UPDATE: Senate rolled until next Thursday’s calendar. Also known as Thursday next.
SB 2207/HB 2345 is what’s known as an Administration (Governor Haslam) bill. I’ve written about briefly before. Even though it is a priority of the administration, there’s one person who can stop it could’ve stopped it. It will be on the floor of the Senate this morning, so you can expect it will be passed this morning. There has been no opposition in the House.
Yesterday, the Memphis Commercial Appeal had this. Today, the Knoxville News Sentinel had this editorial in opposition.
As much as this concerns me, it doesn’t come as a surprise. News flash: government is not a business. You cannot run the government like a business. Government takes on policy initiatives that do not produce positive income streams—like protecting the public. If this happened in business, this policy would be stopped. In business you’re operating with your money or the money of your investors who want a profit. In government, you’re operating on our money–taxpayer money we’d rather keep. In the history of our state, I don’t remember us getting a dividend at the end of the year.
However, secrecy appeals to the heartstrings of business. Thus, you find, as Rep. Craig Fitzhugh stated yesterday in the House Education Committee, “a solution looking for a problem.” Government works best when the sun shines in. It’s a disinfectant. When government business is conducted in secret it exponentially increases the likelihood of corruption.
Back to the individual who can stop it: Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey. He is a craftsman with no peer in the legislature. He doesn’t seem so inclined. At least he hasn’t been to this point. Instead, yesterday, he tweeted this:
I want to believe him, but I simply don’t. The acts of state government in our legislature couldn’t be more opaque and closed when it comes to these matters. [Aside: the website is great and so is the streaming]. And SB 2207/HB 2345 only makes it darker. In the age of the Internet, we should be moving the other direction, which it seems Lt. Gov. Ramsey wants to go. At least according to his words. Just like Congress, the Tennessee General Assembly is not bound by laws that apply to others. Slippery? You bet.
I will believe this protestation of supporting transparent and open government when the legislature passes rules in each chamber at the outset of each organizational session mandating open meetings. It would necessitate a rule initiative because the well worn argument against same is one general assembly cannot bind a future general assembly. True indeed, so just make it a part of the rules to start.
Our apologies Mr. Dylan, there was no rage against the dying of the light in Tennessee. When the light dies, this is what happens:
