Rep. Susan Lynn, Week 9 Recap

From Rep. Susan Lynn, March 15, 2024-

Rep. Susan Lynn

Lab Grown Meat Bill is set to be heard in the

 Agricultural and Natural Resources

 Subcommittee Next Week

Rep. Lynn is pleased to inform you that HB2860 is up in committee on Tuesday, March 19. This office will update you as the bill moves through the committee process. To watch the stream, please click here. Open Meetings Act Bill is Set to be heard in the State Government Committee Next Week Rep. Lynn is pleased to inform you that HB2176 is up in committee on Wednesday, March 20. This office will update you as the bill moves through the committee process. To watch the stream, please click here. Protect Tennessee Minors Act Advances The Criminal Justice Subcommittee this week advanced legislation to further protect children from accessing pornography online.   The Protect Tennessee Minors Act, sponsored by State Rep. Patsy Hazlewood, R-Signal Mountain, would require website owners to implement an age-verification process if 33.3 percent or more of their total content was harmful to minors.  “We don’t allow those under 18 to go into adult entertainment establishments and we don’t allow them to access certain materials,” Hazlewood said. “Unfortunately, in the cyber world it is much easier for children to access it.” “All of us are aware of the exponential increase in mental health issues, particularly with our children, and I sincerely believe that this is one of the causes,” she added. A national survey found that 73 percent of teen respondents between the ages of 13 and 17 admitted to having viewed pornography online.  The legislation would require owners of websites with adult content to match a user’s photo to a valid form of identification issued in the United States. Stored data must not include any personal identifying information and the active user must remain anonymous after access has been granted. Search engines, internet service providers and public interest broadcasts and publications would be excluded from the age verification requirement. Any website owner or operator found to be in violation of the law would face a Class C felony. House Bill 1614 is scheduled to be heard in the Criminal Justice Committee on March 19.

Republicans Fight to Combat Illegal Immigration in Tennessee  Legislation that would allow illegal immigrants convicted of violent crimes in Tennessee to receive life in prison without parole advanced out of the Criminal Justice Subcommittee this week. House Bill 1872, sponsored by State Rep. Monty Fritts, R-Kingston, would allow a judge to sentence an illegal immigrant to life without parole if convicted of a violent crime or a deadly weapon was involved in the offense. The bill also authorizes the same enhancement for adults convicted of a violent crime on school property. “Our justice system routinely enhances penalties when one or more crime is committed at the same time as another,” Fritts said. “Illegal aliens, by entering our country, have committed a crime. If they commit another crime, especially a violent crime, those penalties should be enhanced.” The arrest of an illegal immigrant and all subsequent convictions must be also reported to the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security. The data will be used to help understand the impact to Tennessee.   The Department of Homeland Security has reported more than 6 million encounters along the southern border since 2021. An additional 1.7 million individuals entered the country illegally and successfully evaded authorities. House Bill 1872 is scheduled to be heard in the Criminal Justice Committee on March 19.  A bill to prevent illegal immigrants from being transported in Tennessee advanced out of the Criminal Justice Subcommittee this week.  House Bill 2078, sponsored by State Rep. Bryan Richey, R-Maryville, would make it a Class A misdemeanor to knowingly or recklessly transport an illegal immigrant in the state. It is currently a crime to transport an illegal immigrant for commercial advantage or private financial gain. “The crisis at our southern border has made every state a border state,” Richey said. “Thousands of people are illegally making their way into our country every day as a result of the Biden administration’s inaction. This common-sense bill will prevent illegal immigrants from being unlawfully transported into our state. Tennessee Republicans are committed to ensuring we don’t become a haven for illegals because of the federal government’s dereliction of duty.” The legislation would also increase the fine from $1,000 to $5,000 for each person illegally transported. House Bill 2078 is scheduled to be heard in the Criminal Justice Committee on March 19.

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