From State Rep. Bruce Griffey, R-Paris:
TN House Rep. Bruce Griffey (R-Paris) is sponsoring and cosponsoring a number of bills this legislative session to protect the freedom of Tennesseans to decide whether or not to be vaccinated against Covid. One bill that was heard this week and advanced in committee is House Bill 2452, which Griffey is cosponsoring with Terri Lynn Weaver (R-Lancaster). It would make it an unlawful discriminatory practice in Tennessee for a person, employer, business or governmental entity to deny employment, goods, services, educational opportunities or access to property on the basis of an individual’s Covid-19 vaccination status.
“This is about protecting an individual’s freedom to make their own medical decisions and the freedom of parents to make healthcare decisions for their children. Those individuals who want to get vaccinated should be able to do so. However, those individuals, who have concerns about the vaccine, should not have to live in fear that they may lose their jobs or their children may not be able to attend school or they may not be able to enter a business to purchase groceries if they don’t get vaccinated,” explained Griffey.
“Liberty is one of the 3 innate rights given to us by God, our Father and Creator, and it is set forth in the Declaration of Independence. Tennessee law should reflect the value of liberty, and everyone should respect the right to live in freedom,” he said.
Apart from COVID related issues, another focus of legislation this week has been increasing penalties for crime in Tennessee. “Tennessee’s violent crime rate is on the rise, and in the East South Central Region, Tennessee has the highest rates of violent and property crime. In fact, Tennessee comes in higher than the US average rate for both violent and property crime. Among all 50 states, Tennessee has the 3rd highest violent crime rate and the 10th highest property crime rate,” explained Griffey. “This is why we need to be tougher on crime in Tennessee, and one means of doing that is increasing the penalties for crime.”.
Among the bills that Griffey is co-sponsoring that are set for hearing this week at the Capitol are:
* House Bill 1696, which would increase Aggravated Burglary from a C Felony to a B Felony in Tennessee and would increase Especially Aggravated Burglary from a B Felony to an A Felony;
* House Bill 2247, which would increase penalties for assaults on first responders, nurses and healthcare workers;
* House Bill 1934, which would increase penalties for assaults against teachers, and
* House Bill 1248, which would increase penalties for theft of firearms.
“Keeping people safe is one of the most important functions of government. It is time we get serious and require those who commit crimes to face more serious repercussions,” Griffey concluded.