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Medical Marijuana in Tennessee

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Medical marijuana is a hot topic for many people in the United States of America. For the longest time, marijuana has been classed as an illegal drug that could land long jail sentences for those caught in possession of it. Now it is available in many forms to target different illnesses and pains, for example, private label softgels.

However, times are constantly changing and so are people’s opinions on marijuana and cbd edibles. More and more citizens and health officials have been opening their eyes to the potential benefits of medical marijuana and its derivatives as well. Medical marijuana has been known to treat chronic diseases where pain, low mood, and inflammation are factors. Marijuana is known to have been used as a medical treatment as early as ancient China where it is said to have been a complementary treatment to acupuncture. CBD is a close relative taken from the hemp plant (consumed either as an oil or in Private Label CBD Capsules) which can treat similar conditions as well.

With such potential benefits, it’s important to have a clear and detailed discussion on medical marijuana and its derivatives and how they can benefit America. Whether it be in the form of CBD products, cannabis edibles, vape liquids or whatever else is necessary.

In the following podcast. Host Sandra Rice and Candidate Jarvus Turnley for State House District 66 talk about legalizing medical marijuana. A Vanderbilt study reports that 80% of Tennesseans support it and 33 states already do but the GOP General Assembly balks. They also review CBD and THC as well as efforts to decriminalize marijuana possession and criminal justice reform.

FULL PODCAST available on Apple Podcasts here, and wherever else you like to listen here.

Why All Dems Support Medicaid Expansion with Sheila Younglove

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Senate Candidate District 16, Sheila Younglove, joins us again to answer the question: Why Medicaid Expansion is supported by every Democrat running for state office. It is because it is outrageous that affordable health care for thousands of Tennesseans has barely been discussed in the General Assembly since Governor Haslam’s Insure Tennessee was rejected in committee in 2014. With the pandemic, an estimated 750,000 Tennesseans could become uninsured! It is unlikely that the 3rd legislative session will even consider adopting Medicaid Expansion as have 38 states.  We really need some change in our state government. Vote wisely.

FULL PODCAST available on Apple Podcasts here, and wherever else you like to listen here.

Schools Reopening during COVID19 with Civil Miller-Watkins

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Civil Miller-Watkins is running for State Senate District 26  and joins host Sandra Rice to discuss TN’s plan for students to return to school amid a pandemic. She is a mother of 8, a current school board member, and is very familiar with homeschooling and virtual learning. The lack of state plans for managing COVID19 and school reopening as well as a lack of broadband in all rural areas makes learning more difficult in Tennessee.

FULL PODCAST available on Apple Podcasts here, and wherever else you like to listen here.

RURAL CHARTERS COMING SOON? (TN Ed Report)

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THIS POST WAS ORIGINALLY SEEN ON THE TENNESSEE EDUCATION REPORT… For more on education politics and policy in Tennessee, follow @TNEdReport

On Feb. 5, Gov. Bill Lee’s education chief presented the department’s “Best for All” plan to layout the administration’s goals for future of education in Tennessee.

During the 27-slide presentation, commissioner Penny Schwinn briefly described a new initiative to increase the number of charter schools operating in rural school districts.

Schwinn told the audience of mostly legislators and staff that a $24 million line item for “Charter Schools Facilities Funding” in the governor’s budget included a $10 million, one-time grant for high school charter facilities called “Innovative High School Models.”

Schwinn said:

“…and Innovative High School Models. The thing that I want to touch on there is the governor proposed $12 million recurring, $12 million one time for charter school facilities funds.

One of the things that we’re proposing with the one-time funds is $10 million that would go to help build public charter schools with districts — in partnership with districts — to create more opportunities for students in rural communities.

One would suspect that rural districts would be very interested to know the Commissioner’s plans for expanding charter schools into their territory. Perhaps the new school privatization commission will be the vehicle to make this happen?

Slide Showing Funds for Rural Charters

For more on education politics and policy in Tennessee, follow @TNEdReport

VOUCHERS “DONE DIRT CHEAP” – IS GOV. LEE BUYING RURAL VOTES FOR PEANUTS?

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This post was first seen on the Tennessee Education Report. Follow @TNEdReport for more.

Desperate for votes for his voucher scheme to send public tax dollars to unaccountable private schools, Governor Bill Lee appears to be going along with a plan unveiled by House Republicans yesterday to buy off rural legislators with a tiny grant program. Let’s call it what it is: bribery.

Here’s the deal: The new plan eliminates Madison County from the list of districts where students will initially be eligible for Education Savings Accounts. That’s likely intended to win over the votes of Madison County Republicans wavering in their support of Lee’s proposal. It means that only students in Shelby, Knox, Hamilton, and Davidson counties will be eligible for the program when it launches (if it should pass).

Next, the plan redirects funds originally intended to help urban districts to rural districts. Again, this is nothing more than throwing money at lawmakers (and their districts) in order to secure the needed 50 votes for passage in the House.

Here’s a breakdown of how that would work:

In the first year, school districts outside the four counties identified in the program would split up $6.2 million. In the second, schools in the 91 counties would share $12.5 million. In the third year, the aforementioned counties would receive $18.7 million.

91 counties would divide a relatively small amount of funds. In the first year, if the grants were evenly divided among all counties, each county would receive an additional $68,000. That’s barely enough to fund a single position in most districts.

The amended proposal also pushes the amount of the voucher to $7500. That means at full implementation (currently imagined at 30,000 students), the total annual cost would be $225 million.

That’s enough to give every teacher in the state a raise of roughly 8%. That’s $225 million NOT available to fund the BEP or to enhance our current funding formula by improving ratios for RTI or school counselors or nurses.

Instead of adding the elements needed to make our public schools a success, Bill Lee and the House GOP envision giving that money away to private schools that don’t have to take the state’s TNReady test.

The legislation is currently scheduled to be heard in Senate Finance and on the House floor on Tuesday, April 23rd.

Oh, and if you’re a legislator not susceptible to this type of cheap bribery, Lee and his team will ensure you face pain in the form of attack ads paid for by pleasant-sounding dark money groups with names like Tennessee Federation for Children and Tennesseans for Student Success.

For more on education politics and policy in Tennessee, follow @TNEdReport