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Shadow “Shada” Brooke Lowe bill passes the House, Tennessee Reconnect Act on House Floor

Written by Joe Pitts
Tennessee State Representative

Tennessee State Representative - District 67Nashville, TN – On Monday April 10th, I was honored to recognize Mr. Gordon Wayne Miller on the occasion of his retirement. Mr. Miller is the current executive director of the Tennessee Organization of School Superintendents (TOSS). Prior to coming to TOSS, he enjoyed a 27 year career at Lenoir City Schools.

HB 500 sponsored by Tennessee State Representative Joe Pitts, has passed the Full Senate and Full House and is on its way to the Governor for his signature. This legislation was requested by members of the Board of Osteopathic Examination to increase members’ per diem reimbursement for their meetings.

These volunteers spend precious time away from their medical practice, seeing patients, to provide guidance and oversight of Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine.

Tennessee State Representative Joe Pitts
Tennessee State Representative Joe Pitts

House Bill 21/Senate Bill 17

House Bill 21/Senate Bill 17, sponsored by Rep. Joe Pitts (D-Clarksville) and Sen. Kerry Roberts (R-Springfield) passed the Full Senate and the Full House and is headed to the Governor for his signature.

“This bill was named for Brooke Shada Lowe who at the age of 18 was hit head on by an impaired driver in 2011. Both the victim and the impaired driver died on the scene. I was honored to carry this very important legislation and I hope this bill will offer solace to families who experience this trauma, and continue to educate on the perils of impaired driving,” Pitts said. Tonia Lowe and her son, Rowdie Lowe attended the House Session on Monday, April 10th.

This legislation will allow families of victims of impaired drivers, where the impaired driver was also killed, to have a sign erected in memory of the family member.

House Bill 19/Senate Bill 152

House Bill 19/Senate Bill 152, sponsored by Rep. Joe Pitts (D-Clarksville) would allow motorcycle dealers, for a one-time event, to sell their merchandise at an off-site business location. Current law prohibits this activity. This legislation passed the Transportation Full Committee and will be heard in the Finance Sub Committee on April 19th.

House Bill 531/Senate Bill 1218

House Bill 531/Senate Bill 1218 sponsored by Rep. Dennis Powers (R-Oak Ridge) and Senator Mark Norris (R-Collierville) would establish a last-dollar scholarship for adults to attend a community college tuition-free. With this extension of the Drive to 55, which comes at no additional cost to taxpayers, every Tennessean will have the opportunity to enter or reenter public education with no tuition expenses.

“I look forward to supporting this legislation on the floor Thursday, March 13th”, Pitts said.

House Bill 530/Senate Bill 1216

House Bill 530/Senate Bill 1216 sponsored by Rep. Tillman Goins (R-Morristown) and Senator Mark Norris (R-Collierville) passed the House Floor on April 10th. This bill, known as the STRONG act (Support, Training, and Renewing Opportunity for National Guardsmen) establishes a four-year pilot program to provide eligible members of the Tennessee National Guard tuition funding toward a first time associate’s or bachelor’s degree through a tuition reimbursement program. The bill passed unanimously on the House Floor on April 10th and is headed to the Governor for his signature.

House Bill 1064/Senate Bill 1267

House Bill 1064/Senate Bill 1267 sponsored by Kevin Brooks (R-Cleveland) and Mark Norris (R-Collierville) is known as the “Elderly and Vulnerable Adult Financial Exploitation Prevention Act.”

This bill will add tools and greater flexibility as to how bankers can best protect their customers when they have reason to suspect financial exploitation of the elderly or vulnerable adults has occurred or is being attempted.

“As a banker, I regularly see attempts to exploit our elderly and vulnerable adults. I look forward to its passage to give bankers authority to stop this kind of abuse,” Pitts said.

If you have questions about the above or other issues of concern, please call me at 615.741.2043, or email me at rep.joe.pitts@capitol.tn.gov

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