a day ago
Tennessee Republican pushes roadway blockade protest bill ahead of ‘No King' demonstrations
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — 'No King' protests are set to take place across the country, but in Tennessee, Republican lawmakers have tightened the reins, and they're asking demonstrators to obey the laws.
The Republican supermajority has passed multiple measures related to protests, they say, to protect the public.
'I wouldn't classify it as trying to prevent protests and demonstrations,' Rep. Jody Barrett (R-Dickson) said. 'I would classify it as a public safety measure to try to prevent innocent bystanders from being caught up and put in danger as a result of these demonstrations.'
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For the last couple of years, Rep. Barrett has sponsored a bill to make intentionally blocking a roadway, bridge, highway, or other passageway a felony in Tennessee. However, his bill, which has a $241,000 fiscal impact according to the proposal's fiscal note, has yet to be included in the state's budget.
'What we're seeing and have seen over the last several years is this trend of intentionally blocking highways and roads and bridges and things and having sit ins on passages ways to put regular, ordinary citizens, who are just trying to get back and forth to work, or go to the airport, or deliver their load on time, or worse, get to the hospital, getting caught up in these demonstrations that are organized,' Rep. Barrett said.
Intentionally blocking a passageway remains a misdemeanor in Tennessee, but people who are harmed, hurt, or otherwise negatively impacted as a result can sue the individuals responsible under a law, also sponsored by Barrett, that went into effect last year.
'If you're unable to get to the hospital and you have damages as a result of that, or you have contractual damages because you can't get your load to the delivery point on time, that bill, this new law would give you the right to sue those people that caused that, who intentionally blocked your access and your use of the passageways in this state,' Barrett said.
Democrats called the measure 'harmful' and 'anti-democratic,' but Barrett argues that intentionally blocking the public from getting to their destination has a much greater negative impact.
'When you get these mass protests going and things get out of hand, innocent people get put in danger and they get hurt,' Rep. Barrett said. 'Not only do we have property damage, but we have physical injuries as a result of it, and we need to stop that and make sure that's not the case in Tennessee.'
Barrett told News 2 he hopes his bill to make intentionally blocking a roadway a felony is included in next year's budget.
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This year, Gov. Bill Lee signed the 'Protecting Everyone Against Crime and Extremism,' or 'PEACE Act,' into law, which criminalizes giving a fake identity to police, intentionally coming within 25 feet of an officer after being asked to back up, and hanging a banner or flyer on a bridge or overpass, among other provisions.
The measure will go into effect July 1.
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