[{"_1":2,"_98":-5,"_99":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,74,86],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":-5,"_68":69,"_70":-5,"_71":72,"_73":72},"mediaId",6412497,"mediaKeyId","2505651-afe1c2ac2da03b2d7feacc0bcddc7c26","parentId",2505651,"title","Committee advances or rolls multiple bills including funding increases, military benefit reimbursements and divestment requirement","audioSeconds",50,"startMs",4114000,"endMs",4164000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2505651-afe1c2ac2da03b2d7feacc0bcddc7c26&start=4114&end=4164","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2505651-afe1c2ac2da03b2d7feacc0bcddc7c26/thumbnail_4114000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6412497/Committee-advances-or-rolls-multiple-bills-including-funding-increases-military-benefit-reimbursements-and-divestment-requirement","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6412497-dd2f936ddfbf407b9f3c057b5d415fb3/orig.mp4?Expires=1771007596&Signature=N2CR6oIxuVbNBVGHvbjDVsLthwiTKtNiEOvS0rPJAzQZyH2G30KhzhobQYV5StYrWYD9yhxPO5SxRdKAXLzy6FlN~19zzkiRDNpU3uIt9oIZJA-LUJgnahCL8e7fJxKUcKRbWBXG6LviS27oAXxk~Rx-w-fWXtNXT3ZZx16GubA8WyQw~oX7VfkQr7M85J3FmaTDKJbge36aE4FCBZRortA8AYsLbRFriOjRGGtKwFoRBExNHOEIkL3zugGVz6QTa8P8ZDVWxM4doWDZgum03Mme0CJC~3ZdfYf58Z80N8jRuGMG~24Xt8WtdgaaVtEDFmYYSstNc3Qip~rVU8mZaA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","TN State Legislature","date","2025-03-05T00:00:00Z","article","The State and Local Government Committee moved a slate of bills forward and deferred others during its May 5 meeting. Most of these items received brief sponsor explanations and quick roll-call votes.

Bills advanced with recorded tallies or destinations (as stated in committee):
- House Bill 98 — increased the maximum state match for human-resources agencies from $150,000 to $370,000 and allowed additional local funding; reported to Finance, Ways and Means (vote announced as 23 ayes, 0 nays).
- House Bill 479 — established a TRICARE premium reimbursement program for Tennessee National Guard members (\"Tennessee National Guard Service Members Medical Readiness Act\"); moved to Finance, Ways and Means (vote announced as 23 ayes, 0 nays).
- House Bill 4 79 (same as above) — moved on to finance ways and means (23–0 recorded).
- House Bill 1095 — applied post-certification and in-service training requirements to private special deputies employed by resort-town management companies; moved to calendar and rules (vote announced as 22 ayes, 0 nays).
- House Bill 1341 — established an administrative mechanism at the Secretary of State’s office to reverse fraudulent business filings made in another person’s or business’s name; moved to calendar and rules (vote count not specified in transcript).
- House Bill 805 — required state retirement systems and local pension funds to divest from entities majority owned by Chinese interests; advanced to calendar and rules (clerk reported 17 ayes, 1 nay, 2 present non-voting).
- House Bill 346 — authorizes a plaque honoring former member John Deberry and sets plaque language (as amended); moved to finance, ways and means (clerk reported 17 ayes, 2 nays, 1 present non-voting).
- House Bill 23 — clarified a statutory definition of “district”; moved to calendar and rules (clerk reported 17 ayes, 2 nays).
- House Bill 22 — amended rules on public comment to ensure members of the public can address matters germane to the governing body; sponsor said the bill preserves local control of time and manner; the transcript shows the committee voted to move the bill to calendar and rules but the clerk’s tally was not specified in the record you provided.

Bills rolled or taken off notice:
- House Bill 357 — rolled “to the hill” at sponsor request.
- House Bill 653 — rolled two weeks at sponsor request.
- House Bill 1405 — rolled one week at sponsor request.
- House Bill 1173 — taken off notice at sponsor request.

Committee members frequently called the previous question to end debate on multiple items and the clerk recorded votes immediately after roll calls. Where the transcript did not report a numeric tally, outcomes are recorded as “moved to calendar and rules” or “moved to next committee” per the sponsor’s stated destination.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","State & Local Government Committee\tMar 5, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","At the May 5 meeting the committee advanced several bills to the next stage, including increased state matching for human-resources funding, a TRICARE premium reimbursement program for National Guard members, a divestment provision for retirement funds and several other measures; several bills were rolled or taken off notice.","taxTitle","taxId",0,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":-5,"_68":69,"_70":-5,"_71":72,"_73":72},6412535,"Committee confirms nominees to Tennessee wildlife, lottery and education boards; unanimous votes reported",1404,612000,2016000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2505651-afe1c2ac2da03b2d7feacc0bcddc7c26&start=612&end=2016","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2505651-afe1c2ac2da03b2d7feacc0bcddc7c26/thumbnail_612000.jpg","/articles/6412535/Committee-confirms-nominees-to-Tennessee-wildlife-lottery-and-education-boards-unanimous-votes-reported","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6412535-6f15d91e4d72e114c5211c1806e6dcc4/orig.mp4?Expires=1771007596&Signature=U27eIGtJ2929eL7PdGgQTK1saj6dkmL~PGhv1iouLt9C7ODltKwy2tn4D0KIvjsEAT7F6528GhPkOgjMvctPSfzf72YPeKnULgvWG1T3sj14SHATQGZrhvEBcQCSyanDi4~JDyRdrquYxjSsVG2RKrc~zzf0svqNBoGStAfbpi2fb9dNvDABqxyQuva5-X8EDs43135xc7WUvU9jijVurXca34WOSYPNBF18~g8KhZxdHbenLlDlSYuVZoI1-rNR3AG5g7pXkkphIZlyjwJCt4hS4tpce2684YWDtw7O4PLYcgH~zSb5EcU8-9Ct12emGjhXnsni3rTkLLiaiaFrUQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The State and Local Government Committee confirmed multiple nominees to state boards during its May 5, 2025, session, moving each nomination on to calendar and rules.

Nominees and committee action:
- Philip Fulmer — appointed to the Tennessee Lottery Corporation board of directors. The committee recorded the vote as 18 ayes, 0 nays. Representative Lambreth introduced Fulmer, citing his history as University of Tennessee coach and athletic director.
- John McCarty — appointed to the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) board. The committee recorded 20 ayes, 0 nays. Representative Vaughn introduced McCarty as a Collierville businessman with experience in civil engineering and outdoor sports.
- Haynes Torbett — appointed to the Tennessee Fish and Wildlife Commission. The committee recorded 19 ayes, 0 nays. Representative Eldridge described Torbett’s insurance and benefits industry background and service on sports-wagering and historical commissions.
- Rosemary McElhinney — appointed to the Tennessee Fish and Wildlife Commission (another TWRA-related appointment). The committee recorded 21 ayes, 0 nays after testimony describing her land-conservation work and board service at multiple organizations.
- Trey Watkins — reappointed to the Tennessee Education Lottery Corporation board of directors. The committee recorded 20 ayes, 0 nays. Watkins, a CPA from Memphis, noted the lottery raised approximately $519,000,000 for education in the prior year.
- Nancy Dishner — appointed to the Tennessee Education Lottery Corporation board of directors. The committee recorded 21 ayes, 0 nays. Dishner, an education administrator, described nearly 50 years in Tennessee education.

Each nominee spoke briefly to the committee. There were no recorded objections during the confirmation votes reported in the transcript, and the clerk announced each tally immediately after the roll call. The committee concluded the confirmations before turning to the remainder of the agenda.","The State and Local Government Committee confirmed a series of nominees to the Tennessee Lottery Corporation, Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, Tennessee Fish and Wildlife Commission and Tennessee Education Lottery Corporation; votes recorded in committee were unanimous for each confirmation listed in the transcript.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":-5,"_68":69,"_70":-5,"_71":72,"_73":72},6412563,"Tennessee committee advances bill banning race-based board composition rules after heated debate",1471,2107000,3578000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2505651-afe1c2ac2da03b2d7feacc0bcddc7c26&start=2107&end=3578","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2505651-afe1c2ac2da03b2d7feacc0bcddc7c26/thumbnail_2107000.jpg","/articles/6412563/Tennessee-committee-advances-bill-banning-race-based-board-composition-rules-after-heated-debate","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6412563-8a0932feaefd1d6ab379dabd90feb6d7/orig.mp4?Expires=1771007596&Signature=nj7~stAn543Duf9Oc5gdjFQV6M-rISg6JhwGJNT7GAvV7tWeS1vn1xgSYctHzT-vFXdbWTSEYws3UH2KQehqfUNAJgbQdalqTb5mUIb2JRbQ3PXsNcM2aT4e7yegAQ81ff57Jv59Z5S0K6oHOJJniLrI1I855Vcv-drOyAOwC4nxOx4a9gblA1qiWBz5aJ8wJmfo6RJ5arT0plve~AL0tVrjolotJMokszchKkrlWa4hxIBnDlioNo6~gcBqr~D-CY6vJ5RupCkcIzDkCMQVbTo7QSq1gc1JVfer79Tt7nGzZpA8sEltcNJV9O3BTPtEzcYGCqk47A7PrywB9PWVeA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The State and Local Government Committee voted 17–6 to advance House Bill 1237, a measure that prohibits state regulatory and health-related boards from excluding people from membership on the basis of race, color, ethnicity or national origin and bars boards from operating under race-based composition policies.

Sponsor Deputy Speaker Zachary told the committee the bill responds to the U.S. Supreme Court’s June 9, 2023, decisions addressing race-conscious admissions policies and argued it was needed to align board appointments with equal-protection principles. “This bill prohibits the exclusion of persons from membership on state regulatory and health boards on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, and national origin,” Zachary said. He added the measure would ensure appointments are made “based on merit.”

Opponents said the Supreme Court cases cited by the sponsor dealt with college admissions and do not logically require this statewide change to boards and commissions. Representative Miller argued the university cases do not directly address the composition of state boards and described the bill as “misguided.” Representative Powell raised concerns that removing consideration of race and other demographics could weaken boards’ ability to address health outcomes that disproportionately affect particular communities, citing sickle-cell disease as an example.

Other committee members pressed competing views. Representative Mitchell, a former official responsible for board appointments, warned that boards often act like panels that can discipline licensees and said members would expect a “jury of your peers” that reflects the population. Representative Dixie said she was concerned the bill would roll back efforts to make boards representative of the communities they serve and called the measure “unnecessary” and “divisive.”

The committee first adopted amendment drafting code 4024 before taking the final vote on the bill. After the roll call, the clerk reported 17 ayes and 6 nays; the measure now goes to calendar and rules.

Committee debate focused on whether the bill is a necessary legal alignment or an overbroad change that would reduce demographic representation on boards. Supporters argued the measure removes race-based criteria and centers qualifications; opponents said the change could limit perspectives on boards and undercut local efforts to ensure representation tied to health, geography and lived experience.

What’s next: House Bill 1237 will be scheduled for calendar and rules. If it reaches the floor, the sponsor and opponents indicated they expect continued debate about the bill’s intent and its practical effects on board appointments and representation.","The State and Local Government Committee approved House Bill 1237, which bars state regulatory and health boards from excluding members on the basis of race, color, ethnicity or national origin; the measure passed 17–6 and moves to calendar and rules after debate over its necessity and potential impact on board diversity.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Committee advances or rolls multiple bills including funding increases, military benefit reimbursements and divestment requirement

Committee confirms nominees to Tennessee wildlife, lottery and education boards; unanimous votes reported

Tennessee committee advances bill banning race-based board composition rules after heated debate