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2007 DCDW TENNESSEE LEGISLATIVE REPORT
DCDW SUPPORTS THESE BILLS

SUPPORT-SB1697/Sen. Roy Herron - SB1894/Rep. Randy Rinks
VERIFIABLE PAPER BALLOT- Requires that all electronic voting systems be backed up with a paper ballot to be retained by the election commission for recounts.

SUPPORT- SB2073 / Sen. Shea Flinn – HB1989 / Rep. Janis Sontany
EMERGENCY CARE FOR RAPE VICTIMS
Enacts the “Emergency Care for Rape Victims Act of 2007”. This bill requires hospitals to provide information about Emergency Contraception to Rape Victims. Hospitals are also required to either provide Emergency Contraception to the patient or refer the patient to a known dispenser. Hospitals with a religious affiliation that choose not to comply are exempt.

SUPPORT- SB0724 / Sen. Jamie Woodson – HB1188 / Rep. Sherry Jones
FUND TO COVER FORENSIC COSTS FOR VICTIMS IN RAPE CASES
Authorizes payment of costs of forensic sexual assault examinations (for the purpose of gathering evidence of sexual assault). Establishes a “Sexual Assault Examination Fund” to reimburse victims for expenses that are not compensable under the victim’s compensation fund.

DCDW OPPOSES THIS BILL
OPPOSE-SB0725 / Sen. Doug Jackson – HB2227 / Rep. Larry Miller
MANDATORY JOINT CUSTODY
Enacts the "Equal and Fair Parenting Act" to create a rebuttable presumption that equally shared parenting time is the custody arrangement in the best interest of a child. This bill prevents the judge from using her/his discretion in disputed custody cases.

The Davidson County Democratic Women have agreed to oppose the Mandatory Joint Custody Bill, HB2227, because this bill removes the court’s discretion to decide each case individually based on the child’s best interest. Under HB2227, a parent who refuses to participate Tennessee Parenting Plan mediation is automatically awarded joint custody, without consideration of the interest of the child.
HB2227, the House Bill for Mandatory Joint Custody which was scheduled to be heard in the House Domestic Relations Subcommittee was rolled to next Tuesday, April 10th.
Please contact the following members of this committee and let them know that we're OPPOSED to this legislation.
Rep. Sherry Jones - rep.sherry.jones@legislature.state.tn.us
Rep. Kevin Brooks - rep.kevin.brooks@legislature.state.tn.us
Rep. Tommie Brown - rep.tommie.brown@legislature.state.tn.us
Rep. Joanne Favors - rep.joanne.favors@legislature.state.tn.us
Rep. Matthew Hill - rep.matthew.hill@legislature.state.tn.us
Rep. Brian Kelsey - rep.brian.kelsey@legislature.state.tn.us
Rep. Gary Rowe - rep.gary.rowe@legislature.state.tn.us
Rep. Nathan Vaughn - rep.nathan.vaughn@legislature.state.tn.us
Rep. Mike Turner - rep.mike.turner@legislature.state.tn.us
Reminder: put your message in the Subject Line and body of your e-mail
Subject: PLEASE VOTE NO ON HB2227, MANDATORY JOINT CUSTODY
Additional contact information for legislators is available at www.legislature.state.tn.us (click on House and Members on the left side of the screen).
A special thank you to the Nashville Women's Political Caucus for the current information regarding this legislation.

CONTACT INFO FOR TENNESSEE LEGISLATORS IN DAVIDSON COUNTY 2007
TENNESSEE REPRESENTATIVES in DAVIDSON COUNTY

TENNESSEE SENATORS in DAVIDSON COUNTY

Legislative Alerts From The Nashville Women's Political Caucus