The week in politics: House again passes post-Covenant fire alarm safety bill

The House on Thursday passed legislation that would require all schools, public or private, to develop emergency procedures to determine the cause of an activated fire alarm. Majority Leader William Lamberth, R-Portland, filed the bill in response to the Covenant School shooting, and the House first passed a version during the August special session.

But the legislation failed to advance during a House and Senate stalemate, and Lamberth refiled a new version earlier this year. Lamberth said Thursday he filed the legislation after discussion with the mother of Covenant victim Will Kinney.

In a statement read in committee last August, Erin Kinney said many at Covenant initially believed the active shooter situation was a fire because of a blaring fire alarm that masked initial sounds of gunfire. Will, line leader of his class, followed protocol to lead his classmates out of the classroom ahead of the teacher, who was trained to sweep the classroom behind students in the event of a fire emergency.

The bill received bipartisan support on Thursday, though some Democrats criticized what they saw as an incremental step toward school safety while the supermajority refuses to take up larger gun-reform measures.

Controversial flag bill advances

House Republicans advanced a controversial bill to ban all but a narrowly defined list of flags from display in Tennessee public schools after two heated committee meetings drew protestors on both sides of the issue.

Though it is not explicitly stated in the legislation, the bill targets pride flags. Broadly, the bill bans displays that “represent a political viewpoint, including but not limited to, a partisan, racial, sexual orientation, gender, or other ideological viewpoint.”

Bill sponsor Rep. Gino Bulso, R-Brentwood, repeatedly accused teachers of using the pride flag to "indoctrinate kids with regard to a particular point of view." Bulso also interpreted the legislation to mean flags and images of flags would be banned, and a teacher could be punished for displaying something like a flag tattoo or piece of jewelry.

"If you have a parent at home teaching children one set of values, do you agree that it would be confusing for a teacher at school to be teaching values, these LGBT values, that are inconsistent with those of the parents," Bulso said.

Eva Frasca, a nurse and public school parent, testified against the bill, arguing the legislature should "not pass laws based on personal prejudices." Frasca described regular holiday celebrations at her children's schools that don't necessarily align with her family's home values.

"Despite my Jewish family not celebrating these holidays in our home, none of my children were hurt or indoctrinated as a result of this imagery. If the difference to you between a pride flag and these other images of joy and celebration is that you agree with some and not the other, then I remind you again that laws must be based on something more than dislike," Frasca said.

Frasca said it's "a part of education that you learn about more than your own family."

Rep. Sam McKenzie, D-Knoxville, argued Bulso was using "indoctrinate" as a "buzzword" without showing any evidence of his allegations, and merely displaying a flag, whether it be a pride flag or "thin blue blue" police flag, is not indoctrination.

"This legislation would carry weight way beyond what we should be doing as members of the General Assembly," McKenzie said. "We were not elected to do things like this. There is no indoctrination."

Sexton briefly comments on Cothren cyberstalking probe

Federal court filings last week revealed Cade Cothren, the one-time top aide to former House Speaker Glen Casada, is under investigation related to cyberstalking allegations. Law enforcement seized Cothren's cell phone last week, and a federal judge this week declined to to quash the warrant to search its contents.

The cyberstalking investigation, which has not resulted in any charges, sprung into public view in Cothren and Casada's ongoing federal corruption case.

Prosecutors argue Cothren hid his involvement in a political consulting firm because the General Assembly, under new House Speaker Cameron Sexton's leadership, would not have approved the company as a vendor if Cothren's involvement was publicly known. Cothren last year sought to subpoena Sexton's phone and other communications records, arguing Sexton remained a close confidant and even tried to find Cothren a lobbying job in 2019.

More: Three legislative informants played crucial role in Casada, Cothren arrests, search warrant reveals

Sexton has not been directly tied to the cyberstalking investigation, but a reporter at a Thursday media availability asked Sexton, R-Crossville, if he'd directed federal authorities to investigate Cothren and others.

"I appreciate you thinking I have that much power," Sexton quipped, before asking for the next question.

McNally says Johnson 'needs to choose' between House, U.S. Senate bids

A measure sponsored by Sen. Richard Briggs, R-Knoxville, to bar candidates from seeking two offices at the same time passed the Senate State and Local Committee this week.

Rep. Gloria Johnson, D-Knoxville, who announced this week that she plans to mount dual bids – seeking reelection in the state House while simultaneously challenging incumbent U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn this year – said she feels the measure is clearly aimed at her.

While Briggs' bill may not be aimed specifically at Johnson, Lt. Gov. Randy McNally, R-Oak Ridge, criticized her decision to seek both offices.

“She needs to choose what she’s really interested in, and not use one as a safety provision in case she loses the higher office,” said Thursday morning.

Senate Majority Caucus Chairman Ken Yager, R-Kingston, told reporters that someone holding “unwarranted power” of two offices at the same time has been a concern among Republican lawmakers for several years.

“It’s really a problem that we need to solve – I don’t think it’s directed toward any individual, I’ve never heard that mentioned,” Yager said. “There's potential abuse of power there – or misuse."

It’s not unheard of for members of both sides of the aisle to undertake bids for multiple offices at one time. Rep. Esther Helton, R-East Ridge, currently serves on the East Ridge City Council. Both Reps. Bo Mitchell, D-Nashville, and Rep. Darren Jernigan, D-Nashville, served on the Metro Council for a period of time while also serving in the legislature.

“It’s time we prevented people from running for two or three offices at the same time,” McNally said.

Dueling education advocates clash at Capitol

Public education advocates called Gov. Bill Lee's push to expand a signature school voucher program statewide a "scam," and protesters verbally sparred with a simultaneous Capitol visit by Americans for Prosperity, a group founded by billionaires Charles and David Koch that supports school vouchers.

"Public money should be used for public schools," Harmonie Dingui, whose daughter is in kindergarten at a Nashville public school, said during the rally to support public education.

When the Americans for Prosperity group gathered for their own event, several protestors began to chant over the speakers before shouting erupted as tensions flared.

"You're taking the money from my kids," one protester yelled at a man who repeatedly shouted "Support students!" as he held his sign.

Senate Republicans pass resolution supporting Texas in border enforcement dispute

Senators passed a joint resolution on Thursday affirming the State of Texas’ “constitutional right of self-defense” in its effort “to secure its border against illegal immigration” amid the Lone Star State’s standoff with the federal government on authority to secure the U.S. southern border with Mexico.

Senate Joint Resolution 906 comes on the heels of Lee’s visit to Eagle Pass along with 13 other Republican governors on Sunday. Sponsored by Sen. Adam Lowe, R-Calhoun, the measure passed along party lines on Thursday morning, and now goes to the House of Representatives.

“There are 46 reasons why I’m standing for this resolution: 46 Roane countians died of fentanyl overdoses last year – a record number,” Yager said. “According to the TBI investigation, that fentanyl was made in China and came into our country across that unsecured border.”

Senate Minority Caucus Chair Sen. London Lamar, D-Memphis, said the resolution “continues to add to the politically charged, hateful rhetoric” that is dividing Americans.

“For us to embrace this hateful language and contribute to extremist groups taking the law into their own hands and go be vigilantes and go hurt other folks who they think don’t belong in this country – this gives them the power to do that,” Lamar said.

First lady to visit Tennessee

First lady Jill Biden will briefly touch down in Tennessee on Friday. Biden will arrive at the Nashville International Airport around 3:30 after a visit to a North Carolina cancer center.

Biden's office said she plans to attend a political event in Franklin, which will be closed to media. No other details were provided

Former President Trump to address Nashville convention

Former President Donald Trump will address a Nashville convention later this month held by the National Religious Broadcasters association.

Trump is slated to speak at the International Christian Media Convention on Feb. 22. In a release, NRB said it invited "all eligible candidates from both parties" to participate in the presidential forum.

Catch up on the week

Former Tennessee lawmaker sues General Assembly over harassment probe records

Rowdy crowds but a big night for school choice: 5 takeaways from Lee's State of the State

Gov. Lee's budget calls for $1.6B business tax cut: What to know about the proposal

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee touts school choice, business tax refund in State of the State

Tennessee declines to name 80 companies that prompted the $1.6B franchise tax change

‘Defeat Donald Trump’: Former U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney on the future of the Republican Party

Gloria Johnson is running for Tennessee House at same time as US Senate bid

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This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Tennessee House again passes post-Covenant fire alarm safety bill