Image Credit: Senator Brent Taylor / Facebook
The Tennessee Conservative Staff –
As the Memphis area continues to battle against rising crime statistics, State Senator Brent Taylor (R-Memphis-District 31) announced his plan to prioritize legislation that would help fight crime across the state.
Taylor has compiled a list of tasks that he wants to see accomplished in the upcoming legislative session that is slated to begin in January. The following are some of those items:
• Close “loopholes” regarding aggravated assault
• Complete the “Blended Sentencing Law”
• Criminalize felony possession of a stolen firearm
• Hold parents responsible for “criminal acts” committed by their children
• Enhance the right to report shoplifting to police
• Limit local agencies’ ban on minor traffic offense stops
• Reform bail guidelines, including setting bail minimums, removing “financial condition” from consideration of bail amounts, and rotating the oversight of the judicial commissioner program
• Require that prosecution of local law enforcement officers be handled by an outside District Attorney
• Require that sheriffs provide notification to Immigration and Customs Enforcement if an illegal immigrant is taken into custody
Memphis residents say this may help to curb the problems, but some still believe that more can be done.
Barbara Love, founder of The Love Foundation, works with individuals who have been victims of violence. Love says much of the crime stems from a lack of caring individuals in the lives of these offenders.
“They going to gangs and going and destroying things and running through our city rabid because they feel no one cares about them. So, we want to tap into counselors,” Love stated.
Taylor plans to start work on his proposals when the General Assembly begins in the second week of January.
