Image Credit: Senator Ferrell Haile / Facebook & Antony-22 / CC
The Tennessee Conservative [By Adelia Kirchner] –
As the 2024 elections get closer and closer, it is important to remember that there is a difference between a politician with an “R” next to their name and a true conservative.
The voting record of Senator Ferrell Haile (R-Gallatin-District 18) illustrates this point perfectly.
In 2020, Haile was one of 24 Senators to vote for tort reform that small business association NFIB supported. The Tennessee Recovery and Safe Harbor Act provided protection from pandemic-related lawsuits for businesses that “substantially complied with public health guidance.” The bill ultimately failed after a conference committee report failed to receive a constitutional majority in the House.
In 2021, Haile helmed a letter that was written on the premise that the Covid-19 vaccine had been found to be “safe and effective,” relying heavily on CDC data.
Haile’s letter, which was signed by 15 other Tennessee State Senators, endorsed and pushed Tennesseans to get the experimental vaccine.
In 2022, Haile’s voting record earned him a spot in The Tennessee Conservative’s TOP 5 RINOs of the Tennessee Senate.
Here are some of the votes that earned him that distinction.
Senator Ferrell Haile (R-Gallatin-District 18) appeared in The Tennessee Conservative’s RINO Report this year as the “2023 Tennessee Senate RINO Legislator of the Year” and is running for reelection in 2024.
Voting against Medical Freedom.
SJR0993, sponsored by Sen. Janice Bowling (R-Tullahoma-District 16), was a resolution declaring an individual’s right to refuse medical treatment. It also required that an individual’s other rights not be denied due to refusal of medical treatment.
Sen. Haile was one of five Republicans who killed the resolution in committee.
He also voted against SB1880, another bill by Sen. Bowling that would have prohibited pharmacies from blocking patient access to certain COVID-19 treatments like Ivermectin and Hydroxychloroquine.
Sen. Haile was one of six Republicans who killed the bill in committee.
Voting against Free Speech.
SB1005, known as the “Incumbent Protection Bill” was sponsored by Lt. Gov. Randy McNally (R-Oak Ridge-District 5) and increased paperwork for groups that try to keep the public informed about legislators’ voting habits, effectively silencing those who do not have the resources to accommodate more red tape.
The legislation was carried by Sen. Haile and signed into law by Gov. Bill Lee on May 27th, 2022.
Voting against Parental Rights.
SB0148, sponsored by Sen. Richard Briggs (R-Knoxville-District 7), was amended to allow healthcare providers to give minors STD vaccines without parental knowledge or consent.
Sen. Haile voted in favor of the bill as amended before it died in the House of Representatives.
Voting for Corporate Welfare.
SB2901, sponsored by Sen. Jack Johnson (R-Franklin-District 27) approved the allocation of $500 million to Nashville/Davidson County for the infamous new Titans stadium.
Sen. Haile voted in favor of the legislation, and Gov. Lee signed it into law on June 1st, 2022.
He also supported corporate welfare by voting for legislation (SB2890) allowing Chattanooga Lookouts to retain sales tax deal to fund their new stadium.
Voting in favor of Illegal Immigration.
SB2464, sponsored by Sen. Shane Reeves (R-District 14), paved the way for illegal immigrants to obtain professional and commercial licenses in Tennessee.
Sen. Haile voted in favor of SB2464, and Gov. Lee signed the bipartisan legislation into law on April 26th, 2022.
Voting in favor of Expanded Medical Authority.
SB2026, sponsored by Sen. Bill Powers (R-Clarksville-District 22), was amended to allow dentists in Tennessee to administer COVID-19 and HPV vaccines.
Sen. Haile voted in favor of the bill as amended before it died in the House of Representatives.
Senator Haile appeared in The Tennessee Conservative’s RINO Report last year as the “2023 Tennessee Senate RINO Legislator of the Year”
Some of the votes that earned him this distinction in 2023 were…
Voting in favor of Allowing the State to Own Banks.
SJR0034, sponsored by Sen. Haile, would have allowed Tennessee’s Treasurer and Comptroller to use taxpayer dollars to purchase a portion of a company or bank.
This resolution was not passed by the legislature.
Haile also voted in favor of “The Money Transmission Modernization Act” or SB0268 that paved the way for global currency in Tennessee.
He voted in favor of (SB1319) to criminalize parents based on anonymous allegations of abuse or neglect.
Haile co-sponsored and voted in favor of SB0745 to allow a subjective standard for physicians to potentially and willfully permit abortion for a patient in bad faith.
He also co-sponsored and voted for the “Transportation Modernization Act of 2023” that allows the use of public-private partnerships for the construction of toll roads.
He also sponsored SB0857, which sought to remove protections for some of Tennessee’s most vulnerable citizens by allowing some children to be aborted through certain exceptions.
For 2023, the Tennessee Legislative Report Card gave Haile a voting score of 78 with an F grade given for leadership. The report card shows that 58.46% of his campaign contributions come from special interests. Click HERE to see the full report.
Some of Senator Haile’s more questionable actions during the 2024 session of the Tennessee General Assembly include:
• Instead of voting in favor or against SB1722, which sought to ban the display of Pride flags and other flags that are ideological or political in nature from Tennessee classrooms, Haile was among the 8 senators who “took a walk to skip the vote.” The action of Haile and the other fleet-footed RINOs resulted in the failure of the bill on the Senate floor when the vote count failed to gain a constitutional majority of 17 votes.
• Haile voted in favor of Senator Becky Massey‘s bill (SB1673) to expand reporting on those with mental issues deemed to be dangers to the public.
Characterized by critics as “red flag adjacent” the concern was that if this type of information is being collected by state level law enforcement agencies in the same fashion and place as records of those who have committed actual crimes, it could be used to deprive Tennesseans of access to their Second Amendment rights.
• Haile voted for SB2020, a bill that prevents autopsies of minors who are victims of violent crimes from becoming part of public record, thereby protecting violent offenders and making it too easy for crimes to be covered up while keeping criminals from being brought to justice.
• Haile was prime sponsor of SB2820, a sneaky caption bill that creates boarding schools for “at risk” youth that can result in children as young as 11-years-old being enrolled and sent across the state, separating them from their families and communities.
• Haile co-sponsored SB2660, a bill that aims to terminate the parental rights of Tennesseans after only 90 days of “substantial non-compliance” to a permanency plan for foster/adoptive children.
A permanency plan is a pathway for parents to regain custody of their child(ren) and includes a list of responsibilities and actions that parents must take if they hope to be reunited as a family.
Because permanency plans are often seen by courts and child advocacy agencies as an admission of guilt, parents may have a difficult time exonerating themselves from any wrongdoing once they agree to abide by the plan. This is problematic when a parent is falsely accused and the DCS becomes involved.
And Haile’s answer to the illegal immigration problem? Collect more data.
Haile filed SB2158 that “requires the review of executive branch agency policies and spending as it relates to illegal immigration; requires a report to be compiled and delivered to the governor and the speakers of the senate and house of representatives regarding such review.”
Critics of this legislation say that the answers to the illegal immigration crisis are already clear and that the last thing Tennessee needs at this point is more data collection, especially when considering the said data is not slated for the public-at-large to view, but is meant for the eyes of the GOP leadership, who have a pathetic track record as it relates to illegal immigration.
It’s easy to look at Sen. Haile’s past votes to prohibit gender-affirming surgeries for minors, permanently extend protections from COVID-19 mandates, or to protect girls’ sports, and conclude that he stands for conservative values.
However, to adopt the language of one of Sen. Haile’s fellow Top 5 RINOs of 2022 Sen. Todd Gardenhire (R-Chattanooga-District 10), “the devil was in the details.”
Senator Haile does have a conservative challenger for his District 18 Senate seat this year in Chris Spencer, who spoke at The Tennessee Conservative’s Protect Tennessee Borders Rally earlier this year.
On Spencer’s campaign website, he pledges:
*Tennesseans Over Illegals
*Limited Government
*Medical Freedom
*No Red Flag Laws
*Protect Youth from Leftist Agenda
*Remove Obscene & Pornographic Materials in Our Schools
*Pro Life
EARLY VOTING: JULY 12-27 2024 ELECTION DAY: AUGUST 1, 2024
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. You can reach Adelia at adelia@tennesseeconservativenews.com.
12 Responses
And now for the fabulously great news! Ferrell Haile is already slated to have an opponent in next year’s Republican primary, CHRIS SPENCER who I understand is a solid conservative well known in Haile’s district. Chris is already organizing his campaign and raising money for the contest. Conservatives should place this one on their contribution list as we prepare for the centrist/tepid conservative removal in 2024.
My scorecard now reads two energetic primary campaigns for those singled out as RINOS in the “RINO REPORT” as follows:
CHRIS SPENCER vs. Ferrell Haile
MONICA IRVINE vs. Becky Massey
This information is very helpful to direct my support for the next elections. Some of this content I was unaware of.
Very good report. CB
Great article and good information for which I’m sure all these state legislators wish wasn’t so readily available to their constituents, as I’m sure they’d have a ‘great’ excuse for their RINO votes. But, we all know it’s about money and phone calls! Make sure you use both when addressing your legislator, but first be confident that you are actually voting for a ‘real’ conservative, secondly knowing that most of them ‘change’ when they get comfortable on the legislature! Thanks to Adelia Kirchner and Tennessee Conservative for working to keep these legislators accountable.
THANX for y’all’s RINO expos!!
What is not mentioned in this article is how diligently Ferrell Haile, a self-proclaimed “member of the NRA” has worked and continues to work AGAINST any substantial effort to restore the 2nd Amendment and remove unconstitutional impairments of the rights of Tennesseans.
I’ve met Haile’s opponent, Mr. Chris Spencer, and I predict that through diligence on his part that he will defeat this RINO, who chooses the progressive path more often than he does not.
Dist. 14 State Senate
Is anyone running to primary that biped Shane Reeves ?
If so, I’d consider a donation well spent.
Hugh Thomas Johnson Republican 238 Anthony Ln #B7 Shelbyville 37160 0/4
Does not have signature approval though…
I know Chris Spencer and he is a true conservative. Please support him because we need to vote Haile out. Reach out to his website if you have questions. We are all available to get info for you! Chris will contact you if requested.
Absolutely Kay!
I spoke to Chris a few days ago. He is the co-founder of Sumner County’s “Constitutional Republicans” that is famous in conservative circles for its conservative activism during elections up in Sumner County. He will make a real difference if we can get him elected to the Senate to replace Haile.
Hopefully conservatives will send Chris financial aid to help him close the fundraising gap he has with Haile.
Chris Spencer is supported by John Rich, country western singer, Riley Gaines- the swimmer who lost to a man and is a native of Sumner co., Moms for Liberty and more. He is a STRONG conservative. Help his campaign: http://www.chrisspencerforsenate.com