House Democrats propose “family-first” agenda for the new session

Members of the House Democratic Caucus held a press conference Tuesday to release what they’re calling a “family-first” agenda for the new legislative session.Democratic lawmakers say they intend to focus on public safety and education including gun regulations, medical care, and the grocery tax.“We’re here to protect and stand up for the freedoms of every Tennessee family.  Not a select few, not the special interest. It is important for the average working family in every part of the State of Tennessee and every corner of the state to know that there is a group of people up here in the state capitol focused on them and addressing the challenges their family is facing on a daily basis,” said Representative John Ray Clemmons, D-Nashville.Members of the Democratic caucus also criticized the Freedom Education Scholarship Act that’s a key priority for Governor Bill Lee and some members of the Republican Supermajority.  The act would allow Tennessee families the ability to use public dollars to send their children to private school.“This has been a fight that has been going on for years and these dogmatic groups that come in and have been funding this for ten years or more, advocating for this privatization of public education and it’s all been leading up to this moment and we have to push back and push back hard,” said Representative Gloria Johnson, D-Knoxville.The caucus additionally aims to fund universal pre-free Pre-K programs across the state.