New TNJ edition alert: Ask not for whom Mike Bell tolls…
The latest print edition of The Tennessee Journal is out in the world. Here is what’s in it:
— Bell bypassing lame-duck status in effort to soothe TWRA turmoil.
— Campaign finance: New interim reports shed light on last-minute spending, Cothren fights subpoena.
— Restocking the Cabinet: Lee names Merrick legal counsel, Sellars communications director.
Also: Payday lending impresario loses Cleveland school board race to … a Democrat, the Highlander institute opposes a historical designation for its original Grundy County site, and Garth Brooks is footing the bill for a police station next to his new honky-tonk.
As always, access the your copy of the TNJ here.
Or subscribe here.
Bell stepping down from Senate early to take TWRA position
Retiring state Sen. Mike Bell (R-Riceville) is stepping down early to take a position as senior adviser for legislative affairs and policy with the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency.
Here’s the release:
(NASHVILLE) The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) has named State Senator Mike Bell (R-Riceville) as the agency’s new Senior Advisor for Legislative Affairs and Policy. A lifelong sportsman and small business owner, Bell will bring a wealth of institutional knowledge and personal experience to the TWRA. Bell, who had previously announced his intent to retire from the Senate, will resign his seat effective August 31. He begins his new role with the TWRA September 1.
“I look forward to working with TWRA,” said Bell. “For as long as I can remember I have been an avid outdoorsman. I am excited for the opportunity to help advance the agency’s efforts to ensure Tennessee’s rich natural resources can be enjoyed for many future generations.”
“We are excited to welcome Senator Bell to the TWRA family,” said Executive Director Jason Maxedon. “His extensive legislative experience and his passion for hunting, fishing, and outdoor recreation will make him a valuable team member. We look forward to working with him to advance critical policy to support the conservation and management of wildlife, fisheries, and Tennessee’s waterways.”
Bell was first elected to Tennessee House District 23 in 2006 representing McMinn and Monroe Counties and was subsequently elected to Tennessee Senate District 9 in 2010 representing Brandley, McMinn, Meigs, Monroe and Polk Counties.
“Serving in the General Assembly for the last 16 years has been the highest honor of my life,” Bell continued. “I will always be grateful to the citizens in House District 1 and Senate District 9 for the trust they have put in me to represent them in the legislature.”
Bell has been an influential legislator during his tenure in the General Assembly. He has made a significant impact shaping Tennessee’s law around government transparency, Second Amendment rights, and protecting the unborn and victims of crime. Bell has served as Senate Judiciary Chairman since 2019, where he co-sponsored legislation to ensure violent or sexual offenders serve 100% of their court sentence. As part of his work to protect Second Amendment rights, in 2021 Bell carried legislation to ensure Tennesseans can exercise their constitutional right to carry firearms without a permit.
“Mike Bell has brought a true working-class perspective to the Senate that has been simply invaluable,” said Lt. Governor and Senate Speaker Randy McNally. “An authentic citizen legislator, Mike has served with distinction as chairman of both the Judiciary and Government Operations committees while at the same time owning and operating his own small business. We will miss him terribly in the Senate but I am grateful to know he will not be going far. Mike will be an outstanding advocate for the TWRA. I look forward to working with him as he excels in this new role.”
From 2012 – 2018 Bell chaired the Senate Government Operations Committee where he led legislative oversight for all state government agencies and departments. As Chairman, he worked to improve government transparency by reviewing Tennessee’s open record policies and rules. He also carried legislation to streamline the audit process of state agencies.
In addition to his regular duties as a state legislator, Bell has been an active member and co-chair of the National Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus and a member of the Executive Council of the National Association of Sportsmen’s Caucuses.
New TNJ edition alert: Casada’s fall, Bell bows out, Durham decision
In this week’s edition of the print edition of The Tennessee Journal:
— Casada won’t run again after fall from speaker to delivery driver. Could run for Williamson County clerk be next?
— Redistricting: Bell, Casada retirements grant breathing room to mapmakers.
— Lee favorite bows out, leaving wide-open competition for Supreme Court opening.
— We have a ruling over ousted Rep. Durham’s record penalty for campaign finance violations.
— A shakeup at the top in Gov. Bill Lee’s office.
Also: Hagerty hits fellow Republicans over infrastructure vote, the Barretts host a fundraiser for Ketron, Trump endorses Fleischmann, and mirrors on the ceiling at the governor’s mansion (shudder).
As always, access your copy of the TNJ here or subscribe here.
Bell won’t seek re-election to Tenn. Senate
Senate Judiciary Chair Mike Bell (R-Riceville) isn’t seeking re-election next year.
Here’s the release:
NASHVILLE – Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Mike Bell (R-Riceville) announced today that he will not be a candidate for re-election in 2022. Bell was first elected to the Tennessee House of Representatives in 2006 before moving to the State Senate in 2010 where he represents Bradley, McMinn, Meigs, Monroe and Polk Counties in Senate District 9.
“It has been the highest honor of my life to serve in the Tennessee General Assembly,” said Sen. Bell. “I am incredibly thankful for the continued support, friendship and kindness of my constituents who have entrusted me to represent them for the past 15 years. Just as I knew it was time for me to run for office in 2006, I feel it is now time to move to the next chapter of my life and pass the leadership mantle for this district to a new state senator.”
Bell said he is making the announcement early enough to provide prospective candidates plenty of time to come forward and meet with the people of the district.
“I love representing the people of this district,” added Bell who regularly attends community and school functions in the district. “It has truly been a joy to get to know members of our civic, business, school, volunteer firefighters, sportsmen, veteran groups, and other community organizations. Their input has been a tremendous asset to me while serving in the General Assembly and I will miss that constant contact very much. I also couldn’t have done this job without the encouragement of my wife and children and am very appreciative of their support.”
“This is a tremendous loss for the Senate and the State,” said Lt. Governor Randy McNally. “Mike has brought a true working-class perspective to the Senate that has been simply invaluable. An authentic citizen legislator, Mike has served with distinction as chairman of both the Judiciary and Government Operations committees while at the same time owning and operating his own small business. A consistent conservative and a true friend, Mike Bell has championed the cause of Life and the Second Amendment with impassioned advocacy. His commitment to those two issues, in particular, has resulted in successful legislative victories on multiple occasions. I have always considered him a very close friend and hope to continue to call on him for advice and counsel. I congratulate him on a well-deserved retirement from the legislature and wish him the best of luck on what comes next.”
Bell has served in several leadership positions during his legislative tenure. In addition to chairing the Senate Judiciary Committee, he led the Senate Government Operations Committee from 2012 to 2018 where he pushed for greater accountability of Tennessee’s boards and commissions to make them more effective and customer-friendly. In the House of Representatives, he chaired the Children and Family Subcommittee and was Freshman Leader in the Republican Caucus.
In addition, he currently serves as Chairman of the General Assembly’s Sportmen’s Caucus and is a member of the Executive Council for the National Assembly of Sportsmen’s Caucuses (NASC), receiving several awards on behalf of his efforts to preserve hunting and fishing. He serves as Chairman of Tennessee’s Asian Carp Advisory Commission to study and provide advice regarding the best methods for mitigating the invasion of Asian carp into the state’s lakes and river systems.
During his legislative tenure, Bell has been a strong advocate of Second Amendment rights, including sponsoring the law establishing the right to carry a firearm without a permit. Other key laws sponsored by Bell include:
- Legislation revamping the state’s Textbook Commission to provide for greater transparency and more public input in the textbook selection process;
- Several bills removing unfair restrictions concerning the eligibility of home school students for Tennessee’s lottery scholarships;
- Legislation to protect Tennesseans’ access to healthcare through telehealth services;
- The Broadband Accessibility Act to improve access to broadband through investment, deregulation and education, spurring development in rural areas to open them up to job growth;
- Legislation creating volunteer firefighter grants for equipment and the new law to provide them with an annual $600 payment upon completion of training;
- Numerous laws strengthening penalties for human trafficking and providing support for victims;
- Legislation to make the Board of Judicial Conduct more responsive to the public; and
- Several laws protecting unborn children, including legislation excluding facilities in Tennessee that perform abortion from receiving Tennessee taxpayer money.
He was also was a strong legislative supporter for the Bradley County Tennessee Veterans Home.
Bell will continue to serve until a new state senator is elected in the regular general election on November 8, 2022.
Partisan statewide chancery court idea dropped in House, replaced by new appeals court
A Senate proposal to create a statewide chancery court made up of three judges elected in statewide partisan elections has been dropped in the House. Instead, the lower chamber wants to create a new “court of special appeals,” made up of three new judges who would stand for yes-no retention elections.
The new panel could take up case in which the attorney general intervenes on behalf of the state, and it would be the court of original jurisdiction for any challenges of redistricting plans.
Former lawmakers or governors would not be eligible to serve on the new intermediate court of appeals. Members would be appointed by the governor, though nominees would have to be confirmed by a joint convention of the General Assembly.
Senate Judiciary Chair Mike Bell (R-Riceville) has been a main proponent of holding popular elections for a statewide chancery court. The conflicting versions of the court proposals could lead to the need for a conference committee to see if the two chambers can work out their differences.
Here’s the full House amendment sponsored by Rep. Andrew Farmer (R-Sevierville):
Continue readingSECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 16, is amended by adding the following as a new chapter:
16-7-101.
There is created and established an appellate court to be designated and styled the court of special appeals of Tennessee.
16-7-102.
(a) The court of special appeals is composed of three (3) judges, one (1) from each grand division of the state.
(b)
(1) Immediately preceding appointment, each Judge must be at least thirty (30) years of age, must have been a resident of the state for at least five (5) consecutive years, and must have been a resident of the grand division from which the judge is appointed for at least one (1) year. For purposes of this section, resident has the same meaning as defined in § 2-1-104. The judges must be duly licensed to practice law in this state.
(2) In order to ensure fairness, to avoid the appearance of impropriety, and to avoid political bias, a former member of the general assembly or a former governor shall not serve as a judge of the court of special appeals.
(c) The governor shall appoint three (3) persons to serve as judges of the court of special appeals and vacancies on the court of special appeals must be filled by the governor. Each judge of the court of special appeals will be elected by the qualified voters of the state in a statewide retention election conducted in accordance with title 17, chapter 4, part 1. A judge of the court of special appeals must qualify as a candidate and be elected by the qualified voters of the state.
The initial terms of the judges begin on October 1, 2021. The oath of office for each judge of the court of special appeals must be filed and entered on the minutes of the court in the grand division from which the judge resides. The oath must likewise be filed and entered on the records in the office of the secretary of state at Nashville.
