Latest news with #KipCapley
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Tennessee Legalizes Baiting During Deer Season — for an Extra $50 Fee
Tennessee deer hunters will be able to hunt over bait on private land starting this coming season, thanks to a new law signed by the governor earlier this month. The legislation, which received strong support from state politicians, creates a baiting privilege license for deer hunters in the Volunteer State. The new law drops at a time when other states, like Washington, are banning baiting to attempt to reduce the spread of CWD. House Bill 938, which was introduced by Kip Capley in the House and Joey Hensley in the Senate, establishes a bait privilege license, which will be issued by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency. The license fee, which essentially requires hunters to pay extra if they want to put out corn piles, will cost $50 for residents and $100 for nonresidents. All hunters in a party using bait are required to possess a permit — including those who are ordinarily exempt from purchasing a hunting license, including landowners and children under 13. TWRA will have the authority to suspend the baiting privilege (without a refund of fees) on a county, regional, or statewide basis to prevent the spread of wildlife diseases like CWD. Hunting over bait is currently prohibited in the state of Tennessee. Although hunters can put out corn or other food attractants, they cannot legally hunt within 250 yards of it until at least 10 days after the bait has been removed. The new law, which takes effect before the 2025 hunting season, makes an exception for deer hunting with the designated license. The original draft of the bill included wild hogs in the bait privilege license, but it was removed in an amendment to focus the legislation on whitetail deer. Violating the law could result in a class C misdemeanor. More than 22 states currently allow deer baiting in some form, including five of Tennessee's neighbors: Arkansas, Kentucky, Alabama, Georgia, and North Carolina. 'A lot of other states allow hunting over bait anyway, like Texas and several other states, so that's my reason for supporting it,' state senator Joey Hensley, a primary sponsor of the bill, told Fox Chattanooga. 'I just don't think that people should be penalized because they're hunting over bait, especially on their property. That's what this bill does, but it requires people to get a license that would generate additional revenue.' The new baiting license requirement has drawn some backlash from hunters across the state. Some critics argue that the requirement is government overreach and that landowners shouldn't have to pay for privileges exercised on their own property. 'If baiting deer on your own land is going to be legal, why should landowners and hunters have to pay extra for that right?' Tennessee resident John Baker told Outdoor Hub. Read Next: Deer and Elk Hunters in Washington State Can No Longer Hunt Over Bait Other critics of the bill are concerned that baiting could speed the spread of CWD by concentrating deer in certain areas. Chronic wasting disease was first discovered in the Volunteer State in 2018 and has since been found in whitetails in 18 counties. TWRA is expected to release specific regulations ahead of the 2025 deer season.
Yahoo
18-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Tennessee Republicans vote down bill to require driver's license exams in English only
An Republican-led effort to require the state to administer Tennessee driver's license exams in English only and ban translation aids is dead for the year following bipartisan opposition in the House Transportation Subcommittee on Tuesday. Written driver's license tests in Tennessee are currently offered only in English, Spanish, German, Korean and Japanese. Test takers are allowed to bring a translation dictionary. Driving tests are offered in English only. House Bill 556, sponsored by Rep. Kip Capley, R-Summertown, sought to ban the administration of driver's license exams in any language but English, and prohibit translation dictionaries, electronic devices, and interpreters to assist in test administration. 'You can take the test in English, you can pass it in English. We're not asking them to learn the entire language," Capley said. "The signs are in English, the commands are in English and when you get pulled over, guess what? It's gonna be in English." State law does formally designate English as the official and legal language of Tennessee, and all state publications, including ballots, are required to be produced in English. But there is no limitation on government documents being made available in other languages. Immigrant rights advocates have argued the state should offer the test in more languages ― like Arabic and Chinese, the third and fourth most-spoken languages in Tennessee ― in an effort to ensure drivers are best prepared to hit the road. Transportation Committee Chair Dan Howell, R-Cleveland, said the actual driving road test is already only offered in English, and indicated the bill seems to take inappropriate aim at non-English speaking legal residents. 'It's already illegal for illegal aliens to have a driver's license in Tennessee. So what this bill does is address people who are already here on a work visa, on a green card – people who are here legally,' Howell said. 'Some of them may not speak English, but they are legally here.' The Tennessee Chamber of Commerce and Department of Economic and Community Development both opposed the effort, citing potential negative economic impacts. Diana Sanchez Vega, an immigrant from Venezuela who testified on behalf of the Our State, Our Languages Coalition, argued not offering tests that ensure drivers know the rules of the road would pose safety risks to all drivers, and send a negative message to the state's international business community. 'Access to safe transportation is a cornerstone of economic self-sufficiency," Sanchez Vega said. "Our state's continued growth depends on empowering all residents – immigrants, refugees and international executives, to hit the road without undue barriers.' Capley brushed off the concern. 'Executives of Volkswagen and Nissan don't drive – they have drivers,' he argued. The bill failed in a vote of 5 to 3. Vivian Jones covers state government and politics for The Tennessean. Reach her at vjones@ This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Tennessee driver's license exams: English-only bill fails
Yahoo
06-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
TN bills could allow deadly force to protect property
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Two Tennessee bills are sparking debates on personal property defense. House Bill 856 and Senate Bill 1407 have caused controversy as they move into the next phase. The bills establish that a person is justified, under certain circumstances, to use deadly force to protect their property. HB 856 was authored by District 71's Rep. Kip Capley. Trump administration listed Memphis IRS center, federal court building for sale 'We had a situation in East Tennessee where there was a lot of looting after the hurricane. And, we're trying to also, in addition to that, to strengthen some of the self-defense laws that we have and to offer a clear protection against theft and destruction and harm to private property and to put more safeguards to prevent, really, an excessive use of deadly force going forward,' said Rep. Capley. Currently, Tennessee's Stand Your Ground law allows you to defend yourself with a gun only if you or another person is in imminent danger. The proposed legislation states, 'A person is justified in using deadly force against another to prevent or terminate the other's actual or attempted trespass; arson; damage to property; burglary; theft; robbery; or aggravated cruelty to animals, seriously bodily injury, or death to animals or livestock.' Deputy drives into path of wrong-way vehicle to save other drivers, woman arrested 'I think, you know, once people kind of learn that, if you break into somebody's home, if you break in their property, if you're trying to loot and someone feels like their lives in danger if they realize that the possibility of deadly force being used against them could, you know, potentially happen then then maybe that would deter some crime going forward,' said Rep. Capley. This year, Memphis Public Safety has reported a total of 1,095 auto burglaries and 609 home break-ins. Legislators hope these bills will allow citizens to protect their possessions and homes when necessary. House Bill 856 will be heard in the House Criminal Justice subcommittee in the coming weeks. Senate Bill 1407 has been placed in the senate judiciary committee for hearing. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
