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The Tennessee Conservative [By Adelia Kirchner] –
A resolution to designate the upcoming month of July as a time of prayer and fasting for the “physically able and spiritually inclined” to seek “God’s hand of mercy and healing on Tennessee” is scheduled for consideration in the House Naming and Designating Committee on Monday, Feb. 24th.
House Joint Resolution 51 (HJR0051) is being sponsored by Rep. Monty Fritts (R-Kingston-District 32).
Currently, the list of co-sponsors includes Republican Representatives Scott Cepicky, Jody Barrett, Todd Warner, Jerome Moon, Kevin D. Raper, Gino Bulso, Ed Butler, Chris Hurt, Michele Reneau, Kelly Keisling, Michael Hale, Rick Eldridge, Bud Hulsey, Chris Todd, Debra Moody, Sabi ‘Doc’ Kumar, Clay Doggett, Elaine Davis, Jeremy Faison, John Crawford, Dennis Powers, Mike Sparks, Jason Zachary, Tim Rudd, Aron Maberry, Timothy Hill, Rusty Grills, Tandy Darby, Rebecca K. Alexander, Jay D. Reedy, Jake McCalmon, and Brock Martin.
“I am absolutely not trying to force anybody to fast and pray. God doesn’t force us to,” Rep. Fritts said in a recent interview with Tennessee Conservative News. “Now there is a day, the Bible tells us that every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, but he doesn’t force us to today. He wants us to come to him of our own volition.”
“Again, government can’t tell people what to do in matters of God and I would never try that,” continued Rep. Fritts. “This is just meant to be in honor of what our founders did and to seek His mercy.”
Rep. Fritts noted that the second half of this bill is almost identical to last year’s House Joint Resolution 803 (HJR0803) which designated July 2024 as having the same purpose in the state of Tennessee.
HJR0803 passed in the House by an 82-6 vote with 2 “present not voting” and passed in the Senate by a 27-1 vote with 2 “present not voting.”
“A dumb country boy from Roane County did not do that,” said Rep. Fritts. “I am honored that my pen got to write the first few words and start putting this together, but I am convinced that Almighty God moved on the state of Tennessee last year and I’m hoping that he’ll move on the state this year.”
Governor Bill Lee (R-TN) signed HJR0803 into law on April 16th, 2024.
HJR0051 is currently scheduled for consideration during the 12pm (CST) meeting of the Naming and Designating Committee on Monday, Feb. 24th, 2025.
Contact information for committee members can be found below.
Rep.gino.bulso@capitol.tn.gov, rep.monty.fritts@capitol.tn.gov, rep.jody.barrett@capitol.tn.gov, rep.aftyn.behn@capitol.tn.gov, rep.rush.bricken@capitol.tn.gov, rep.vincent.dixie@capitol.tn.gov, rep.justin.jones@capitol.tn.gov, rep.tom.leatherwood@capitol.tn.gov, rep.pat.marsh@capitol.tn.gov, rep.todd.warner@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.
