[{"_1":2,"_88":-5,"_89":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6634581,"mediaKeyId","2663788-63d538064863e7a8ba6df33f79747678","parentId",2663788,"title","Private Acts Committee approves five local bills; measures advance to state and local government","audioSeconds",455,"startMs",181000,"endMs",636000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2663788-63d538064863e7a8ba6df33f79747678&start=181&end=636","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2663788-63d538064863e7a8ba6df33f79747678/thumbnail_181000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6634581/Tennessee/Private-Acts-Committee-approves-five-local-bills-measures-advance-to-state-and-local-government","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6634581-1098349b575fd4f6f969ecb66ae995c5/orig.mp4?Expires=1771201831&Signature=cjMJCrattlXKgpYwe1-jZt1EJ6uscoy2hVEOAC-jPy4lwQGYVOay6r1nA3EgZkhplfrW0uRA6ivbLHuf5SRW11Z2upzP9konUQI5qGVQDy5Myz4hI3NPMEmdcK9cbFU6zR3VN6fsx~yBJOqLJ01xQRKal8JQIXNQpc3WqZrUDTCRN19OarBfwjXND9fzj~gilFRJrAP4ULprkQJyjxJX1KSC-lddSjgLFlOP6hXRfSZXznakbzfvbcTh59IYeckQjTSF74U9TlsVN64fRUelubzgqDED4mRuE6iKmyq6gxYKj0sxBnmo9MI0TqGQ6RADFRqZLA-p~TfKPRMPoZX7vw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","TN State Legislature","date","2025-03-17T00:00:00Z","article","The Private Acts Committee voted to pass five local bills during its March 17 session, forwarding each measure to the State and Local Government Committee for further consideration.

The bills, all of which received majority support in the committee, addressed local governance and court administration in multiple Tennessee jurisdictions and were carried by committee members representing those localities.

House Bill 14-20 (Rogersville). Chairman Hicks, the bill's sponsor, said the measure \"just simply authorizes holding of an advisory non binding referendum.\" The committee recorded seven ayes on the roll call and passed the bill; it was referred to State and Local Government. No mover or seconder was named on the record.

House Bill 14-18 (Lebanon Special School District). Chairman Boyd said the bill would expand the Lebanon Special School District's elected board from three members to five. The clerk reported eight ayes; the committee approved the bill and sent it to State and Local Government.

House Bill 14-23 (Lauderdale County). Representative Hirt described the measure as one that \"provides for the orderly transfer of the probate and juvenile court in Lauderdale County from the county courthouse to the Justice Complex.\" Hirt explained the bill also states that upon expiration of the full term of the presiding judge the probate and juvenile court would be dissolved and probate matters transferred to chancery court while juvenile matters and related clerk duties would transfer to general sessions. The bill passed on a 9-0 committee vote and was referred to State and Local Government.

House Bill 14-17 (Tullahoma). Vice Chairman Bricken said the bill, brought by the city of Tullahoma, \"basically extends the city judge term by 1 year in order to coincide with the elections of our mayor\" to reduce costs by consolidating items on the ballot. The committee recorded nine ayes and advanced the bill to State and Local Government.

House Bill 14-19 (Montgomery County). Representative Burkett said Montgomery County requested the bill; he noted the county commission passed a related local resolution 18-1. Burkett said the measure would add a general sessions/juvenile judge in response to population growth; the clerk reported 10 ayes and the committee passed the bill and sent it on to State and Local Government.

Meeting context and next steps. Committee members asked few substantive questions on the local measures; most sponsors provided short explanations and the committee moved directly to recorded votes. All five bills now go to the State and Local Government Committee for further consideration and any subsequent floor action required by the legislative process.

Votes at a glance
- HB 14-20 (Rogersville): Passed; recorded 7 ayes; referral: State and Local Government; sponsor: Chairman Hicks; motion/second: not specified on the record.
- HB 14-18 (Lebanon Special School District): Passed; recorded 8 ayes; referral: State and Local Government; sponsor: Chairman Boyd; motion/second: not specified on the record.
- HB 14-23 (Lauderdale County): Passed; recorded 9 ayes; referral: State and Local Government; sponsor: Representative Hirt; motion/second: not specified on the record.
- HB 14-17 (Tullahoma): Passed; recorded 9 ayes; referral: State and Local Government; sponsor: Vice Chairman Bricken; motion/second: not specified on the record.
- HB 14-19 (Montgomery County): Passed; recorded 10 ayes; referral: State and Local Government; sponsor: Representative Burkett; motion/second: not specified on the record.

The committee did not record individual member votes by name on the public transcript; the clerk announced only the tally for each roll call. Further action on these bills will be determined in later committee and floor consideration.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Private Acts Committee\tMar 17, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Private Acts Committee voted to pass five local bills during its March 17 session, forwarding each measure to the State and Local Government Committee for further consideration.","taxTitle","Private Acts, House of Representatives, Committees, Legislative, Tennessee","taxId",79834,"location","Tennessee","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6634576,"Chair of Ireland's Senate addresses Private Acts Committee, praises U.S. role in Northern Ireland peace and highlights trade, education ties",337,748000,1085000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2663788-63d538064863e7a8ba6df33f79747678&start=748&end=1085","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2663788-63d538064863e7a8ba6df33f79747678/thumbnail_748000.jpg","/articles/6634576/Tennessee/Chair-of-Irelands-Senate-addresses-Private-Acts-Committee-praises-US-role-in-Northern-Ireland-peace-and-highlights-trade-education-ties","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6634576-afda9ec0c96eaab9fcad9ae16cfa75b5/orig.mp4?Expires=1771201831&Signature=nCZSgRt-hy-zYlGZcJDttlm-GrDXd7tQ9D8I9Ly99OvS36y9TIrmvsay8bmFqaJ2sRZff4kr~k96Y0lnMVqR-oiqRbnkpt0jPz-0DPnx7D078oJxyJl~vP7nqeeap7oSV3mrgBgXWRUBzm5AsFmOdd69L2p~-ElLOm6jDCSmIAgfV--8a2cie3bC3URZ7Om3Oc~d6L83GI1LxrZQhfuWSm02OV76FAx7nI-foQQOfdyDbB4x~QJXQI2X4FyNL1WozBAVCQ4pVm4lw6eicpVB6u-dFbEo7lhFlNvziyiS3cbF9klLAbTV4-0nRxkZQO4f~Bqh~VU40C3h3u1GAt5lZA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Senator Mark Gailey, who identified himself as chair of Ireland's Senate, addressed the Private Acts Committee on March 17 during a visit timed for St. Patrick's Day and spoke about historical and contemporary ties between Ireland and the United States.

Gailey credited U.S. support for the 1998 peace process in Northern Ireland and said implementation was the difficult work after the accords. \"Peace isn't a moment in history. It's when you implement it,\" he said, describing the years of work after the Good Friday Agreement to decommission weapons, reform policing and manage prisoner releases.

Gailey warned that paramilitary structures still exist in Northern Ireland and described an estimated 10,000 people associated with paramilitary groups, though only a few hundred are active. He said those groups are involved in \"racketeering\" and other criminal activity that can be destabilizing if reactivated.

The senator also promoted economic and educational ties. He welcomed the Tennessee-Ireland Trade Commission, described by Gailey as an effort \"not just [as] a trade commission, it's also an education commission bringing the universities together to collaborate,\" including student exchanges and research partnerships. He highlighted Ireland's role as an English-speaking gateway to the European Union and said companies based there can offer U.S. firms broader access to EU markets.

Gailey discussed Brexit-related trade issues, noting that Northern Ireland retained certain arrangements that avoided a hard land border on the island and that U.S. political support was significant in preserving an open border. He argued that an open cross-border arrangement helps prevent a return to the violence of the Troubles.

Committee members asked about Ireland's population, citizenship by descent and the country's international investments. In response to a question about citizenship through ancestry, Gailey summarized what is commonly called the \"grandparent rule,\" saying, \"If your grandmother or grandfather were born in Ireland, then you're entitled to [citizenship].\" Vice Chairman Sparks and other members discussed the new direct flight from Nashville to Dublin and the value of stronger tourism and trade links.

Gailey invited committee members to Ireland for annual events that around an August college football game and said the gatherings bring state legislators and potential investors together. He credited U.S. figures including Sen. George Mitchell for mediation work during the peace process and recounted how diplomacy sometimes meant \"shuttle\" negotiations because opposing parties would not meet in the same room.

The visit concluded when the committee paused for the senator's remarks and then returned to business.

Why it matters. The senator's remarks underscored the continuing political and economic relationship between U.S. states and Ireland, and highlighted the committee-level interest in trade, education exchanges and tourism links between Tennessee and Irish institutions.","Senator Mark Gailey, chair of Ireland's Senate, spoke to the Private Acts Committee on March 17 about historical U.S.-Ireland ties, the Good Friday Agreement implementation, paramilitary risks in Northern Ireland and the work of the Tennessee-Ireland Trade Commission.","actionData","errors"]

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Private Acts Committee approves five local bills; measures advance to state and local government

Chair of Ireland's Senate addresses Private Acts Committee, praises U.S. role in Northern Ireland peace and highlights trade, education ties