Image: Rep. Gino Bulso Image Credit: Adelia Kirchner / The Tennessee Conservative
The Tennessee Conservative [By Adelia Kirchner] –
A bill to designate three months out of the year as celebrations of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness across the state of Tennessee passed in the House Naming and Designating Committee by a 7-2 vote on Monday.
Republican Representatives Jody Barrett, Rush Bricken, Gino Bulso, Monty Fritts, Tom Leatherwood, Pat Marsh, and Todd Warner voted in favor of the legislation.
Democrat Representatives Aftyn Behn and Vincent Dixie voted against it and Democrat Representative Justin J. Jones marked himself as “present and not voting.”
House Bill 327 (HB0327) sponsored by Rep. Gino Bulso (R-Brentwood-District 61), seeks to honor the upcoming 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence by designating the months of June, July, and August in Tennessee as months of observance and celebration of the rights outlined within that founding document.
“Next year our country will be celebrating the 250th year of its independence,” Rep. Bulso stated during committee. “It’s 250 years ago that Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence where, among other things, he reminded us that we had three unalienable rights and among those were life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
The bill text of HB0327 specifies why each of these months were selected and outlines some of the historical significance behind them.
June would be designated as “Celebration of Life” month, “because it was on June 24, 2022, that the Supreme Court of the United States decided the case of Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization.”
This is in reference to the recent Supreme Court case that overturned Roe v Wade (1973).
July would be designated as “Celebration of Liberty” month, “because it was on July 4, 1776, that America gained its independence.”
Finally, the month of August would be designated as “Celebration of the Pursuit of Happiness” month, “because it is during August when school children across Tennessee return to school to prepare for their futures.”
HB0327 will now move on to be considered by the House Judiciary Committee.
The legislation has not yet been placed on the committee calendar at the time of this article’s publication, but Tennessee Conservative News will continue to update you on the status of this legislation.
About the Author: Adelia Kirchner is a Tennessee resident and reporter for the Tennessee Conservative. Currently the host of Subtle Rampage Podcast, she has also worked for the South Dakota State Legislature and interned for Senator Bill Hagerty’s Office in Nashville, Tennessee. Adelia is The Tennessee Conservative’s on-site reporter for the Tennessee General Assembly. You can reach Adelia at adelia@tennesseeconservativenews.com.
