Gov. Lee: One month ago, you ordered flags to be lowered to honor Rep. John Lewis.
Were he alive, we're confident that Rep. Lewis would be standing with protesters & joining us to urge you to protect free speech in TN.
ACT NOW: Tell Lee to veto #SB8005: bit.ly/2DB4wDb
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We just sent a letter strongly urging Governor Lee to veto #SB8005 and protect the right of protesters to speak out: bit.ly/3fYcB1R
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We oppose this legislation because it chills free speech, undermines criminal justice reform, and fails to address the issues of racial justice and police violence raised by the protesters currently outside the State Capitol.
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If signed, this heavy-handed legislation will trample on the rights of Tennesseans while exacerbating our overly high incarceration rates, flying in the face of the criminal justice reform platform Gov. Lee ran on and which he repeatedly identifies as one of his top priorities.
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In addition to wasting taxpayer funds to severely criminalize dissent, this bill could also have far-reaching and long-term consequences well beyond the particular protests this measure targets.
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For example, SB 8005 would make it a felony for a homeless person to sleep on state property, forcing unhoused people onto private property.
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Under SB 8005, individuals who intervene when they witness a police officer using excessive force could be charged with a felony and subjected to a min. of 30 days in jail.
If people supporting a candidate during early voting leave a canopy out overnight, it could be seized.
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In their zeal to target and shut down the current protests taking place outside the State Capitol, lawmakers rushed this bill through without fully considering the significant and wide-ranging impact it could have.
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In this important moment in our history, amidst calls for racial justice and an end to police violence, the Tennessee General Assembly has chosen to ignore those calls and instead has prioritized punishing the people courageous enough to speak out.
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Across the country, leaders are rising to the occasion to try to heal our nation. We hope Gov. Lee will join with them by acknowledging the importance of the right to dissent.
We strongly urge the governor to veto SB 8005.
Read our letter to Gov. Lee: bit.ly/3fYcB1R
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Replying to
I hope you can put pressure on him. He doesn’t seem to make right or legal decisions.