Rachel Schmelzer
Motlow Buzz Reporter
MURFREESBORO, Tenn.—A new,
controversial transgender bathroom bill was discussed with three state legislators
at the Capital Connections Breakfast in the Rutherford County Chamber of
Commerce on April 8.
Tennessee State Senators Jim Tracy and
Bill Ketron, and State Rep. Mike Sparks sat down to discuss issues in
Rutherford County and the state at breakfast in the Chamber’s Thomas T. Martin
Visitor Center. They all agreed that the
meeting was a good way to improve the community, and were happy to discuss
issues that are important to the people here.
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| Local sponsors for the event (photo by Rachel Schmelzer) |
The moderator of the event, Kirk Wade,
asked the table about the transgender bill being proposed. When the issue was
brought up, the room erupted in laughter. The bill, though it has not yet gone
to the floor, would only affect public schools, allowing students to use the
restroom of the gender they identify with.
“We’ve lost common sense,” said Tracy. “I
don’t know where we’re going to go with this.”
Tracy added that he believed it
was a matter of what one’s birth certificate said. He did not dismiss the issue
and was very firm and upfront on his beliefs about it, as was Ketron and
Sparks.
Tracy said that it should be up
to the principals of the schools to decide. The rest of the table agreed.
Sparks said these issues are
difficult because Tennessee has not really faced them until now.
Two hours have been spent
debating the proposed bill in the Tennessee Senate. The senators at the meeting
said they did not want the bill to go to the Senate floor for any further
debate.
Ketron brought up his
three main priorities: education, transportation and the landfill. The landfill in Rutherford County has been
left alone since 1993. Researchers now say that it has six years of use left.
In the last few years, it has become a Class 3 landfill by allowing the
disposal of animal carcasses. Sparks has been looking into new, environmentally
friendly ways to clean it up while keeping necessary resources for local citizens.
Ketron has also been
working toward improving education in Tennessee by making it possible for more
people to get into four-year colleges.
The legislators also
mentioned the need for a monorail system to solve regional problems in the
community and state.
“We have to move in that
direction,” said Tracy.
In 2017, the legislature plans to begin
working on a plan for the monorail. Sparks added the need to implement more enforcement
for HOV lanes as well.
They all agreed that the
Tennessee State Legislature is working to accommodate a growing population and
the welfare of college students and retirees alike.
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