Bill To Stop Social Media Censorship In Committee And Subcommittee Next Week (Update 3.11.22)

***Update 3/11/22 – Action was deferred this week on both the House and Senate versions of the bill. SB2161 is now on the calendar for the Senate Commerce and Labor Committee for March 15th. HB2369 is now on the calendar for the House Business and Utilities Subcommittee for March 16th. The article has been updated to reflect these changes.***

Image Credit: Rep. Dennis Powers – Facebook / Sen. Bo Watson – Facebook / Pixabay / Public Domain

The Tennessee Conservative [By Paula Gomes] –

Representative Dennis Powers’ bill that seeks to designate social media platforms as common carriers and prescribe fines for deplatforming and shadow-banning users is back on the calendar of the House Business and Utilities Subcommittee this week.

Senator Bo Watson (R-Hixson-District 11) is sponsoring the bill on the Senate side of the legislature where it will be heard by the Senate Commerce and Labor Committee. Senate Bill 2161 (SB2161) is on the calendar for March 15th, 2022 in the Senate while the House companion bill is scheduled for March 16th, 2022.

House Bill 2369 (HB2369), in summary, seeks to designate social media platforms as common carriers and requires the entities to obtain certificates of public convenience and necessity from the Tennessee public utilities commission; prescribes fines against social media platforms that deplatform and shadow ban users based on political ideology, viewpoint, or personal animus, or discrimination based on race, creed, color, religion, sex, age, or national origin.

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Social media access is as important, if not more important than direct mail, radio or television in Elections. Deplatforming Conservative candidates and thought has the practical effect of election interference.

During testimony before the House Business and Utilities Subcommittee on February 24th, 2022, Samantha Filmore of the Heartland Institute stated that across America, 77 pieces of  legislation from 33 states were introduced in 2021 challenging big tech censorship. She said Tennessee’s common carrier bill is a “new approach.”

Note from The Tennessee Conservative: Many good bills die in subcommittees and committees before they ever make it to the floor for a vote.  We saw this happen during last year’s General Assembly sessions.  If you support HB2369/SB2161, be sure to contact the House Republican subcommittee members (who hold the supermajority vote) listed below to voice your support before their meeting on Wednesday, March 16th and the Senate Republican committee members before Tuesday, March 15th .

Senate Commerce and Labor Committee Members

Paul Bailey (Chair) – sen.paul.bailey@capitol.tn.gov – (615) 741-3978

Art Swann (1st Vice-Chair) – sen.art.swann@capitol.tn.gov – (615) 741-0981

Frank Niceley (2nd Vice-Chair) – sen.frank.niceley@capitol.tn.gov – (615) 741-2061

Jack Johnson – sen.jack.johnson@capitol.tn.gov – (615) 741-2495

Shane Reeves – sen.shane.reeves@capitol.tn.gov – (615) 741-1066

Steve Southerland – sen.steve.southerland@capitol.tn.gov – (615) 741-3851

Bo Watson – sen.bo.watson@capitol.tn.gov – (615) 741-3227

Ken Yager – sen.ken.yager@capitol.tn.gov – (615) 741-1449

House Business and Utilities Subcommittee Members

Clark Boyd (Chair) – rep.clark.boyd@capitol.tn.gov – (615) 741-7086

Rebecca K. Alexander – rep.rebecca.alexander@capitol.tn.gov – (615) 741-2251

Kent Calfee – rep.kent.calfee@capitol.tn.gov – (615) 741-7658

Patsy Hazlewood-  rep.patsy.hazlewood@capitol.tn.gov – (615) 741-2746

John B. Holsclaw, Jr. – rep.john.holsclaw@capitol.tn.gov – (615) 741-7450

Curtis Johnson – rep.curtis.johnson@capitol.tn.gov – (615) 741-4341

Eddie Mannis – rep.eddie.mannis@capitol.tn.gov – (615) 741-2287

Kevin Vaughan – rep.kevin.vaughan@capitol.tn.gov – (615) 741-1866

Greg Vital – rep.greg.vital@capitol.tn.gov – (615) 741-3025

Jason Zachary – rep.jason.zachary@capitol.tn.gov – (615) 741-2264

About the Author: Paula Gomes is a Tennessee resident and reporter for The Tennessee Conservative. You can reach Paula at paula@tennesseeconservativenews.com.