56] hakim .
[1:53:59] >> recognized for three minutes.
[1:54:02] >> thank you, mr. Speaker.
[1:54:05] I guess I rise
[1:54:08] with the feeling that
[1:54:11] there is an effort on
[1:54:14] some people in this room to play with god.
[1:54:17] we profess in
[1:54:20] this body to be servants
[1:54:23] of god. But,
[1:54:26] do we treat each other with respect
[1:54:29] and understanding?
[1:54:32] I am one of those people
[1:54:35] born in tennessee, probably
[1:54:38] one of the oldest
[1:54:41] people in this room. I know what happened
[1:54:42] in the 50s and
[1:54:44] 60s. I was exposed to it.
[1:54:47] I went to jail at 13 because a man
[1:54:48] wanted
[1:54:49] to run over me in his car. He wound
[1:54:50] up in the hospital, I wound
[1:54:53] up in jail. What I am trying to say is,
[1:54:56] do we truly believe
[1:54:59] in a power
[1:55:02] higher than ourselves?
[1:55:05] I go to bible study with some in
[1:55:08] this room. And
[1:55:11] you are going to tell me , that taking
[1:55:14] rights away from others is
[1:55:17] what god has put in your mind
[1:55:20] on what you should be doing?
[1:55:23] do we fear god , or do we fear man
[1:55:26] ? And when I say
[1:55:29] do we fear man, are we saying that
[1:55:34] the position I have, the position
[1:55:35] that has been
[1:55:37] promised to me is more important than
[1:55:38] my faith in a
[1:55:41] power greater than myself? Look, people.
[1:55:44] I was born and raised
[1:55:47] in the south.
[1:55:50] I know what it is to go through a
[1:55:52] lot of the things that some people
[1:55:53] want to re-implement today
[1:55:56] . There are those among us,
[1:55:59] including myself who are
[1:56:02] not going through it. God put me
[1:56:04] here for a purpose in this legislature,
[1:56:05] to let you know
[1:56:08] that what has been is not going to be
[1:56:12] . We are here
[1:56:15] to work with you, to make
[1:56:16] this state a better place, but we
[1:56:18] are not going to take
[1:56:21] mess off of anybody.
[1:56:27] I
[1:56:28] would hope, many in this room similar
[1:56:30] to me, I came up with
[1:56:33] what was called
[1:56:35] the . Some here grew up in a trailer
[1:56:39] park.
[1:56:44] folks, just because you didn't live on a mountain, just because you didn't live in
[1:56:47] the suburbs, don't make you any less than anybody
[1:56:48] else. And I
[1:56:49] would hope that people of goodwill will remember
[1:56:51] where you come from, where you need
[1:56:54] to go ,
[1:56:57] to be god centered. Thank
[1:57:00] you, mr. Speaker.
[1:57:01] >> leader
[1:57:03] camper, you are
[1:57:05] recognized.
[1:57:06] >> thank you, mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I
[1:57:08] would like to yield two minutes to
[1:57:09] representative hardaway
[1:57:12] .
[1:57:13] >> representative hardaway, you are
[1:57:15] recognized for two minutes.
[1:57:18] >> first, I would like
[1:57:19] to thank the representative body for providing
[1:57:24] a welcoming community.
[1:57:27] my father stood on this
[1:57:30] bill ,
[1:57:33] as something
[1:57:34] that directly impacted his constituents
[1:57:36] . The
[1:57:38] majority of the people in this room,
[1:57:46] your constituents will have representation. In my
[1:57:47] current position as a representative,
[1:57:48] on
[1:57:49] their behalf, a body of people who
[1:57:51] have already been disadvantaged,
[1:57:53] are threatened with more disadvantages.
[1:58:00] how do we rationalize
[1:58:03] the
[1:58:05] majority of everyone in this room,
[1:58:08] being presented, taxation without representation
[1:58:12] , on my part, is now blatant.
[1:58:18] I returned the balance of my time.
[1:58:21] >> thank you,
[1:58:24] mr. Speaker.
[1:58:30] esther speaker, I
[1:58:31] yield three minutes to representative
[1:58:32] harris.
[1:58:33] >> representative harris,
[1:58:34] you are recognized for three minutes.
[1:58:35] >> thank
[1:58:36] you, mr. Speaker. To the sponsor,
[1:58:37] members, the fix is already in.
[1:58:45] we already heard our
[1:58:46] sponsor just say it, that this will
[1:58:48] allow them to have, for the first time,
[1:58:49] an opportunity to send the full delegation
[1:58:50] of republican leadership to the white
[1:58:51] house, to
[1:58:53] be able to represent us in congress,
[1:58:54] that fix
[1:58:56] is already in. They know that by changing these maps,
[1:58:57] that the decisions will
[1:58:59] be made at the voting box, that they
[1:59:00] will win the
[1:59:03] extra seats. We lose our power
[1:59:09] . I have to stand here,
[1:59:10] because earlier in committee on yesterday,
[1:59:11] it was said that this was based off
[1:59:12] of
[1:59:14] lyrical desire, but I have to say
[1:59:15] it as a black man, as
[1:59:18] a black man who lives in memphis,
[1:59:20] as a black man who lives in congressional
[1:59:21] district 9,
[1:59:23] that I lose part of my voting power
[1:59:24] by this
[1:59:27] piece of map.
[1:59:29] we cannot celebrate democracy while
[1:59:31] carving out black communities, apart
[1:59:33] from political advantage.
[1:59:36] we all know
[1:59:39] it, whether we say it or not,
[1:59:41] that this map impact black people
[1:59:42] negatively. In fact, I will say
[1:59:45] it. Like this,
[1:59:50] after the civil war, black americans have
[1:59:51] finally gained the right to be able
[1:59:54] to vote on paper
[1:59:56] . Some did not like that. They could
[1:59:57] not out right
[1:59:58] say that black people should not vote
[2:00:00] anymore, so instead, they put in things
[2:00:01] like
[2:00:03] a poll tax , like a
[2:00:06] literacy exam
[2:00:08] . Intimidation, drawing maps just
[2:00:09] like the ones that have
[2:00:12] been drawn today. We
[2:00:14] are diluting the black voice , we
[2:00:15] are diluting the
[2:00:18] black voice. That is
[2:00:20] why the 15th amendment matters so much
[2:00:27] . It was not just about
[2:00:28] black people casting a ballot, it
[2:00:29] was about protecting the voice of
[2:00:30] black people
[2:00:32] from being intentionally diluted .
[2:00:33] the people who championed the 15th
[2:00:34] amendment believed that democracy
[2:00:35] could not survive if states manipulated
[2:00:36] the system to
[2:00:39] silence black voices . Now here we are,
[2:00:42] in 2026,
[2:00:45] watching efforts to dismantle
[2:00:48] the only majority black congressional
[2:00:49] district
[2:00:51] in tennessee .
[2:00:57] when people ask why this matters
[2:00:59] so much, the answer is very simple. It is because
[2:01:00] history has already shown us
[2:01:01] that what happens when black people's
[2:01:03] voices become inconvenient
[2:01:06] to those in control, this new
[2:01:09] map shows ,
[2:01:12] by diluting our black
[2:01:15] voting power, sponsor,
[2:01:17] I ask that if the supreme court decided
[2:01:18] to say
[2:01:20] that a two dollar poll tax was okay,
[2:01:24] and the governor
[2:01:26] called us back in, would we be okay
[2:01:27] with passing legislation to
[2:01:30] move a two dollar poll tax?
[2:01:33] >> leader camper, you
[2:01:36] are recognized.
[2:01:37] >> thank you,
[2:01:39] mr. Speaker. I yield
[2:01:43] five minutes to representative parkinson.
[2:01:45] >> you are recognized for five minutes.
[2:01:48] >> thank you, mr. Speaker.
[2:01:51] this is a very serious moment.
[2:01:54] this is a historic
[2:01:56] moment, actually. You cannot separate
[2:02:00] this vote
[2:02:02] from the historical reality of race
[2:02:03] in tennessee,
[2:02:06] and the american south.
[2:02:09] memphis is not merely a
[2:02:12] geographic region ,
[2:02:15] it is a cultural, economic,
[2:02:18] and the center of
[2:02:21] black life in
[2:02:24] shelby county.
[2:02:27] I want you to think
[2:02:30] about this. Nearly half
[2:02:33] of the black population in the state
[2:02:36] of tennessee lives
[2:02:39] in memphis, in shelby county.
[2:02:42] nearly half . How
[2:02:45] can we sit here
[2:02:48] and say that this is
[2:02:51] not about race?
[2:02:54] nearly
[2:02:56] half of the black people in the state
[2:02:57] of tennessee live in that corner
[2:03:00] of tennessee
[2:03:03] , that you are
[2:03:06] deciding
[2:03:09] to cars into three different spaces when
[2:03:12] now there is only one,
[2:03:14] and all of those black people that
[2:03:15] live in that corner
[2:03:17] of tennessee , nearly half of the
[2:03:18] states black population
[2:03:22] are sitting in one
[2:03:24] congressional district. How can you
[2:03:25] say this
[2:03:28] is not about race?
[2:03:32] black representation in this state
[2:03:34] was not given freely. It was
[2:03:35] fought for. It was sacrificed for
[2:03:39] through protestant generations of struggle.
[2:03:43] this chamber must decide whether
[2:03:45] the black voice of tennessee deserves protection
[2:03:49] . You
[2:03:52] cannot celebrate dr. King
[2:03:55] in january, and turnaround
[2:04:00] , and killed a black voice of tennessee
[2:04:04] in may.
[2:04:06] let's talk about christian values.
[2:04:15] the highest christian values love
[2:04:16] of thy neighbor,
[2:04:17] and love does not silence communities.
[2:04:19] love does not divide people ,
[2:04:20] or we can their voice. Love does not
[2:04:22] benefit from a community
[2:04:23] while diminishing its representation.
[2:04:27] if we truly believe in christian principles
[2:04:28] of
[2:04:31] loving our neighbor , then we
[2:04:33] cannot justify weakening the voice
[2:04:37] of nearly half of the
[2:04:39] black population in the state of tennessee
[2:04:40] .
[2:04:46] some
[2:04:47] of you have black neighbors, some of
[2:04:48] you have black friends. Some of you
[2:04:49] have
[2:04:51] black family members. How do you tell them
[2:04:53] , what you did to the people that
[2:04:55] look just like them?
[2:04:58] some of you say that you are
[2:05:01] my friend .
[2:05:05] but when I ask if you will take this
[2:05:07] vote you cannot even look me
[2:05:08] in the eye. The shame is all over
[2:05:10] your face. You look down,
[2:05:11] you look away, but you will not look
[2:05:13] at me on
[2:05:16] and tell me yes, I am about to
[2:05:17] push this button and vote to take
[2:05:19] your voice away.
[2:05:20] the lord sees your heart. You cannot
[2:05:22] hide from it. He
[2:05:24] also sees your lack of courage. Well
[2:05:25] here is something
[2:05:27] for you. God does not deliver the
[2:05:28] spirit
[2:05:31] of fear.
[2:05:34] if god does not deliver the
[2:05:35] spirit of fear, then that spirit came
[2:05:37] from somewhere else.
[2:05:40] let me close
[2:05:43] with this .
[2:05:46] if this body
[2:05:53] believes that memphis should not have
[2:05:54] the right to elect representation reflective
[2:05:55] of its
[2:05:57] own community, then perhaps the legislature
[2:05:58] should explain
[2:06:01] why memphis should continue
[2:06:04] to be part of the state
[2:06:07] of tennessee . A
[2:06:09] government that fits from the people
[2:06:13] by weakening their
[2:06:16] political power
[2:06:17] creates the appearance of representation
[2:06:19] without self-determination.
[2:06:22] don't hide behind the maps.
[2:06:24] if that is the case, let me make it
[2:06:25] easier for you.
[2:06:26] let memphis secede from the state
[2:06:28] of tennessee.
[2:06:31] you don't have to redraw maps if you
[2:06:32] let
[2:06:34] us out. Let
[2:06:37] my people go .
[2:06:40] and I am
[2:06:43] dead serious.
[2:06:46] you are constantly beating on
[2:06:49] us, allow us out.
[2:06:51] >> leader camper, you are recognized.
[2:06:55] >> thank you, mr. Speaker.
[2:06:57] I yield five minutes to representative towns
[2:07:03] .
[2:07:04] >> representative towns, you are recognized
[2:07:05] for five minutes.
[2:07:06] >>
[2:07:07] thank you. Like
[2:07:10] my colleagues,
[2:07:12] I will ditto everything that has been
[2:07:13] said today.
[2:07:15] men especially on the floor. I want
[2:07:16] you all to think
[2:07:18] about something. Let's go down this
[2:07:19] historical truck with me.
[2:07:25] the american war of 1775 ,
[2:07:33] the indian war of 1789, the barbary
[2:07:34] war of 1805 and
[2:07:35] 1815, the war of 1812. The mexican
[2:07:37] american war, 1846 through 1848.
[2:07:43] the american civil war which we talked
[2:07:44] about
[2:07:45] all the time, some people still fighting
[2:07:46] that war, 1861 to 1865. Spanish american
[2:07:47] war,
[2:07:48] 1898. The philippine american war,
[2:07:52] 1899 to 1902. World war I, 17
[2:07:55] 1917 to 1919.
[2:07:58] korean war, 1950 253. The
[2:08:01] vietnam war, 64 to 65, the
[2:08:04] persian gulf war,
[2:08:07] the war on terror, 2001,
[2:08:12] one of our longest wars, until 2021. The iraq
[2:08:13] war, 2003 to 2011.
[2:08:16] let's imagine
[2:08:19] you all, as men,
[2:08:21] had fought in every of those wars.
[2:08:22] you fought in every one of
[2:08:25] those wars
[2:08:27] . Let's imagine you come back to a country
[2:08:31] that won't allow you to vote.
[2:08:34] let's imagine the country that you
[2:08:36] fought in every one of those wars,
[2:08:37] and you come back
[2:08:40] to a country
[2:08:42] in your considered 3/5 of a human.
[2:08:46] now with all the
[2:08:47] imagination we are imagining today,
[2:08:49] let's imagine that you are white .
[2:08:50] that
[2:08:52] you are a white man that
[2:08:54] was denied your rights after fighting
[2:08:56] all the wars I just listed. Imagine
[2:08:58] that you were white
[2:09:01] , as a man,
[2:09:04] giving blood, treasure, life
[2:09:09] , family, limb, ideas and everything
[2:09:10] and you
[2:09:12] return to a country that some men
[2:09:18] were in their uniforms, and murdered, but
[2:09:19] you dedicated yourself to
[2:09:20] the country because you were loyal
[2:09:21] to the country. This is not hyperbole,
[2:09:22] this is a history
[2:09:25] that has occurred.
[2:09:28] anyone in their right mind would be
[2:09:31] insane to say that is proper treatment.
[2:09:32] that
[2:09:34] is not christian treatment. That is
[2:09:35] fake
[2:09:36] christian treatment. That is diabolical treatment.
[2:09:40] but this is
[2:09:41] happening in this country. And now,
[2:09:43] we want
[2:09:46] to put our head in the sand and act
[2:09:47] like it
[2:09:48] doesn't happen. We want to play peekaboo with
[2:09:52] the lives of the men in this country.
[2:09:55] we have taken an oath that says we
[2:09:56] are not
[2:09:57] supposed to do injurious things to
[2:09:58] each other in the
[2:10:01] state
[2:10:02] of tennessee. We took that oath. Recently
[2:10:04] we heard that there are people on
[2:10:05] the
[2:10:06] outside of all stripes, protesting
[2:10:07] what we are trying to do in here,
[2:10:10] attempting to do. Blacks on our side,
[2:10:11] whites
[2:10:13] on our side, hispanics, indians,
[2:10:16] jewish,
[2:10:22] everyone is saying stop, what you
[2:10:23] are doing is absolutely
[2:10:24] not democratic but it is not even
[2:10:25] american. Yet,
[2:10:27] we want to track forward to do something
[2:10:28] that is injurious to
[2:10:31] the people , which we just said
[2:10:33] we are not supposed to do. What we
[2:10:34] are doing it anyway, trying
[2:10:37] to do it anyway.
[2:10:40] the world certainly is watching america.
[2:10:43] the world is watching tennessee.
[2:10:45] all those ideals we espouse across
[2:10:46] the water,
[2:10:49] they know we are lying. You cannot
[2:10:52] fool people. You're saying one thing
[2:10:53] and
[2:10:55] doing another. That is
[2:10:57] called a bald-faced lie, where I grew up.
[2:11:04] my grandma would call it a bald-faced
[2:11:05] lie. We are
[2:11:06] lying to the people, lying to ourselves,
[2:11:07] lying to our children. We
[2:11:10] are lying. You don't need an advantage
[2:11:11] when you
[2:11:12] already have an advantage. What do
[2:11:13] you need an advantage for?
[2:11:15] you weigh 2000 pounds, the other man
[2:11:16] weighs 20 pounds,
[2:11:18] you will need up on him and take what
[2:11:19] he has? That
[2:11:21] is cowardice. That is weakness. That
[2:11:22] is not what men do. Men
[2:11:25] of honor, men
[2:11:28] of valor, men of commitment do
[2:11:30] not behave that way. I don't want
[2:11:31] to win an unfair fight. I don't need
[2:11:34] you to stack the deck for me.
[2:11:36] we call that being sissified where
[2:11:37] I come from.
[2:11:41] I don't need you to
[2:11:42] stack the deck, but we are stacking
[2:11:43] the deck. Because you want one mode
[2:11:47] of thought.
[2:11:50] everybody has to think the same.
[2:11:52] that's how we got our butt kicked
[2:11:53] in 2011.
[2:11:57] everybody thinking the same thing,
[2:11:58] nobody is watching you think. How
[2:11:59] do
[2:12:00] you expect for this country and black
[2:12:02] folks to be loyal to you
[2:12:03] when you are not loyal to your own
[2:12:05] voting rights?
[2:12:07] >> leader camper, your recognized.
[2:12:16] >> mr. Speaker, I would like to yield
[2:12:17] a
[2:12:18] minute to representative powell.
[2:12:19] >>
[2:12:20] representative powell, you are recognized
[2:12:21] for one minute.
[2:12:22] >> thank
[2:12:23] you mr. Speaker.
[2:12:26] in 2012 I was
[2:12:27] first elected to this body, and I
[2:12:28] cried tears of joy and happiness,
[2:12:29] that night. It
[2:12:30] wasn't because I was elected to this
[2:12:32] body, I cried because our first
[2:12:33] black president, barack obama, was
[2:12:35] re-elected for his second term.
[2:12:38] I celebrated the movement
[2:12:42] and forwardness of our country, and look
[2:12:43] where we stand today. It is a shame.
[2:12:44] I
[2:12:46] will be in a district where black
[2:12:49] , african americans, hispanic, latinas,
[2:12:50] asian
[2:12:53] americans are all concentrated .
[2:12:56] it has clearly been packed together,
[2:12:59] in nashville.
[2:13:03] I am the only state elected democrat
[2:13:04] in the entire sixth district. And
[2:13:05] they packed communities
[2:13:06] together. This is about politics.
[2:13:08] let's be clear.
[2:13:10] this is about politics. The only politics
[2:13:14] are
[2:13:16] racial politics but this is all about
[2:13:18] racial politics.
[2:13:19] >> leader camper,
[2:13:20] you are recognized.
[2:13:23] >> thank you
[2:13:26] mr. Speaker. I yield
[2:13:29] three minutes to
[2:13:32] representative mitchell.
[2:13:35] >> representative mitchell,
[2:13:36] you are recognized for three.
[2:13:37] >> thank you
[2:13:38] mr. Speaker. Leadership and power,
[2:13:42] being in the majority comes with responsibilities.
[2:13:49] it also comes with the good sense of knowing when
[2:13:50] not
[2:13:53] to do things.
[2:13:55] just because you have the power doesn't mean
[2:13:56] you want to
[2:13:59] do it, sometimes. You know,
[2:14:01] this week, when the governor made
[2:14:02] the call, and
[2:14:06] I heard all the groups getting ready
[2:14:08] to come down here,
[2:14:09] you know, many of you all have seen
[2:14:11] over the years,
[2:14:14] I have got a young kid. He is
[2:14:17] a freshman at bandy. He
[2:14:20] decided he wanted --
[2:14:23] I heard it
[2:14:24] would be a little rowdy down there
[2:14:26] so I told him, son,
[2:14:27] I don't think you want to come down
[2:14:29] here this week.
[2:14:32] he looked at me and
[2:14:35] said, try and stop me.
[2:14:38] I think that being said, I
[2:14:39] knew I had raised my child right.
[2:14:41] and I will tell you
[2:14:44] one thing , don't worry about
[2:14:47] your constituents.
[2:14:48] worry about going home and looking
[2:14:50] at your children ,
[2:14:53] after you vote today.
[2:14:56] will you be proud to tell them how you
[2:14:57] voted
[2:14:58] today? Just think about that , when
[2:14:59] you look at
[2:15:01] these buttons , on which one you will
[2:15:02] push
[2:15:05] here, today. Think about what you
[2:15:07] will tell your kids you did appear.
[2:15:08] you know,
[2:15:11] did you come
[2:15:14] take people's power
[2:15:16] and voice away like a bull connor
[2:15:17] , standing
[2:15:20] on a bridge?
[2:15:25] did you sick german shepherds on someone?
[2:15:28] did you turn water hoses on someone?
[2:15:34] or did you give a community there voice?
[2:15:44] you know, a man died in memphis, tennessee, and
[2:15:45] that is the
[2:15:47] only way the voting rights act
[2:15:49] got past. The only way it happened.
[2:15:56] and we will turn back the clock?
[2:15:59] I know how I will vote
[2:16:02] , and
[2:16:04] I will be proud to go home and tell
[2:16:05] my kids how I voted
[2:16:08] I hope you can, too.
[2:16:14] reverend shaw, like he said,
[2:16:17] you are only hurting yourselves.
[2:16:19] you're not hurting anybody but yourselves.
[2:16:23] bottom line of this is,
[2:16:26] unlike these lines drawn
[2:16:29] by race ,
[2:16:38] the arc of the
[2:16:39] moral universe is long, but it bends
[2:16:41] towards justice.
[2:16:42] >> leader camper,
[2:16:43] your recognized.
[2:16:44] >> I yield four minutes
[2:16:45] to representative peers in.
[2:16:46] >> representative
[2:16:47] pearson, your recognized.
[2:16:48] >> these maps
[2:16:50] are racist tools of white
[2:16:52] supremacy at the behest of the most powerful
[2:16:53] whites the premises
[2:16:55] in the united states of america, donald
[2:16:56] j trump.
[2:16:59] memphis is the most beautiful place on
[2:17:02] the planet.
[2:17:04] it is the place that raised me, my
[2:17:05] brothers, my parents,
[2:17:07] my grandmothers, and where my ancestors
[2:17:08] bones rest.
[2:17:11] what you are doing today
[2:17:16] is eviscerating the only black majority
[2:17:17] congressional district in our
[2:17:19] state, because we are majority black.
[2:17:23] we are here because this republican
[2:17:24] party
[2:17:26] has to seek to's deal elections and
[2:17:27] seats
[2:17:28] because the president and party have
[2:17:32] refused to address the pain,
[2:17:33] the suffering and the struggling of
[2:17:35] every day tennesseans. This
[2:17:38] is about attacking , targeting, and cracking
[2:17:44] district 9 into pieces,
[2:17:47] for more political and racial dominance
[2:17:49] and white supremacy in the state of tennessee.
[2:17:50] we need to realize
[2:17:53] that the calle decision that you are
[2:17:54] all basing
[2:17:56] your decisions on , which gutted the
[2:17:57] voting
[2:17:59] rights act,
[2:18:02] the voting rights act was paid for
[2:18:03] in blood.
[2:18:05] it was not just a parchment signed
[2:18:08] into law, it was paid for in blood
[2:18:10] on the edmund pettis bridge. Paid
[2:18:11] in
[2:18:14] blood by megan evers,
[2:18:17] paid in blood by fanny lou
[2:18:20] haven, a time and time
[2:18:22] assassination after assassination,
[2:18:23] lynching after lynching
[2:18:29] , so that more people might be able to
[2:18:30] ascertain
[2:18:31] access to this constitution of democratic
[2:18:32] republican experiment, that
[2:18:34] is currently being gutted, seeking
[2:18:35] to be
[2:18:38] guided by this chamber ,
[2:18:40] by this house, the senate and this state.
[2:18:41] what is
[2:18:44] happening here is immoral and wrong
[2:18:47] .
[2:18:50] I was reading my bible early this morning
[2:18:53] ,
[2:18:55] asking god why this is happening.
[2:18:59] why again does
[2:19:01] it seem that white supremacy is seeming
[2:19:02] to gain
[2:19:05] . Why, again, does
[2:19:08] it seem like the pillars of pain
[2:19:10] that we have felt and experienced
[2:19:11] for over 400 years in this country
[2:19:14] continue to rise again.
[2:19:17] whispered
[2:19:22] in the words of this bible and in
[2:19:23] the words of these ancestors that
[2:19:24] have come
[2:19:25] before us, just the simple words, we are
[2:19:27] still here.
[2:19:30] we are still here.
[2:19:32] this nation, this state has legislated
[2:19:33] and legalized
[2:19:36] the worst
[2:19:37] things in humanity including our enslavement,
[2:19:39] and we are
[2:19:42] still here.
[2:19:43] right in this country, whereas one
[2:19:45] black
[2:19:48] woman says, your clan ancestors
[2:19:50] enslaved us, tinnitus of our rights,
[2:19:51] called us
[2:19:53] 3/5 of a person and yet we are still
[2:19:54] here. You put
[2:19:57] us on
[2:20:01] cotton plantations and tobacco plantations,
[2:20:03] you denied our human rights, and
[2:20:04] our right to exist as children of
[2:20:06] god and we are still here. You
[2:20:08] destroyed tulsa . You killed and lynched
[2:20:09] black folks
[2:20:12] , shelby county, tennessee
[2:20:14] had the most lynchings of any district
[2:20:15] in
[2:20:18] this state,
[2:20:23] and we are still here. You have had
[2:20:24] three strikes
[2:20:25] laws, mass incarceration, denied us
[2:20:26] who we are, and we are still here,
[2:20:30] and today,
[2:20:31] you're taking the only majority black
[2:20:33] district from us, but I want
[2:20:34] you to know, and I want my nephews,
[2:20:36] and sons in the future
[2:20:37] to know, no matter what you do, no
[2:20:39] matter how much you try and break
[2:20:40] us and make us bend and make us quit,
[2:20:42] we will
[2:20:45] still be here .
[2:20:51] >> leader camper, you
[2:20:52] are recognized.
[2:20:53] >> thank you, mr.
[2:20:54] speaker. I would like to yield
[2:20:57] three minutes to representative
[2:20:59] love.
[2:21:00] >> your recognized. >> thank
[2:21:01] you
[2:21:03] speaker. Members,
[2:21:05] my father was born september the eighth, 1919.
[2:21:09] he served in
[2:21:12] world war ii,
[2:21:15] and fought for the freedoms of this
[2:21:16] country. But
[2:21:17] when he came back, his right to vote
[2:21:18] was not guaranteed
[2:21:21] . It was not
[2:21:22] until after the voting rights act,
[2:21:24] but his right to vote
[2:21:27] was guaranteed. He was elected
[2:21:30] .
[2:21:32] in 1968 and served in this chamber
[2:21:33] until 1994.
[2:21:36] he served with former speaker
[2:21:39] pro tem lois barry. And I have
[2:21:42] talked to many of you
[2:21:43] all who served with him and I have
[2:21:44] heard your statements about how fondly
[2:21:48] you appreciate
[2:21:50] her life and how she legislated, and
[2:21:51] I wonder, today, if she
[2:21:54] were alive
[2:21:57] and serving in this chamber,
[2:22:00] could you look her in the face
[2:22:03] and say
[2:22:06] to her, that what you are about
[2:22:09] to do is write ,
[2:22:12] is just , is moral
[2:22:15] ?
[2:22:18] could you?
[2:22:21] say
[2:22:22] to her, my colleague, I've got to
[2:22:24] do it.
[2:22:27] so that we can look beyond your part
[2:22:28] of
[2:22:30] the state . I don't know what
[2:22:33] is worse. To
[2:22:36] not think about black folks, or to
[2:22:37] say that
[2:22:39] you haven't and
[2:22:42] not tell the truth.
[2:22:43] oftentimes, we have discussions about
[2:22:45] race and racism
[2:22:48] , many times you will have
[2:22:51] difficulty accepting that we have
[2:22:53] pain still in our hearts , because
[2:22:54] of the vestiges
[2:22:57] of slavery .
[2:23:00] the stuff that is left over
[2:23:02] . The little things that you might
[2:23:03] not pay
[2:23:04] attention to. The micro aggressions
[2:23:06] that
[2:23:09] we feel .
[2:23:14] the votes I cast that still ripped
[2:23:15] the scab off. So here we
[2:23:18] are again , with another bill bill
[2:23:24] that members are saying to you is hurtful
[2:23:27] to us.
[2:23:30] that
[2:23:33] says to us you are
[2:23:35] disregarding how I think. How I feel.
[2:23:39] how this bill will impact
[2:23:42] me
[2:23:45] .
[2:23:48] it hurts, it does
[2:23:51] . Many of us have said in these hallowed halls,
[2:23:54] we legislate
[2:24:00] . We
[2:24:01] will do more damage to black folks
[2:24:03] with this vote.
[2:24:09] >> leader camper? >> mr. Speaker,
[2:24:12] I would yield myself two
[2:24:15] minutes and 35 seconds.
[2:24:18] >> leader camper, you
[2:24:19] are recognized for two minutes and
[2:24:21] 35 seconds.
[2:24:22] >> mr. Speaker, members
[2:24:24] , I served in the army
[2:24:27] for 21 years to protect and defend
[2:24:30] the constitution of the united states
[2:24:33] against all enemies, foreign
[2:24:36] and domestic.
[2:24:40] bearing true faith and allegiance
[2:24:42] to the same. I took a similar oath
[2:24:43] when
[2:24:45] I came here, to uphold
[2:24:47] the u.s. Constitution and the state constitution
[2:24:48] and
[2:24:51] not be injurious to the people. I
[2:24:54] took that oath.
[2:24:57] it
[2:24:58] meant something to me, and it still
[2:25:00] does. I think
[2:25:03] and truly believe these
[2:25:06] maps are injurious to my people.
[2:25:09] particularly those in memphis
[2:25:12] , tennessee. Man, when
[2:25:15] I saw that map, it hurt. It was like
[2:25:16] a
[2:25:18] stab in the heart,
[2:25:21] in the center of my hometown.
[2:25:24] that hurt . I
[2:25:27] didn't like it.
[2:25:30] but I tell you what hurt more
[2:25:33] .
[2:25:36] we
[2:25:38] got to calendar and rules I said mr. Speaker,
[2:25:39] we did
[2:25:42] not decide on a time.
[2:25:44] oh, she will announce the time. So,
[2:25:45] for this bill,
[2:25:48] it's 47 minutes each.
[2:25:54] you all know I was a military intelligence
[2:25:55] analyst, and
[2:25:56] I'm trying to figure out the numbers.
[2:26:03] 20 minutes
[2:26:05] and 34 minutes. We understand 47 is
[2:26:06] for the president. Got it. Because
[2:26:07] it doesn't
[2:26:09] make sense , in my analytical
[2:26:12] mind, 47 minutes.
[2:26:15] but
[2:26:18] man, when I added up
[2:26:21] 34 and 20?
[2:26:24] that's 54. Y 54 minutes?
[2:26:27] that
[2:26:30] was the heart, to me now.
[2:26:33] just how I read it, from my analytical mind.
[2:26:39] brown v board of education. The supreme
[2:26:40] court decision in 1954.
[2:26:42] that hurt me.
[2:26:44] I'm just telling you, these numbers
[2:26:45] mean something.
[2:26:48] they are not arbitrary.
[2:26:51] so,
[2:26:54] I'm only doing
[2:26:58] 44 minutes
[2:27:01] .
[2:27:06] >> leader lamberth, you are recognized. >>
[2:27:15] mr. Speaker are yield five minutes
[2:27:16] to
[2:27:17] representative martin.
[2:27:18] >> representative
[2:27:19] martin, you are recognized.
[2:27:20] >> thank
[2:27:21] you, mr. Speaker. Let's remind ourselves
[2:27:22] why we
[2:27:23] are here in this special session.
[2:27:24] >> mr. Trooper, please clear out that
[2:27:25] balcony
[2:27:26] over there.
[2:27:28] >>
[2:27:31] leader lamberth?
[2:27:34] >> thank you mr. Speaker. Yield
[2:27:36] the remainder of my time.
[2:27:37] >> speaker
[2:27:40] lamberth yields
[2:27:45] the remainder of his time. We are
[2:27:46] voting. We are voting on
[2:27:47] the bill. All those in favor of house
[2:27:49] bill 7003 as amended, but yes when
[2:27:50] the bell rings. Those opposed vote no.
[2:27:54] has every member voted, does any member
[2:27:55] wish to change
[2:27:58] their vote?
[2:28:07] >>
[2:28:10] mr. Clerk, please take the vote.
[2:28:25] >>
[2:28:28] 64-25. Three not
[2:28:31] voting.
[2:28:32] >>
[2:28:33] house bill 7003 having received a
[2:28:34] constitutional majority I declared
[2:28:36] past without objection. Leader lamberth,
[2:28:37] you
[2:28:40] are recognized.
[2:28:43] >> thank you mr. Speaker.
[2:28:46] rules be suspended
[2:28:49] for a reading of hr 22.
[2:29:22] >> house joint resolution 22, leader lamberth
[2:29:25] providing for the second --
[2:29:28] 114th general assembly.
[2:29:29] >>
[2:29:34] any objection, the rules are suspended.
[2:29:35] leader lamberth, you are recognized.
[2:29:37] >> thank you mr. Speaker.
[2:29:41] I move the adoption of hjr number 22.
[2:29:42] >> leader lamberth mears adoption
[2:29:43] of house joint resolution
[2:29:44] 22. Any objection to the question,
[2:29:46] seeing none. All those in favor
[2:29:49] of house joint resolution 22
[2:29:52] say yes, those opposed say no.
[2:29:55] the
[2:29:56] motion to reconsider his tabled. Leader
[2:29:57] lamberth, you are recognized.
[2:29:58] >> thank
[2:29:59] you
[2:30:01] mr. Speaker. Be approved through the first
[2:30:04] day of the
[2:30:09] session of the 114th general assembly.
[2:30:10] >> so ordered.
[2:30:13] leader lamberth?
[2:30:16] >> thank you mr. Speaker. Percent
[2:30:17] to house joint resolution number 22
[2:30:19] I moved the house of representatives
[2:30:20] of the second extraordinary session
[2:30:22] of the 114th general assembly of
[2:30:24] the state of tennessee adjourn.
[2:30:25] >>
[2:30:26] in
[2:30:28] accordance with house
[2:30:31] joint resolution 22 I
[2:30:34] declare the second extraordinary session of
[2:30:35] the
[2:30:36] house of representatives of the 114th
[2:30:37] general assembly of the state of
[2:30:40] tennessee adjourned.