The Tennessee Legislature's test of priorities

 

 

A Ramsey spokesman said Tuesday the Blountville Republican thinks addressing a new workers’ compensation law can wait until lawmakers meet in regular session come January. Some lawmakers have called for a 3-day session to delay the Dec. 31 effective date of the 2008 law that requires more construction contractors to carry workers’ compensation coverage.

 

This seems to be much to the relief of WSMV-TV in Nashville where they are concerned about the cost of a special session despite House Republican Leader Jason Mumpower's assertion that if one were held under these circumstances, no legislative per diem would be paid.

 

 

If there's a special session in December, it could cost Tennessee taxpayers more than $24,000 per day in per diem expenses. It would likely last three days, adding up to more than $73,000. Lawmakers are given $150 for transportation, which could add nearly $20,000. The grand total of a special session could add up to more than $93,000.

Not a reasonable soul can blame our legislators for choosing not to spend the season of Advent cooped up on Capitol Hill, especially when those who would need to come from great distances both East and West would receive no renumeration for their trouble for the two or three days the Legislature were in session-as though members would need no place to sleep during the entire episode for which they might have to pay. Such an unfortunate turn of events would probably turn even the jolliest soul in the Plaza into Ebenezer Scrooge.

The real test of Leadership within both parties will be how quickly they act to redress this matter once the Legislature does convene for its regular session in mid-January. If workers' compensation legislation is so bad that the need to change it nearly brought about a sitting of the General Assembly during-of all times of the year-Christmastide, then it needs to be the very first item on the legislative agenda when the Tennessee House and Senate return January 12th. If the Legislature fails to respond to the concerns of Tennessee's small family businessmen and women in such a glaring way, then it would speak volumes about the priorities of our Legislature without a word being said at all.