NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Democratic Tennessee lawmakers met Monday in the Tennessee Capitol to discuss the party's agenda for the 2024 legislative session. The lawmakers said it was centered around working families, both securing their safety and giving them opportunities to thrive across the state.
Democrats are in an extreme minority in the Tennessee legislature. Republican lawmakers have a supermajority in the state, meaning no Democratic lawmaker could show up to vote and the state could still pass laws. Only 24 lawmakers in the House of Representatives are Democrats, out of 99 members.
"We, Democrats, are here to represent the folks who aren't represented by high-dollar lobbyists. The people who truly make this state great are our working families, and that's who we're here to fight for," said Rep. John Ray Clemmons (D-Nashville). "'We're here to fight to protect and promote Tennesseeans' freedom."
Rep. Karen Camper (D - Memphis) then took the podium to illustrate the agenda in broad strokes. She said Democratic lawmakers aim to pass bills that reduce costs for working and middle-class families while also increasing their wages. She also said the bills they hope to pass bills that would shift more political power to average families across the state.
"We believe the way to put our families first is to focus on freedom. Freedom to build a good life, earn a good wage and benefits, freedom to get a high-quality education, freedom to see a doctor without going broke. Freedom to live in safe neighborhoods free of gun violence. Freedom to read books without government interference. Freedom to drink clean water, breathe clean aid, farm clean soil," she said.
Representative Sam McKenzie (D - Knoxville) then took the podium and said public safety proposals would focus on addressing the root causes of violent crime, and discussed violence prevention. He was followed up by Rep. Gloria Johnson (D - Knoxville) who spoke about healthcare expansion and the effects expanding Medicaid could have on the state.
"What we haven't talked about in Tennessee are the numbers of how crime drops when you expand Medicaid," she said. "We have to have the conversation, even though some are unwilling to come to the table. They (Republican lawmakers) talk about bipartisanship, but when it's an issue we want to talk about, somehow that conversation doesn't get started."
She also said according to a personal poll in her district, a majority of constituents regardless of party supported Medicaid expansion.
Rep. Ronnie Glynn (D - Clarksville) then took the podium to talk about public education, specifically about a proposal to create a universal school voucher program that would use public money to pay for students' non-public education across the state. The money could be used for private schools, faith-based schools or charter schools, which may not follow state education requirements.
"That is a scam. It has absolutely nothing to do with the right to choose. It has everything to do with lining the pockets of the rich," he said.
He also said Democratic lawmakers would challenge any attempt to reject federal education funding, and he would push for additional resources for teachers and students with IEPs. He said his proposal would be similar to education resources available in U.S. military bases.
Then, Rep. Aftyn Behn (D - Nashville) said Tennessee Democrats were working to permanently eliminate the state's grocery tax while also funding universal Pre-K across the state. She said lawmakers planned to pass more taxes for corporations in Tennessee to help fund it.
Rep. Caleb Hemmer (D - Nashville) also said Democrat lawmakers estimated the state would have a $700 million shortfall in recurring revenue and around $1.5 billion in nonrecurring revenue, which could lead to decisions on cutting state programs. He said part of the party's legislative focus would be on protecting taxpayers from having to bear the brunt of that shortfall.
Rep. Justin Pearson (D - Shelby County) spoke on the state's environment, specifically mentioning recent deadly winter storms and discussing airborne pollutants. He also discussed environmental justice, highlighting environmental and health issues he said communities of color face across the state.
Jan. 31 is the deadline for lawmakers to file bills for the legislative session, Clemmons said during the press conference.