Oak Ridge Today

Guest column: Sen. Yager asks for constituent input

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Ken Yager

Ken Yager

NASHVILLE—The 109th General Assembly of the State of Tennessee convened at noon on January 13, 2015, for an organizational session. Among other items on the agenda, the Senate and House of Representatives elected their speakers and adopted rules for the 2015 and 2016 legislative sessions. At the end of the week, on January 17, we will inaugurate the state’s 49th Governor, Bill Haslam, to begin his second four-year term. After a short recess, we will reconvene on February 2 and remain in session until mid to late April.

State spending in a tight budget year will be the predominant driver for legislative action in 2015. Other significant issues expected to be on the legislature’s agenda in 2015 are jobs, healthcare, education, taxes, and legislation stemming from the ratification of the constitutional amendments passed by voters in November. It is very important that I hear from my constituents on these issues as some of them will be controversial.

I will continue the practice of sending out weekly Senate reports during session and appreciate the local papers who publish them. We now send video updates to local papers and audio statements to radio stations during the legislative session which I hope you will access. [Read more…]

2014 Election: Constitutional amendments, wine in groceries, a candidate’s record

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League Women Voters Constitutional Amendment Forum

Corinne Rovetti, co-director and family nurse practitioner for the Knoxville Center for Reproductive Health, second from right, discusses Amendment 1, which is on Tuesday’s ballot, during a forum in October. Also pictured are moderator JoAnn Garrett, right; Judy Cornett, second from left, distinguished professor in the College of Law at the University of Tennessee, who discussed Amendment 2; and Sherry Davis Kasper, professor of economics at Maryville College, who discussed Amendment 3.

 

Many voters remain confused about the four proposed constitutional amendments on the ballot in Tennessee on Election Day, Tuesday, November 4.

Three of the amendments were discussed during a League of Women Voters forum in Oak Ridge in October, and you can find a guide to the four amendments here.

The first amendment, Amendment 1, is related to abortion, and it appears to be the most divisive.

Here’s the full text of the proposed amendment to the Tennessee Constitution:

“Nothing in this Constitution secures or protects a right to abortion or requires the funding of an abortion. The people retain the right through their elected state representatives and state senators to enact, amend, or repeal statutes regarding abortion, including, but not limited to, circumstances of pregnancy resulting from rape or incest or when necessary to save the life of the mother.”

[Read more…]

Three speakers to discuss three proposed constitutional amendments

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Corinne Rovetti

Corinne Rovetti

Two college professors and a co-director of a reproductive health center will discuss three proposed constitutional amendments that will be considered by Tennessee voters in the November 4 election.

The proposed amendments will be discussed during a Tuesday evening forum in Oak Ridge.

Corinne Rovetti, co-director and family nurse practitioner for the Knoxville Center for Reproductive Health, will address Amendment 1, which deals with reproductive choice and privacy, a press release said. [Read more…]

Guest column: League works to educate voters, protect voting rights

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League Matters: Making Democracy Work

The League of Women Voters of Oak Ridge is beginning its 2014-2015 year, and we would like to use this opportunity to talk about the League—who we are and what we do.

The League is a nonpartisan political organization for women and men, but we neither support nor oppose any candidate, party, or political appointee. Our mission is to encourage informed and active participation in the democratic process, increase understanding of major public policy issues, and influence policy making through education and advocacy.

Voting is the most powerful way to make our citizens’ voices heard. And educated and informed voters are the key to making our democracy work. The League works all year, every year, to empower all eligible voters to participate in our political system. We have many voter registration drives each year, and will be joining other local leagues and like-minded organizations in the National Voter Registration Day on September 23. We especially seek to aid those from traditionally underrepresented or underserved communities.

We work to educate voters about candidates in federal, state, and local races each year through our candidate and voter forums. The forums provide straightforward information on candidates and ballot issues, free of any partisan import. We distribute many types of educational materials such as voter guides, elected official directories, information on polling places, and state and local election rules. A voter forum about the constitutional amendments on the November election ballot will be held at Pollard Auditorium on October 7. A series of pre-election candidate forums are planned for September. [Read more…]