Issues

Focusing on education

Ensuring our children have access to quality education is one of the most important foundational elements of moving our state forward. To that end, in my time in the legislature I have supported several measures to enhance public education and bring a level of equality throughout our educational system, from my support of funding for Pre-K, to increasing our ability to provide our people with additional educational opportunities later in life including Career and Technical training in our 2-year institutions as well as 4-year colleges.

Education is a lifelong process. The demands of a modern economy requires our people have access to a wide array of educational opportunities to meet the employment needs and support economic development. I am committed to ensuring these opportunities are not only available for Tennesseans, but enhanced to build a more competitive workforce and ultimately attract new business.

Bills Supported: HB0376, HB0885, HB1306, HB1371, HB2810.

Opposition to any form of discrimination

Discrimination takes many forms in our society. While most of us are familiar with race and sex discrimination, these are not the only ways that discrimination impacts our state. Age, religion, orientation, and class discrimination are perhaps less visible to the casual observer, but still pervasive in our society. In order for us to all do better, we must all have an equality of opportunity that these less recognizable forms of discrimination ultimately inhibits.

To this end, I have and will continue to support legislation that protects people from the pervasive effects of discrimination in all forms and ensure our people have equal opportunities to succeed not only in the workforce, but in all avenues of life.

Bills Supported: HB0335

Support tougher sentences for violent criminals

Protecting the public from members of society who engage in violent criminal behavior is one of the most critical roles of government. To that end, I have supported legislation that would provide for longer sentences for our most violent criminals to ensure of our communities are as safe and free from violence as possible.

Bills Supported: HB2813, HB2193, HB0215, HB1244.

Protection from predatory lending practices

Over the past several years our state has seen an explosion of businesses that offer payday advances to people. While these businesses may provide short-term relief for families struggling to make ends meet, the interest rates and fees charged for this service are often exorbitant, causing more financial stress for families who are already struggling to stay afloat.

State regulations governing these payday lenders are soft at best. To help protect some of our most at-risk families, last year I and several of my colleagues sponsored a series of bills that would regulate this industry and create statewide standards for businesses that engage in these kinds of short-term loans.

Bills Supported: HB3111, HB3112, HB3113.

Ed. Note: The listing of bills supported is not exhaustive, and generally represents bills that have been enacted unless otherwise noted.