Image Credit: TN General Assembly
The Tennessee Conservative [By Olivia Lupia] –
The Senate Judiciary Committee passed a bill on Wednesday reiterating that judges in the state must not obstruct lawful immigration enforcement efforts, sending it on for consideration by the full Senate.
SB1952 by Sen. Paul Rose (R-Lauderdale-District 32) states that if a judge obstructs federal immigration enforcement, they can be reported to the Tennessee Board of Judicial Conduct which can investigate the judge for misconduct. If such misconduct is found, it could be grounds for removal from office.
During the meeting, the committee heard from a citizen witness who opposed the bill, a paralegal and Spanish interpreter who claimed that if the legislation is enacted, people would be afraid to come to court and “defendants will not appear, witnesses to crimes will not testify, victims may not report crimes at all…Penalizing judges who work to maintain order in their courtrooms and ensure due process is not a constructive solution at all.”
Several members also questioned the need for this specific legislation, pointing out that current law already provides for judges who break the law, including obstructing the feds, to be referred to the Board of Judicial Conduct for discipline and opens them to potential criminal charges.
Sen. Rose concurred with this understanding of the current statutes but clarified that the specific verbiage of SB1952 moves the obstruction from “general misconduct standards to an explicit statutory guidance” which might make it “more noticeable” to judges if it’s explicitly stated in the code.
Speaking in support of the bill, Republican Sen. Kerry Roberts said, “[the bill] just makes it abundantly clear, by making this part of codification, that [obstruction] would be misconduct on behalf of a judge. And of course, any time a judge breaks the law, it absolutely ought to be misconduct, whether you agree with the law or not.”
The vote was 7-2 along party lines in favor of sending SB1952 to the Senate Calendar Committee to secure a date for a floor vote.
Companion bill HB1707 passed the House 71-24 also along party lines last week, meaning this bill only has to clear a Senate floor vote before it can become Tennessee law.
About the Author: Olivia Lupia is a political refugee from Colorado who now calls Tennessee home. A proud follower of Christ, she views all political happenings through a Biblical lens and aims to utilize her knowledge and experience to educate and equip others. Olivia is an outspoken conservative who has run for local office, managed campaigns, and been highly involved with state & local GOPs, state legislatures, and other grassroots organizations and movements. Olivia can be reached at olivia@tennesseeconservativenews.com.
