Legislators describe their bills during Town Hall in Jackson
JACKSON, Tenn. — State legislatures met at the Jackson Chamber to discuss what bills they presented during this year’s session.
Rep. Chris Todd
“We just had a variety of discussions today about different bills that are going through this time. Plus we talked about Blue Oval, naturally, and all of the progress that is going to be made in the community,” said Rep. Johnny Shaw.
The legislation that was highly discussed was about Rep. Chris Todd’s bill on allowing 18-year-olds to legally carry a firearm, called House 1735.
While some agreed, Shaw says when discussing legislation you have to look at both sides.
“At the end of the day I believe those 18-year-olds who want weapons probably already got them anyways. We’re just making it legal for them to carry them, but there’s always going to be two sides to legislation,” Shaw said.
Shaw, Todd, and Sen. Ed Jackson all gave summaries on what they presented in Nashville.
Senator Ed Jackson, Representative Chris Todd, and Representative Johnny Shaw
Jackson has three bills he’s trying to get pushed.
One of which will equip teachers with training on how to effectively teach third grade students how to read.
“So we’re going to make sure the teachers are going to take a course, pass it, and be certified in teaching, and it’s going to be an annual course that they will take to make sure that our standards are kept high for students being able to read on a third grade level and so on and so on,” Jackson said.
In addition to education, Jackson is also trying to push an even more secure way for Tennesseans to vote. That is by having voting machines that require a paper trail.
“It’s a ballot that you plug into the machine and then it also produces a piece of paper that is verifiable that you can see. This is how I voted. This is the way I want it to go. Cash your vote, you get a piece of that paper, and also it leaves a trail if you have to go back and recount votes. Then it is there in paper. Black and white,” Jackson said.
Along with education, the right to carry and voting, other topics of discussion included the lack of childcare facilities
“We don’t have any structured childcare right now. Because of the growth that is coming fourth in West Tennessee, we know that we’re going to have to have childcare. That is going to be a big benefit to Tennesseans,” Shaw said.
In addition to the topics discussed towards the end of the meeting, the legislators took a poll from the audience on if they think Madison County residents should be able to sell and purchase fireworks.
The next town hall meeting with state legislatures will be April 22 at the Jackson Country Club starting at 7:30 a.m.
You can find all sponsored, and co-sponsored bills from the three below:
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