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Tennessee House honors student athletes, veterans and a student hero; consent calendar passes, motion to hear HB 622 fails
Summary
At its April 9 session on the House Floor, the Tennessee House of Representatives adopted the consent calendar, recognized multiple athletic teams and individuals — including University of Memphis coaches and several state high school champions — and heard a failed motion to add House Bill 622 to an education committee calendar.
The Tennessee House of Representatives on April 9 recognized a string of individual and team achievements — from high school state championships to collegiate coaching awards — and approved its consent calendar, while a separate motion to place House Bill 622 on an education committee calendar failed.
The recognitions took place during the House’s “Welcoming, honoring, and announcements” segment. Representative Jason Powell introduced Valor College Prep’s girls volleyball team after the chamber read House Resolution 211 honoring the Wildcats for winning the 2024 TSSAA Class 2A state championship. Athletic director Cameron Hill told lawmakers the team finished 34–? (the resolution text and the athletic director cited a 34-record and a 3.18 team GPA) and “they didn’t lose a Class 2A game this year.” Head coach Kylie Harvey said the squad’s season “was one for the books” and praised players’ “grit, discipline, and character.” Sophomore Lily Quick spoke for the team and thanked Representative Jason Powell and the House for the recognition.
The chamber also adopted a resolution honoring Karina Beastry of Central High School (House Joint Resolution 545) after Representative Cochran called Beastry Tennessee’s Miss Basketball and noted career totals listed in the resolution. Representative Clemons introduced and the House read a resolution recognizing Hillsborough High School’s boys basketball team and coach Rodney Thweet for winning the 2025 TSSAA Division I Class 4A state championship; Clemons and MNPS officials including Director Adrian Battle and Principal Danielle Holdren joined the team on the floor.
Other recognitions included a resolution for Chief Warrant Officer 3 Phyllis Ann Fitzgerald for her 21 years of U.S. Army service and leadership in veteran-focused work (read under House Resolution 332); a commendation for Evan Boyd of Gornesville High School for intervening when another student brought what later was identified as a BB gun to class (House Joint Resolution 118); and multiple awards for University of Memphis athletics, including a resolution honoring Penny Hardaway as the American Athletic Conference’s 2024–25 coach of the year and a broader House resolution commending the University of Memphis athletic department for recent conference championships and postseason bids.
On formal business, Chair Louder of Moody moved passage of the consent calendar on third and final consideration under House rules. The clerk reported no objections were filed; the presiding officer later declared the consent calendar passed. The transcript records no roll-call tally for the consent calendar vote.
Later in the morning Leader Lambert moved that House Bill 622 be heard by the House Education Committee that week. The motion drew an objection and was put to a roll call. The clerk recorded the tally in the transcript as 69–19 in opposition to the motion (clerk text: “I 69 19 days.”). The presiding officer announced the motion failed.
The House concluded the day by ordering a recess until 9 a.m. on Thursday, April 10, 2025.
Quotes used in this report come from speakers on the House Floor during the April 9 session and are attributed precisely as spoken in the transcript.
