Brian Kelsey

Senator Brian Kelsey (R): District 31, Chairman of the Senate Education Committee. Kelsey is deliberative and discriminating. If he likes a bill, he wants to have something to do with it, other than just a vote. His judgement is pretty reliable. We feel he could be a little bolder in pursuit of education reform, which we deem of paramount necessity if we are to save our republic.

Senator Kelsey, although considering a very large number of bills, has only endorsed one TLRC chosen bill by co-sponsorship:

SB0230/HB0016 – Hensley/Cepicky – Teacher’s discipline freedom; creates a path for the removal of unruly student (passed).

TLRC chose to sponsor one of Senator Kelsey’s bills. Well, not a bill, but a Senate Joint Resolution that has passed for the third year, so it will become part of our Tennessee Constitution

SJR2 – Kelsey – Puts Right-to-Work into our Tennessee constitution, making it much more difficult to rescind (passed).

Senator Kelsey lost points because of a bill he supported that TLRC opposed:

SB0783/HB1204 – Massey/Zachary – Authorizes a special sales and use tax allocation to finance Randy Boyd’s Baseball stadium in Knoxville at the expense of Tennessee taxpayers. Boyd is a mega millionaire (passed).

Media stories on the subject:
Boyd Sports to Profit from Events Held at Taxpayer-Funded Stadium – Tennessee Star

Member of Senate Committee Considering Legislation for Randy Boyd’s Taxpayer-Funded Baseball Stadium is Employee of Law Firm That Could Benefit From Bill’s Passage – Tennessee Star

Five Sponsors of Bill Enabling Randy Boyd’s Taxpayer-Funded Baseball Stadium Received More Than $90,000 in Campaign Funds from Individuals with Ties to the Project – Tennessee Star

TLRC opposed those bills on fairness, fiscal-responsibility, and constitutional principles.

Senator Kelsey sponsored twenty bills, nine of which passed into law, one (a Joint Resolution) of which TLRC scored. To access, go here

We do not need more laws; we need better laws, and enforcement of the laws already on the books. The grassroots are looking for courage in our legislators: courage to stand up for constitutional principles over pressure from leadership and paid lobbyists. Senator Kelsey could be that warrior. He has done some very good work but could up his game in this hour of need.

We are at a crisis point and now is the time to stand for the people instead of special interests, the wealthy, and well-connected, and against those who assume power through corruption and coercion. If we do not, we could very well lose our republic and our liberties.