As session draws near an end, Amy Beckham and Shelby Vannoy discuss the remain agriculture and Farm Bureau priorities the public policy team is monitoring.
Amy Beckham: Hello everyone, and welcome to Farm Bureau on the Hill. I’m Amy Beckham, and joining me for this week’s legislative alert is, once again, Shelby Vannoy from our public policy division. And Shelby, you are not in front of me right now. You are in Nashville on a Thursday afternoon at 2pm. And that’s not really normal. So, what are you doing still there?
Shelby Vannoy: Yeah. So, this is one of times I wish we recorded like video of the podcast because I feel like we could be like “Live from the balcony of the Tennessee State Capitol!” But, we’re here because there is a huge push to adjourn for the first half of the 113 General Assembly this week. So with that, just trying to get all the bills out of the finance committee onto the floor. They can only do so much at a time. But Kevin and I are still here monitoring the House session, the Senate session and just trying to keep the ball rolling on all of our issues.
Amy Beckham: And you are close because the House and Senate have both passed a budget, right?
Shelby Vannoy: That’s right. So we talked last week about how once the budget passes, that it really kind of starts speeding up the process, but everything that was funded in the budget has to come before the House and the Senate, but it really gives us a guide of what the next what the last few days of session will look like. So, as of this morning, the Senate has passed the budget, the House passed it yesterday, it totals $56.2 billion. And I think next week, we can do a total recap of what this year’s budget is going to look like. But, because both chambers have passed it and it is the same version, it is going to be headed to the governor’s desk. And that just kind of drops the brake on all the other legislation that was waiting on the budget to pass. So, that’s kind of the holding pattern we’re in right now. There’s lots of – the House goes in for a few hours, the Senate goes in for a few hours, they both recess and then the other comes in and waits on the other. So it’s a lot of hurry up and waiting, but we certainly can’t miss being up here in Nashville and risk missing anything. So that’s that’s why we’re here. And that’s kind of where, where we are.
Amy Beckham: But it is obviously good news that the budget is passed, that’s a big checkmark that y’all can and the legislature can get behind. But, speaking of things that are headed to the governor’s desk, we have a lot that is still left to be voted on, for sure. But today, on Thursday, April 20, at two o’clock again, just want everyone to know we’re recording this, Shelby and I were talking beforehand, we’re recording this at two, but 10 minutes from now after this is done, a lot could change. So just want to make sure that the listeners have that understanding, so sorry if we emphasize it a little too much. But like I said, something else is headed to the governor’s desk. And that is the farmers market bill that we have talked a lot about over the past several weeks. It passed the House unanimously, and Shelby, you’ve got to agree that that is a big win for our producers who sell at farmer’s markets.
Shelby Vannoy: Absolutely. I feel like we pride ourselves on helping producers diversify their income and educate the consumer and provide consumers with a safe quality product, and by allowing producers to get these permits, once a year, have an inspection, and then as a result, be able to provide a tasty good to consumers and offer samples and just have that conversation with folks at a farmers market. It does feel like we’ve talked about this for months because it had to go through so many committees before it got to the floor, but we’re very thankful that Representative Thompson kind of hung on throughout the whole entirety of session with us and and was able to see that through unanimously on the floor this morning. And then of course, unanimously in the Senate a few weeks ago. So it feels like we’re finally closing the chapter on that and look forward to seeing that implemented in farmers markets this summer.
Amy Beckham: And that was not a Farm Bureau priority issue, but obviously it impacts our producers extensively and so y’all have been monitoring that extremely well the past several weeks, and so I think it is a big win for you all, for farmers markets, for agriculture in general across Tennessee that it is across the finish line. So, definitely congratulations on that one, but there’s still a lot left to be done. So, let’s just kind of go through what’s left being considered. We talked about it a little bit last week, kind of those things left on the docket for what needs to pass after the budget is passed. And that first one is our priority issue of Greenbelt and making sure that if you apply for Greenbelt, it doesn’t interfere with conservation programs. I think I’m saying this right, Shelby, but conservation programs. We’re just trying to clarify the provision there a little bit. So, when do they plan to vote on that legislation?
Shelby Vannoy: The Senate has already passed it to Senate Bill 711. We have gotten that across the finish line. It is our expectation that Representatives Hurt is going to present House Bill 898, which is the House companion version later today. Thankfully, the versions are the exact same, so we don’t expect any issues with the House and the Senate disagreeing on language, but we plan to move forward with that hopefully as soon as they go back in here shortly, and we’re expecting them to take it up on that calendar.
Amy Beckham: Very good. And we talked about it again last week, but again, this is not one of our priority issues, but y’all are monitoring the legislation on deannexation very heavily. What’s the status on the Deannexation bill. And if you don’t care, Shelby just give us real quick, just a synopsis of this legislation as a reminder of what it’s all about?
Shelby Vannoy: Sure. So what the bill does is it allows property owners who are on the city boundary with a process to deannex from that city boundary. And this only would apply to those who were forced. So if they were annexed by ordinance prior to 2014. And they’re involved in some kind of agricultural endeavor, this would give them a method to deannex from the city boundary. In short, when this was happening, you know before 2014, property owners who were being taxed without being represented. And this is a, it’s a step. It’s a small step. But it is a step in the right direction to deannex some of those ag properties that aren’t receiving the same services that somebody who chose to live inside of a city boundary would receive. And you’re right, Amy, it is a little bit different. And we’re closer than we were last week when we touched base on this. So Representative Alexander presented House Bill 938 this morning on the floor. And there was some really good discussion from the chamber, and thankfully, it did pass. So, it is going to be in the Senate hopefully as soon as this afternoon and we could have something finalized and ready to head to the governor’s desk for signature. So we’re, we’re in a really good place that just kind of the order of things that procedurally the House wants to go first. And that got accomplished this morning. So, we’re waiting on Senator Watson to pick up the baton and carry it across the finish line in the Senate.
Amy Beckham: Very good. And another piece of legislation that we are waiting to get across the finish line is our priority issue on that constitutional amendment of prohibiting a statewide property tax once and for all. So, what is the status of that legislation? It’s different, it takes a little bit more time. But, where are we at there?
Shelby Vannoy: Right. So this is a, you know, we’re gonna be talking about this probably for the next four to five years because it is a multi-year effort. Yesterday Representative Darby presented that on the House floor, it had its first reading, and then today, I would assume, possibly even as we are recording this podcast, it is going through its second reading on the House floor. And with that, we expect it to be read for its third time tomorrow and up for a vote. So we finally have reached the House floor. I felt like between special calendar, finance committee, we’re finally on the House floor with this legislation and look forward to hearing the clerk read it for the second time today.
Amy Beckham: So, forgive my ignorance. But why is he reading? Why does it have to be read three times on the House floor?
Shelby Vannoy: This is one of those things that because constitutional amendments are so finicky, and I feel like we’ve we’ve talked about this several times about why does it have to be on a special calendar. Why do we have to consider this over multiple general assemblies? We’ve kind of talked about why they’re different, and this is just another one of those ways why constitutional amendments are so different. Because we’re amending the state constitution, any proposed constitutional amendments have to be read on the record on each respective chamber’s floors three times before it can be voted on. So we’re one of three constitutional amendments that is up for consideration this year. And all of them have been read. As of today, they will have been read twice, and then they have to be reset for the following day. So, yesterday when it was first introduced, the clerk read the resolution, and then they set it for today’s calendar. Today they’re going to read it for a second time and set it for tomorrow’s calendar. And tomorrow, they will read it for a third time and instead of setting it for a calendar, Representative Darby will be able to explain why we need to prohibit a statewide property tax through an amendment to the state’s constitution and it will go for a vote. And one of our concerns is that we are running out of time as far as moving it over to the Senate, but it doesn’t necessarily mean that we’re gonna have to put a stop to it, it just means that this process may take a little bit longer than we anticipated.
Amy Beckham: So, you kind of touched on it there, but that was going to be my next question. Does it have to be read in the Senate three times as well? Or what does the process look like there?
Shelby Vannoy: It’s a lot of repetition, but it does have to be read in the Senate three times. We’re looking at adjournment tomorrow, and then this bill is not even going to pass the House until tomorrow. Is that going to give the Senate enough time to consider this legislation? And the reality of it is that in 2023, no – the Senate is not going to be able to take up this constitutional amendment. Although I’m not wishing session would last another week, if we had another week, I think we could get there. However, because it has to pass by simple majority in one general assembly, and this is the first half of that general assembly, we still have the 2024 session to get this across the finish line and over that first huge hurdle. It seems like we’ve had little baby hurdles up until this point. So next year, in 2024, we’ll turn our attention to the Senate and pick up with Senator Nicely and then try to hit the ground running next January and get that across the finish line in the Senate, so then we can look forward to the 114th General Assembly where we simply will just do it all over again until we get into the ballot on the 2026 gubernatorial election? So, we still have a long way to go. That’s why I said, if you’re tired of hearing about it now, you have no idea what’s going to be coming over the next few years because this is going to definitely be a multi year effort.
Amy Beckham: And if I’m understanding correctly, it is not ours that is the only constitutional amendment that isn’t going to make it to the Senate this year. It’s all of the constitutional amendments. Is that correct?
Shelby Vannoy: That’s right. So, I mentioned we were one to three. Last week, we were one to four and then one was taken off notice. So, now we are one of three that they will all three be read for their third time and be voted on tomorrow. And then simply the clock is just gonna probably run out on us. So, I would anticipate that our constitutional amendment, Leader Lamberth’s constitutional amendments and Chairlady Hazelwood’s constitutional will all be on a Senate calendar next January to get the ball rolling on the Senate side. So, it’s not that we’re, you know, behind on the game or behind the eight ball on anything, this is just one of those procedural things that the House chooses to take up the way they do and we’re just kind of buckled up and along for the ride.
Amy Beckham: Perfect. Well, thanks for answering all those questions. Sorry for so many, but I just wanted to make sure that I was understanding it correctly because it is a little bit different, and obviously want to make sure our listeners are understanding all the things that y’all are having to deal with correctly as well. So last, but certainly not least, an issue that y’all are monitoring, even though we don’t have a position on it, is the meat processing bill. So, can you explain a little bit about what that legislation is all about? And where it’s at in terms of passing either chamber?
Shelby Vannoy: Yes. So, the meat processing bill, in short, it would develop a state meat inspection process. So currently, if you’re a processing facility, you have to go through the process of getting certified by USDA. This just adds another option. And we don’t have a position on it. I think that there’s conversation from our membership, and really just from the ag community in general, that I think both sides of the story have made a great argument. And that’s why Farm Bureau doesn’t have a position on it. But it is something that we’ve included in our alert every week because it would have a direct impact on both consumers and those that have meat processed in the state of Tennessee. So, this will just allow the department of agriculture, our state department, to work with USDA in developing a state meat inspection program, which would then be administered by the Tennessee Department of Agriculture. It’s not going to diminish anything that USDA does or will continue to do in our state. It just is going to provide another option to processing facilities and it did pass the House floor this morning, and is in the Senate Calendar Committee. So, when something goes before the calendar committee in the Senate, it just means that that’s the final step before it’s heard on the Senate floor. So, I would anticipate that that maybe on tomorrow’s calendar in the Senate, if they get to it this year. But again, because this is the first half of the General Assembly, if they don’t get to it, it doesn’t mean that the bill is dead. They just would have to wait until next January to consider it in the Senate. But it did pass the House this morning. Representative Reedy presented it and I would imagine that Senator Nicely will present that at some point on tomorrow’s calendar in the Senate.
Amy Beckham: Okay, good. All make sense. And definitely appreciate that quick little update. And if you want more on that, we say it every week, but definitely look at the legislative alert. And I don’t want to steal any of your thunder Shelby, but y’all are still planning on sending out an alert today to kind of update everyone on where things are and then we’re going to do something a little bit different next week, right?
Shelby Vannoy: That’s right. And we actually, if you are like me, and you just can’t turn your email off on the weekends, if we adjourn tomorrow, or even heaven forbid, we go into Saturday, I think we are going to also send out something, not necessarily a podcast persay, there’s more to come on that, but we’re going to send out one alert to our folks letting them know that session has adjourned for the first half and just make folks aware. And then we’ll go into super deep dive detail on all the nitty gritty of what’s happened this week, what will become law over the next year and get into that in a much larger alert to come in the following week. So, we’re gonna be hitting you on a couple things over the next few days, just trying to make sure that as we wrap up, that we’re keeping everybody super informed. But yes, lots of fun things happening over the next week.
Amy Beckham: Yeah, for sure. And as a part of that wrap up alert, like Shelby mentioned, we are going to do a big wrap up podcast. And one thing that we would really love to do for this specific podcast is answer any questions that any of our listeners might have. So, whether it’s on some legislation that we’ve talked about, a priority issue or if it’s on something else that you’ve seen go through, and you just want to know about Farm Bureau’s position on it, Farm Bureau’s experience on it, whatever it is, please, we would love to answer those questions. And so, listen carefully. You’ll have until from now whenever you’re listening to this podcast until April 27 at let’s say, 10:30am. We’ll see when we record the podcast, but just for now, 10:30am, sometime that morning, send in your questions. And all you have to do is just text those questions to 931-388-7872. So again, 931-388-7872. And if you aren’t familiar, that is just the Farm Bureau’s number. So all you have to do is just text your questions to that. If you would like to put your name and your county, we would love that just to kind of know who is sending in those questions and those messages, but definitely not required if you just want to be anonymous. So that’s kind of what to expect next week as a wrap up. And I think that’s pretty good that potentially all could be wrapped up before May 1.
Shelby Vannoy: Yeah, amen. My response to, “when do you think they’re gonna get out of session” for the last two weeks has been “not soon enough!” So, I’m thankful we are near the end.
Amy Beckham: So, you did touch on it a little bit, but potentially tomorrow, hopefully not Saturday, but if that’s what it takes then that’s what it takes, right?
Shelby Vannoy: That’s right. I think that there’s an effort to avoid Saturday, just because the Music City Marathon is happening on Saturday and the capitol grounds will be pretty much not navigable, but we’re just at the will of the body. So, we’ll see what happens.
Amy Beckham: Very good. Well, we appreciate those late nights, especially this week. I know you’ve been up there super late just making sure that everything is tracking correctly, and that all things for agriculture are moving in the right direction. So, we appreciate your efforts, especially this time of year and look forward to having y’all back in the home office very shortly. And again, thanks to all for listening to this podcast. Again, it is Thursday at two o’clock when we are recording this, April 20. So, if anything changes between now and when you’re listening to it, we apologize but look at your legislative alert for details and just keep an eye on the email as the weekend progresses. So, appreciate all those who have listened, send in those questions to the Farm Bureau number and we look forward to giving you a lengthy update next week. Shelby, really appreciate the update and hope everyone has a great weekend.
POWERED BY BLUBRRY
