Capitol Hill Week: Firearms “carry” law tops agenda

Pace quickens on Capitol Hill with approval of wide variety of bills. Second Amendment Rights legislation begins to move in Senate Judiciary’s Firearms and Ammunition Subcommittee

NASHVILLE, TN:  The pace quickened on Capitol Hill this week as the State Senate acted on a wide variety of bills, including key environmental legislation and several bills protecting our citizens’ second amendment rights. Meanwhile, the General Assembly awaits details of the governor’s budget, which will be presented to a joint session of the House and Senate on Monday night.

The governor is expected to take a four-year approach to the state budget, which will include his plans for spending over $4.5 billion in federal stimulus money that will flow into Tennessee over the next two years.  The governor plans to cut approximately $1 billion from the budget adopted by the General Assembly last year.  However, his speech Monday will not likely include plans to make the massive layoffs in state employees that were once feared. [Read more]

Rep. Brian Kelsey files legislation to elect Attorney General

NASHVILLE– Representative Brian Kelsey (R-Germantown) filed a constitutional amendment today to require the Attorney General of Tennessee to be elected by the people.  Currently, Tennessee is the only state in the nation in which the Supreme Court appoints the Attorney General.  Forty-three states elect the attorney general.

“The people need a voice in the Attorney General’s office,” stated Rep. Kelsey.  “By electing the Attorney General, the public can rest assured that the Attorney General is independent from the Judiciary and politically accountable to the voters.”

The constitutional amendment states that the Attorney General would be popularly elected and would hold office for a term of four years.

“Right now the Attorney General is twice removed from being accountable to the people,” said Rep. Kelsey. [Read more]