A few people have asked what's happening with the rabies bills. They keep being pushed back in their committees.
actions taken on sb3850
Assigned to Gen. Sub of: S. FW&M Comm.
actions taken on hb3834
Action Def. in Finance, Ways & Means Committee to last calendar
Since the bills would add/subtract money from the state budget, they've become tied up with the budget. They may not be considered until something is decided about the bigger budget, especially in the House Finance, Ways & Means committee where the bill isn't scheduled to be heard until the "last calendar." But they can still hear it that day, vote on it, pass it and rush it up to the floor to pass it.
Please make some more phone calls and let the committee members know that you OPPOSE the rabies tax bills. Ask them to vote NO on these bills. Talk to your vets. Talk to your local animal shelters and rescues. They're going to be especially hard-hit by these bills since they vaccinate so many animals. This law would effect their budgets since it would cost more to vaccinate animals. Ask them to call committee members to oppose these bills.
You can find your own legislators by going to the Tennessee General
Assembly web site and looking on the righthand side of the page:
http://www.legislature.state.tn.us/ There’s a column with the
heading “Find My Legislator.” Just type in your street address and
city. It will bring up your local representative and state senator.
You can contact them about anything that concerns you but they may
not be on a particular committee that is considering a bill.
However, they will be voting on each bill that makes it to the House
or Senate floor so it’s always a good idea to drop them a line or try
to speak to them.
To write to the committee members about the rabies tax bill, here’s a
sample letter. The committee members are listed below with their
phone numbers and e-mail addresses. Please contact them and ask
them to oppose this bill!
Rabies tax sample letter (formal letter)
Your name
address
phone number
e-mail address
date
State Senator Dear Senator Doe:
The Honorable John Doe
State Senator
(Nashville mailing address)
or
State Representative Dear Representative Doe:
The Honorable John Doe
State Representative
(Nashville mailing address)
Salutation: (Dear Senator ___ or Representative ___:)
I’m writing you because I’m concerned about (SB 3850 for the Senate
or HB 3834 for the House). This is the rabies bill that you are
considering in the Finance, Ways & Means Committee. This bill would
add a minimum of $1 and possibly more to rabies vaccinations in the
state. I would like to ask you to oppose this bill.
[Reasons why you oppose the bill. Reasons why the legislator should
oppose.]
I agree with the Tennessee Veterinary Medical Association that adding
these fees to rabies vaccinations will reduce the number of people
who vaccinate their pets against rabies.
In addition, many communities already add additional fees and
licenses to vaccinated animals which makes it expensive to do the
right thing and give your pet good veterinary care. These fees would
only add to this burden.
As proposed with these fees, the pet owners who are vaccinating their
pets would carry the entire cost of the state’s rabies program. This
would place an unfair tax burden on responsible pet owners.
Finally, this is a public health and safety issue. If fewer people
vaccinate their pets there will be a greater chance that someone in
Tennessee will contract rabies.
Please oppose the rabies bill when it comes before your committee.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
name
clubs
positions held
Members of the Senate Finance, Ways & Means Committee
Sen. Randy McNally, Chair - 615-741-6806,
sen.randy.mcnally@capitol.tn.gov
Sen. Douglas Henry, Vice-Chair - 615-741-3291,
sen.douglas.henry@capitol.tn.gov
Sen. Tim Burchett, Secretary - 615-741-1766,
sen.tim.burchett@capitol.tn.gov
Sen. Diane Black - 615-741-1999, sen.diane.black@capitol.tn.gov
Sen. Joe Haynes - 615-6679, sen.joe.haynes@capitol.tn.gov
Sen. Roy Herron - 615-741-4576, sen.roy.herron@capitol.tn.gov
Sen. Jim Kyle - 615-741-4167, sen.jim.kyle@capitol.tn.gov
Sen. Mark Norris - 615-741-1967, sen.mark.norris@capitol.tn.gov
Sen. Doug Overbey - 615-741-0981, sen.doug.overbey@capitol.tn.gov
Sen. Bo Watson - 615-741-3227, sen.bo.watson@capitol.tn.gov
Sen. Jamie Woodson - 615-741-1648, sen.jamie.woodson@capitol.tn.gov
Members of the House Finance, Ways & Means Committee
Craig Fitzhugh, Chair - (615) 741-2134 ,
rep.craig.fitzhugh@capitol.tn.gov
Charles Sargent, Vice-Chair - (615) 741-6808,
rep.charles.sargent@capitol.tn.gov
Johnny Shaw, Secretary - (615) 741-4538, rep.johnny.shaw@capitol.tn.gov
Joe Armstrong - (615) 741-0768, rep.joe.armstrong@capitol.tn.gov
Stratton Bone - (615) 741-7086, rep.stratton.bone@capitol.tn.gov
Harry Brooks - (615) 741-6879, rep.harry.brooks@capitol.tn.gov
Kevin Brooks - (615) 741-1350, rep.kevin.brooks@capitol.tn.gov
Tommie Brown - (615) 741-4374, rep.tommie.brown@capitol.tn.gov
Glen Casada - (615) 741-4389rep.glen.casada@capitol.tn.gov
Kent Coleman - (615) 741-6829, rep.kent.coleman@capitol.tn.gov
Lois DeBerry - (615) 741-3830, rep.lois.deberry@capitol.tn.gov
Bill Dunn - (615) 741-1721, rep.bill.dunn@capitol.tn.gov
Jimmy Eldridge - (615) 741-7475, rep.jimmy.eldridge@capitol.tn.gov
Michael Harrison - (615) 741-7480, rep.mike.harrison@capitol.tn.gov
Curtis Johnson - (615) 741-4341, rep.curtis.johnson@capitol.tn.gov
Mark Maddox - (615) 741-7847, rep.mark.maddox@capitol.tn.gov
Debra Maggart - (615) 741-3893, rep.debra.maggart@capitol.tn.gov
Steve McDaniel - (615) 741-0750, rep.steve.mcdaniel@capitol.tn.gov
Steve McManus - (615) 741-1920, rep.steve.mcmanus@capitol.tn.gov
Larry Miller - (615) 741-4453, rep.larry.miller@capitol.tn.gov
Richard Montgomery - (615) 741-5981,
rep.richard.montgomery@capitol.tn.gov
Jason Mumpower - (615) 741-2050, rep.jason.mumpower@capitol.tn.gov
Jimmy Naifeh - (615) 741-3774, spk.eme.jimmy.naifeh@capitol.tn.gov
Gary Odom - (615) 741-4410, rep.gary.odom@capitol.tn.gov
Dennis Roach - (615) 741-2534, rep.dennis.roach@capitol.tn.gov
Donna Rowland - (615) 741-2804, rep.donna.rowland@capitol.tn.gov
Janis Sontany - (615) 741-6861, rep.janis.sontany@capitol.tn.gov
Harry Tindell - (615) 741-2031, rep.harry.tindell@capitol.tn.gov
Mike Turner - (615) 741-3229, rep.mike.turner@capitol.tn.gov
Les Winningham - (615) 741-6852, rep.leslie.winningham@capitol.tn.gov
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