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Widow appeals to committee to classify electrical linemen as first responders in HB1464
Summary
A widow delivered emotional testimony urging lawmakers to recognize electrical linemen as first responders after her husband died on the job. Sponsor and lawmakers said the bill would extend statutory death-benefit protections to linemen; the committee put the bill behind the budget.
Samantha Carlton, speaking as a wife and mother and a widow, told the subcommittee she supports House Bill 14-64 to recognize electrical linemen as first responders. Carlton recounted her husband's work restoring power during storms and described the lasting trauma for families after lineworkers are killed on the job. "Chance died serving the people of Tennessee," she said during three minutes of testimony.
Representative Powers (sponsor) and other lawmakers supported the measure during committee discussion, noting Tennessee Code 7-51-210 provides death compensation for first responders and describing the bill as intended to include linemen within that coverage. The committee noted a fiscal impact and placed HB14-64 behind the budget for later consideration.
