Tennessee Republicans are no friend to small business owners. Nashville Is Talking has the scoop:
Next week, state lawmakers will convene a special session of the General Assembly to fix a new law that nearly doubles workers compensation insurance premiums on small contracts across the state of Tennessee.
The new law (Public Chapter Np. 1041) was sponsored by Republicans in both the House and Senate last year on behalf of the state’s home builders and insurance lobbies.
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The new law’s Senate sponsor, Sen. Bill Ketron (R-Murfreesboro), is himself an insurance salesman who benefits from raising premiums on small contractor businesses. During his current term, special interest PACs representing large home builders, developers and insurance industries gave more than $20,000 to Ketron’s campaign war chest.
The new law’s House sponsor, Rep. Jason Mumpower (R-Bristol), has received $18,000 from special interest PACs representing large home builders, developers and insurance industries during his current term.
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Rep. Joe Pitts (D-Clarksville) will introduce HB 1899 during the special session seeking to delay implementation of the new law until July. Sen. Tim Barnes (D-Clarksville) will sponsor the Senate’s companion bill (SB 2055).
The special session convenes Monday January 11.
See, you can’t just say you champion the rights of the small business owner. Proof by assertion, although a favorite tactic of the TNGOP, doesn’t really work. You actually have to legislate accordingly.
more evidence that Tennessee Republicans are controlled by big business special interests. And proof that they do the bidding of those interests to the detriment of everyday Tennesseans — small business owners, workers, etc.