Monday 1/30/06

The special session isn't over but legislators have begun filing bills for when it is and the regular session begins. Following are pieces that caught my attention this morning.

*SB2451 by *Cohen.

Lottery, Charitable - Extends annual event application deadline from October 31, 2005, to February 14, 2006, for annual event period beginning July 1, 2006, and ending June 30, 2007. - Amends TCA Title 3, Chapter 17, Part 1.

and if that doesn't pass we have Plan B

*SB2452 by *Cohen.

Lottery, Charitable - Extends annual event application deadline from October 31, 2005, to February 14, 2006, for annual event period beginning July 1, 2006, and ending June 30, 2007; extends annual event application deadline from October 31 each year until December 31 each year for the ensuing annual event period. - Amends TCA Title 3, Chapter 17, Part 1.

Trust abusers: And I can certainly get behind this next one. It seems a no brainer. But in an era of great sympathy for the voting rights of felons I'm not sure that there won't be some squawking about this too. "It's not faaaaiiiirrrr", they'll whine. Neither was abusing the office.

SB2472 by *Hagood. (*HB2484 by *Sargent.)

Public Officials - Prohibits state and local elected officials from seeking elected state or local office after conviction of a state or federal felony related to public service. - Amends TCA Section 40-20-11

Scarlet Letter: considering the recidivism rate of child predators Rep. Finney may be on to something here.

*SB2488 by *Finney.

Sexual Offenders - Requires sexual offenders and violent sexual offenders to carry driver license or photo identification card designating them as convicted sexual offenders and prohibits such offender from operating motor vehicle in this state that does not have special license plate designating person as convicted sexual offender. - Amends TCA Title 55; and Title 40, Chapter 39, Part 2.

I'm not sure the scarlet letter will be very effective. I can see where it would be handy to have citizens know that the guy getting out of the car at the park was a convicted child molester, but we can't rely on them to use their own cars. I do think that having a notation on the driver's license might be a good compromise.

Memorializing: And maybe I shouldn't be but I'm always surprised at the number of bridges/roads that must be named for someone. They've only begun to files bills and so far we've got:

James Robert Haston Memorial Bridge
Laurel Cove Bridge
Sgt. Robert Wesley Tucker Memorial Highway
John Redmond Bridge
Lane-Smith Bridge
Deputy Dennis Ray Armes Memorial Highway
R.L. (Bob) Collier Parkway
Deputy Alan Wayne Shubert Memorial Highway
Staff Sergeant Barton Siler National Guard Armory (OK, not a bridge.)

And the specialty plates issue isn't dead. The following are requesting their own plates to promote or raise funds for their organizations:

Memphis Zoo
Daughters of the American Revolution
Purple Heart plates already exist but legislation introduced would make these free.
Operation Iraqi Freedom (why don't these folks get theirs free?)

I still don't see one from the Planned Parenthood or ACLU folks though. Guess they're still hoping the 6th Circuit will void the entire program--because they're concerned about free speech ya know.