NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Tennessee House members said they are frustrated with their Senate counterparts, who are opening and closing committees in about 90 seconds time.
Senate leaders have relayed they only plan to pass three bills out of legislative session: firearms locks to Tennessee residents upon request, a bill that codifies a notification to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation final dispositions of criminal proceedings, and for the TBI to create a report on human trafficking.
In a House committee on Wednesday morning, House Majority Leader William Lamberth, R-Portland, lamented that his colleagues weren't participating fully in the special session.
.@WilliamLamberth blasts @tnsenategop for not adopting more bills on their side of the Capitol and says the House will proceed with their work with the hope the Senate may reconsider. @nc5 pic.twitter.com/w8091nzUlZ
— Chris Davis NC5 (@ChrisDavisMMJ) August 23, 2023
"I wouldn’t reference what’s happening in the other chamber but there are 37 bills still moving through the House," Lamberth said, after addressing a bill for a lifetime protection order for stalking. "Many of you being here today — and thank you for being here — are advocating for several of those bills. Those bills are sponsored by members of the House. As far as I am concerned, those bills should keep moving forward."
On Tuesday night, House members decided to further sound off on their point by awarding the Tennessee Senate Republicans a faux award. Dubbing it the 2023 Ostrich Egg award, House Republicans implied their counterparts were burying their heads in the sand. Around 11 a.m. this morning, the Tennessee House Republicans took the post down on X, formerly Twitter. Another media member later found the ostrich egg in the trashcan.
Senate Republicans have argued that the scope of the special session was narrow, which Gov. Bill Lee only assigned 18 topics that could create legislation.
Lamberth said he felt like the Senate wasn't doing enough.
"There are apparently only three that I have been told by someone in the Senate that someone somewhere decided would go forward," Lamberth said. "I will advocate for this bill and all the other bills moving forward to pass both chambers and be signed by the governor. I am going to continue to advocate for the bills to be heard in both chambers."
.@WilliamLamberth on the Senate only considering three bills this special session:
— Chris Davis NC5 (@ChrisDavisMMJ) August 23, 2023
"Invite the committee to reopen, invite those committees to hear from Tennesseans from Mountain City to Memphis, to come down here and let’s debate these issues. Let’s make the tough decisions." pic.twitter.com/7FvKUho0jJ
Lamberth said since the legislature was there to improve public safety across the state that they should do. NewsChannel 5's Chris Davis asked Lt. Gov. Randy McNally if he had any plans to reopen any of the committees. "Well, we'll probably be talking with the house and consulting with them. It takes both houses to adjourn so we don't want to get into a position where we're just going on and on and not doing anything," said Lt. Gov. McNally. "If they do decide to reopen, they should review the bills very carefully and determine whether to pass them on their merits."
Sources at the Capitol have said the two chamber leaders may meet Wednesday night to negotiate a path forward.
"I invite the committee to reopen, invite those committees to hear from Tennesseans from Mountain City to Memphis, to come down here and let’s debate these issues," Lamberth said after the committee. "Let’s make the tough decisions to be able to work through these bills — and again — improve the safety of Tennesseans without infringing on their civil liberties."
A bill isn't truly "dead" until both House and Senate adjourn from the special session.
