NASHVILLE, Tenn.– State Rep. John Gillespie, R-Memphis, has completed a successful first year in the 112th General Assembly, passing important legislation on behalf of House District 97. The Tennessee General Assembly adjourned on Wednesday, May 5.
Gillespie sponsored several key pieces of legislation this session to ensure law and order in the state and protect Tennessee’s most vulnerable citizens.
Legislation sponsored by Gillespie to ensure law and order includes:
- House Bill 22 – Increases the penalty for drag racing from a Class B to a Class A misdemeanor.
- House Bill 549 – Allows families of deputy jailers who are killed in the line of duty to receive compensation.
Legislation sponsored by Gillespie to protect Tennessee’s aging population includes:
- House Bill 628 – Funds services for victims of abuse, neglect, financial or sexual exploitation of elderly or vulnerable persons as well as educational programs to prevent such abuse, neglect or exploitation.
- House Bill 629 – Requires persons reporting known or suspected cases of abuse, neglect or exploitation of an adult to also notify the district attorney general in all such cases.
- House Bill 630 – Modifies the reporting requirements for the vulnerable adult protective investigative team’s annual report to the chairs of the House and Senate Judiciary Committees
- House Bill 718 – Enacts the “Safe Seniors Act of 2021,” taking dangerous individuals who abuse elderly and vulnerable populations off the streets.
“The House passed landmark legislation in the 112th General Assembly, and I was proud to carry these bills to play a small role in achieving those accomplishments,” Gillespie said. “I look forward to working with my colleagues to build upon our successes from this year and to continue implementing conservative policies that help make Tennessee one of the best states in the nation to work, play and raise a family.”
In the 2022 legislative session, Gillespie will seek to strengthen the environments of Tennessee children, creating legislation to address child and domestic abuse and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) to protect children and help students thrive in the classroom.
John Gillespie represents House District 97, which includes parts of Shelby County. He is a member of the Civil Justice, Education Administration, and Finance, Ways and Means Committees, and the Children and Family Affairs and Higher Education subcommittees. He can be reached at rep.john.gillespie@capitol.tn.gov or 615-741-8201.
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