(The Center Square) – The Senate State and Local Government Committee advanced a bill that would give Shelby County voters a chance to decide on a sales tax increase that would fund a new jail.

But Tennessee lawmakers cautioned that similar requests from other counties could be forthcoming.

Senate Bill 337 by Sen. Raumesh Akbari, D-Memphis, would raise the local sales tax from 2.75% to 3.75% if voters approve a referendum. The increase would expire in eight years.

“There are currently 2,500 inmates at the 201 Poplar, a facility that was made to house 2,400 inmates at any given time,” Akbari said. “The conditions there are not only a danger to those who are incarcerated but to those who work in the facility. Many of the escalators don’t work. Many of the elevators don’t work.”

The 43-year-old jail needs $16.5 million a year just to keep it in working order, Alicia Lindsey, chief administrative officer for the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office, told the panel.

The bill is supported by the Shelby County Commission, according to Commissioner Amber Mills.

“This is asking for a sales tax increase because we do not want a property tax increase,” Mills said. “If we fund the jail with a property tax increase, we are looking at a 74 cent property tax increase for the highest taxed county in the state of Tennessee.”

Sen. Todd Gardenhire, R-Chattanooga, said the picture lawmakers are seeing now is going to play out all across the state because of an upcoming constitutional referendum that would allow judges to deny bail for certain criminal offenses.

“Nobody is against putting away people for those types of crimes but somewhere you’ve got to pay for the jails to put those people in,” Gardenhire said.

Sen. Adam Lowe, R-Calhoun, and Sen. Kerry Roberts, R-Springfield, voted against the bill. Roberts said he acknowledged the problem but was concerned about the solution.

“I am willing to bet that if we do this, that probably four of my five counties will have a resolution for me next year to sponsor similar legislation,” Roberts said. “And we’re going to wind up with a piecemeal solution to a problem that may be more egregious in Shelby County than maybe in other counties but nonetheless exists in all the counties.”

Roberts also questioned whether or not the higher sales tax rate would drive consumers to the bordering states of Mississippi and Arkansas, which have lower sales tax rates.

The bill passed 7-2 and moves to the Senate Finance, Ways and Means Committee.

(The Center Square) – A bill that would dissolve a 61-year-old commission and place it under the Tennessee attorney general’s office took another step on Monday.

Senate Bill 861/House Bill 910 would move the Human Rights Commission’s duties to the attorney general’s office as of July 1.

Former Gov. Frank G. Clement created the independent commission in 1963, according to its 2023-24 annual report. A nine-member board oversees the commission, which not only investigates cases but also conducts education and outreach efforts.

Rep. Johnny Garrett, R-Goodlettsville, told the House Government Operations Committee on Monday that transferring the authority could put more teeth into civil rights investigations.

“I think if someone receives a letter or action that the attorney general is investigating their actions, I think that’s going to perk up some people,” Garrett said. “I think that’s going to make some people hopefully say, ‘What have I done to attract the attorney general of the state of Tennessee who has the authority to investigate claims that I might have been involved in?'”

Democrats have pushed against the bill.

“Independence matters,” said Rep. Sam McKenzie, D-Knoxville. “Autonomy matters. From your answer its seems as if the HRC wasn’t doing something as far as getting behind and their authority wasn’t enough and we have to give it more authority and a letter coming from the AG’s office is going to give it more authority than it has now. I fundamentally disagree with that premise.”

The bill is not about an organization’s failures but about making it better, Garrett said.

Others are concerned about what happens to the cases, around 1,000, that would have to be resubmitted to the attorney general’s office.

“The time and resources spent on refiling cases would disproportionately affect the complainants and the businesses alike, causing unnecessary delay and confusion and disrupt the legal process for thousands of individuals relying on timely resolutions,” Muriel Nolen, the executive director of the commission during testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee on March 24.

The committee agreed to move the bill to the House Finance, Ways and Means Committee. The Senate version passed the Senate Judiciary Committee and was referred to the Senate Government Operations Committee.