Image: Sen. Jack Johnson calls for vote on SB0207 Image Credit: TN General Assembly
The Tennessee Conservative [By Adelia Kirchner] –
On Thursday morning, a bill that creates a grant program for agricultural easements in Tennessee passed on the Senate floor by a 27-4 vote.
Senate Bill 207 (SB0207), sponsored by Sen. Jack Johnson (R-Franklin-District 27), has been flagged by conservative grassroots organization Tennessee Stands as a bad bill that threatens private property rights.
Republican Senators voting in favor of SB0207 included Paul Bailey, Richard Briggs, Rusty Crowe, Todd Gardenhire, Ferrell Haile, Bobby Harshbarger, Joey Hensley, Ed Jackson, Jack Johnson, Adam Lowe, Becky Massey, Bill Powers, Shane Reeves, Kerry Roberts, Paul Rose, Jessie Seal, John Stevens, Brent Taylor, Page Walley, Bo Watson, Dawn White, Ken Yager, and Lt. Gov. Randy McNally.
Democrats Raumesh Akbari, Sara Kyle, London Lamar, and Jeff Yarbro also voted in favor of the legislation.
Republican Senators Janice Bowling and Mark Pody, as well as Democrat Senators Heidi Campbell and Charlane Oliver voted against it.
According to the official bill summary, SB0207 “establishes a fund for the development and implementation of programs that benefit Tennesseans by preserving farmland and forestland, including a grant program for conservation easements.”
While this legislation may initially come across as a benign effort to promote conservation across the state, Tennessee Stands has deemed SB0207 to be “a dangerous shift toward state-facilitated control over private property under the guise of conservation.”
The conservative organization’s call to action explains that this bill would establish a Farmland Preservation Fund that would give Tennessee landowners the ability to place their farmland or forestland into permanent conservation easements.
Under this legislation, landowners would be offered various financial incentives for doing so.
“Conservation easements effectively strip landowners of full control over their property, placing it under restrictive agreements that last in perpetuity,” the call to action reads. “Once land is placed in an easement, it cannot be reversed, sold for other purposes, or used beyond the limitations set by the easement holder. This means that future generations of landowners will be bound by the decisions made today, with little recourse to adapt to changing economic, environmental, or personal circumstances.”
The grant program would be voluntary, however Tennessee Stands also expressed concerns over future expansion of the program and potential pressures that may be placed on landowners to participate, i.e. regulatory consequences.
Third-party nonprofits, which could have “political or ideological agendas that conflict with property owners’ long-term interests” according to Tennessee Stands, are also granted certain authorities by this legislation.
“True farmland preservation should prioritize protecting property rights and allowing landowners the freedom to make decisions about their own land without government interference or permanent restrictions,” Tennessee Stands concludes.
The companion House Bill 1325 (HB1325) is sponsored by Rep. William Lamberth (R-Portland-District 44) and has been placed on the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Subcommittee calendar for March 19th.
Contact information for the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Subcommittee members can be found below:
Rep.rusty.grills@capitol.tn.gov, rep.rebecca.alexander@capitol.tn.gov, rep.monty.fritts@capitol.tn.gov, rep.justin.jones@capitol.tn.gov, rep.greg.martin@capitol.tn.gov, rep.johnny.shaw@capitol.tn.gov, rep.tom.stinnett@capitol.tn.gov, rep.chris.todd@capitol.tn.gov
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.
