ACLU sides with the protesters
Tennessee Governor Bill Lee quietly signed into law increased penalties for protesters. Lee, a former businessman, was elected in 2018. The bill signed into law is a no-nonsense response to two months of frequent protests outside the Capitol. The increased penalties include losing the right to vote for breaking certain laws while protesting. Instead of looking the other way or encouraging and supporting protests that often turn violent or destroy property, like blue state governors and lawmakers are doing, this red state’s General Assembly held a special three-day legislative session last week to pass bills on COVID-19 liability immunity and telemedicine and included this bill to address protests. The Tennessee General Assembly is a majority Republican body. Governor Lee said there are some portions of the bill that he “would have done differently” but agreed to make the proposal law effective immediately with his signature. The bill specifically addresses illegally camping on state property (like at the Capitol) and aggravated rioting. Most notably, the new law now states that those who illegally camp on state property would now face a Class E felony, punishable by up to six years in prison, rather than a misdemeanor. Felony convictions in Tennessee result in the revocation of an individual’s right to vote. The bill also imposes a mandatory minimum 45-day hold if convicted of aggravated rioting; enhances the fine for obstructing emergency vehicles from accessing highways; requires a court to order restitution for damaging state property; and creates a Class C felony offense for aggravated assault against a first responder — which carries a $15,000 fine and mandatory minimum 90-day prison sentence.
