In addition to the health care and free enterprise legislation going before the House Commerce Committee on Tuesday, there are several other important bills that need our support this week.
The issuance of a state attorney general opinion that leaves out the most important part of the Constitution’s supremacy clause and then proceeds to completely misconstrue the remainder has rightfully prompted a backlash among our state legislators in Nashville (read the Attorney General’s opinion here and the Tenth Amendment Center’s official response here). On Monday, two resolutions will go before the full Senate to deal with Attorney General Cooper’s refusal to join other states in a lawsuit against the federal government’s overreaching health care legislation. The first, SJR897, is a resolution to urge the attorney general to join the lawsuit being championed by other states against ObamaCare.
The second resolution would amend the Tennessee Constitution to provide for the popular election of the attorney general. Currently the attorney general is appointed by the Tennessee Supreme Court, whose members are in turn appointed by the governor. This leaves the citizens of Tennessee with neither a direct or indirect voice in the selection of the state’s attorney general. SJR698 would correct this problem.
The first of the health care bills for which we have been advocating will go before the full house on Monday as well. HJR704 is a resolution that expresses the state of Tennessee’s protest at the passage of the new federal health care legislation.
Additional legislation includes bills regarding foreign defamation judgments, restricting the governor’s authority to confiscate firearms and related items, cap and trade, and two bills that would increase private health insurance opportunities for Tennesseans.
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- Brian & Kathleen’s Misguided Adventure: The Tenth Amendment for Dummies - November 12, 2013
- Why Doesn’t the Tenth Amendment Center Endorse Political Candidates? - October 7, 2013
- Madison County Tennessee Passes “Internet Sales Tax Opposition Resolution” - April 17, 2013