Image Credit: State Representative Robert Stevens / Facebook & Antony-22 / CC
The Tennessee Conservative [By Adelia Kirchner] –
Rep. Robert Stevens (R-Smyrna-District 13) has been in office since November of 2022 and is facing a GOP challenger as he runs for reelection in 2024.
Stevens campaign promises to provide consistent conservative leadership and while he has voted in a conservative manner regarding issues like counteracting the “Mature Minor Doctrine,” obscene materials in schools, crossover voting and closing Tennessee primaries, he also seems to have a tendency to vote in favor of most GOP bills that make it to the House floor, whether they are conservative pieces of legislation or not.
Let’s take a look at some of the stances Stevens took in 2023.
Voting against parental rights and due process.
HB1109, sponsored by Rep. Ron Travis (R-Dayton-District 31), seems to relieve DCS of having to properly notify parents of removal orders while at the same time making it a criminal offense for families to hide children outside of the state when that child is in DCS custody.
Since DCS is not required to verify the credibility of anonymous sources who make allegations of child abuse or neglect, this legislation could be making it easier to bypass due process, criminalize parents, and take their children away.
Stevens voted in favor of this legislation and the bill was signed into law by Gov. Bill Lee (R-TN) on April 28th, 2023.
Voting in favor of global currency in Tennessee.
HB0316 or “The Money Transmission Modernization Act,” sponsored by Rep. William Lamberth (R-Portland-District 44), redefined what state law recognizes as “money,” paving the way for foreign governmental entities to exchange a currency (i.e. CBDC) that is not currently recognized by banks owned and operated in Tennessee.
Stevens voted in favor of this legislation and it was signed into law by Gov. Lee on April 4th, 2023, with an effective date of January 1st, 2024.
Voting in favor of “opportunity schools.”
HB2922, sponsored by Speaker of the House Rep. Cameron Sexton (R-Crossville-District 25), was a sneaky caption bill that created boarding schools for “at risk” youth.
This could result in children as young as 11-years-old being ordered to enroll, separated from their families and communities and sent across the state.
Stevens voted in favor of this legislation and Gov. Lee signed it into law on May 28th, 2024.
Voting in favor of weakening abortion law.
HB0883, sponsored by Rep. Esther Helton-Haynes (R-East Ridge-District 30), allowed a subjective standard for physicians to adhere to, potentially allowing for health professionals to willfully permit an abortion for a patient in bad faith.
Stevens voted in favor of this legislation and Gov. Lee signed it into law on April 28th, 2023.
Voting to create toll roads in Tennessee.
HB0321, sponsored by Rep. William Lamberth, enacted the “Transportation Modernization Act” and allowed the Department of Transportation to make deals with private companies to add toll lanes to Tennessee highways.
Toll collections would reportedly go to the private company in order to “recoup their portion of negotiated project costs.”
Stevens voted in favor of this legislation and Gov. Lee signed it into law on April 17th, 2023.
The Tennessee Legislative Report Card for the 2023 Legislative session gave Stevens a voting score of 89 and a C grade for leadership.
The report card also analyzed information from the Tennessee Registry of Election Finance, showing that 27.92% of Stevens’ campaign contributions came from special interests.
Additionally, the Freedom Index Legislative Scorecard, which scores lawmakers based on the constitutional nature and implications of their votes, gave Stevens a 67% for the 2023 legislative session.
Voting in favor of corporate welfare helped earn him this score.
HB1085, sponsored by Rep. John Gillespie (R-Memphis-District 97), extended the retention of state sales tax revenue by the Memphis Grizzlies and the FedExForum until June 30th, 2059.
During this period of time, sales tax revenue from any admissions, concessions, or other authorized products at the FedExForum will be exclusively directed to Memphis and its sports authority.
Stevens voted in favor of the legislation and Gov. Lee signed it into law on May 11th, 2023.
Some of Stevens’ votes from the 2024 legislative session include:
Voting to expedite termination of parental rights.
HB1808, sponsored by Rep. Ed Butler (R-Rickman-District 41), requires the Department of Children’s Services (DCS) to expediate the termination of parental rights for “substantial non-compliance” a subjective term with no clear statutory definition.
The legislation allows a judge to make the determination if a parent was not in compliance with the responsibilities as outlined in the permanency plan.
Stevens voted in favor of this legislation and it was signed into law by Gov. Lee on April 4th, 2024.
Voting against government transparency.
HB1692, sponsored by Rep. William Lamberth, allows Department of Tourism records involving millions in taxpayer dollars to be hidden from the public if the tourism commissioner and attorney general agree public access to the information should be blocked.
Stevens voted in favor of this legislation and Gov. Lee signed it into law on May 3rd, 2024.
HB1695, sponsored by Rep. Rebecca Alexander (R-Jonesborough-District 7) blocks public access to the autopsy reports of children who are victims of violent crime, as long as the child’s parent or legal guardian is not a suspect in the circumstances surrounding the minor’s death.
Stevens voted in favor of this legislation and Gov. Lee signed it into law on May 3rd, 2024.
Voting in favor of what some critics called a “red flag gun law.”
HB1625, sponsored by Rep. Jason Zachary (R-Knoxville-District 14), expands mandatory reporting laws for mental health professionals.
Critics have voiced concerns about privacy laws, where reported information will be stored and how it will be used, and about providing mental health professionals with civil, criminal and regulatory immunity given the subjective way in which a mental health professional could perceive something to be a threat.
Stevens voted in favor of this legislation and it was signed into law by Gov. Lee on April 23rd, 2024.
This August, conservative voters in District 13 will have the opportunity to choose between Rep. Robert Stevens and his GOP challenger Jami Averwater.
A member of the Murfreesboro City Council since 2022 and a member of the Murfreesboro Planning Commission since 2021, Averwater is running against Stevens on the promise of working “tirelessly to unite the multiple governments in Rutherford County.”
“There is nothing our county cannot accomplish if we work together,” her campaign website reads.
Averwater’s platform focuses on low taxes, supporting small businesses, and fiscal conservatism, opposing wasteful spending while working to fully fund the needs of her district.
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.
5 Responses
Robert Stevens sounds like another RINO “Republi-Can’t” that can’t be trusted. Way too many of these Uniparty fools are attempting to ruin Tennessee.
THANX!! for spotlighting lucifer’s RINOs.
Sorry but a TLRC score of 89/C- sounds pretty darn conservative to me. Most of us simply can’t afford to finance every challenger to every incumbent Republican in the General Assembly. Compare Stevens TLRC score with the scores of the tepid conservatives running in the Big Six Primaries viz. Todd Gardenhire (67/B-), Ferrell Haile (78/F), Beckey Massey (76/D-), Ken Yager (75/D-), Patsy Hazlewood (75/D-), and Brian Beathard who seeks to succeed, and is endorsed by Worthless Sam Whitson (71/F). Replacement of those senators and representatives is where our priorities should lie.
On the other hand, Steven’s opponent Jami Averwater doesn’t sound all that conservative. When a candidate starts speaking in terms of “. . .working together. . .” it’s my experience that there beats the heart of a tepid conservative who will make us wish we had Rober Stevens with his 89/C- back in District 13’s seat in the General Assembly.
Stuart’s point is well taken. Complacent Tennesseans that don’t take the time to vet ALL Republican candidates, can blame themselves for Nashville and DC being filled with disgusting scoundrels. Thank God for the Tennessee Conservative News. I donate to them. Everyone should.
I moved to the beautiful, conservative state of Colorado in 1973 when it was made up of farmers, ranchers, loggers, miners, shopkeepers and store owners. We were too busy working and raising our families to pay enough attention to our politicians. Now it’s a liberal hell. Guard your wonderful state of Tennessee.