The fact that Governor Bill Lee is a RINO should not be news to any Tennessean that has been paying attention. Over the years as we have fought against vaccine mandates and for things like medical freedom and election integrity, the Governor has used his office to directly intervene in the legislative process by what is known as “flagging” a bill.
This week, we have been made aware that the Governor is using the force of his office to directly oppose HJR 92 (a constitutional amendment securing the right to home school without government interference) and SB 479 (the Restoring State Sovereignty Through Nullification Act to push back against federal overreach). The Governor has reached out to members of the General Assembly directly asking them to kill these bills.
We have a past with the Governor on this issue. Almost every piece of legislation securing religious exemptions to vaccines or in some way limiting the government’s authority to mandate vaccines has been challenged by Governor Bill Lee. Additionally, the Governor has directly opposed any and all efforts to limit his executive authority during a declared emergency.
This year, he is opposing an inherent right to homeschool and states’ rights.
One of the fundamental principles of a republican form of government is the separation of powers. The executive, legislative, and judicial branches each have distinct and independent roles, ensuring that no single branch becomes too powerful. When a Governor involves himself directly in the legislative process, he disregards this principle, exerting undue influence over a body meant to function independently as the voice of the people. The Governor’s role is not to legislate but to enforce the laws duly passed by the General Assembly.
The Tennessee Constitution affirms this principle explicitly. Article III, Section 10 states that the Governor “shall take care that the laws be faithfully executed.” Nowhere in this provision is there a mandate for the Governor to interfere in the legislative process, pressure lawmakers, or dictate policy outcomes. His role is clear: he is to execute the laws, not create them. When the executive oversteps these bounds, he distorts the balance of power and compromises the integrity of the legislative process.
Yet, despite these constitutional constraints, Tennessee has an informal “flagging” system that allows the Governor to exert undue influence over legislative decisions. Through this process, members of the General Assembly are discreetly notified when the Governor directly opposes a piece of legislation. In theory, this might appear to be an innocuous mechanism for the executive to express concerns. However, in practice, it operates as a tool of coercion, discouraging legislators from supporting bills that might otherwise reflect the will of their constituents.
As one might expect from a RINO Governor, this opposition is almost always directed at the most conservative legislation. Time and again, we see conservative bills—those that seek to limit government power, protect individual liberties, secure Second Amendment rights, or resist federal overreach—become targets of executive obstruction. Instead of standing firm on constitutional principles and allowing the legislative process to unfold as intended, such a Governor intervenes inappropriately, weakening the conservative agenda that many Tennesseans elected their representatives to advance.
Pay attention to the legislators in committees that vote NO on HJR 92 and SB 479. It’s a safe bet that these members of the General Assembly need to be replaced by conservatives who won’t bow down to a self-declared king.
Governor Bill Lee seeks to kill conservative legislation this year.
The fact that Governor Bill Lee is a RINO should not be news to any Tennessean that has been paying attention. Over the years as we have fought against vaccine mandates and for things like medical freedom and election integrity, the Governor has used his office to directly intervene in the legislative process by what is known as “flagging” a bill.
This week, we have been made aware that the Governor is using the force of his office to directly oppose HJR 92 (a constitutional amendment securing the right to home school without government interference) and SB 479 (the Restoring State Sovereignty Through Nullification Act to push back against federal overreach). The Governor has reached out to members of the General Assembly directly asking them to kill these bills.
We have a past with the Governor on this issue. Almost every piece of legislation securing religious exemptions to vaccines or in some way limiting the government’s authority to mandate vaccines has been challenged by Governor Bill Lee. Additionally, the Governor has directly opposed any and all efforts to limit his executive authority during a declared emergency.
This year, he is opposing an inherent right to homeschool and states’ rights.
One of the fundamental principles of a republican form of government is the separation of powers. The executive, legislative, and judicial branches each have distinct and independent roles, ensuring that no single branch becomes too powerful. When a Governor involves himself directly in the legislative process, he disregards this principle, exerting undue influence over a body meant to function independently as the voice of the people. The Governor’s role is not to legislate but to enforce the laws duly passed by the General Assembly.
The Tennessee Constitution affirms this principle explicitly. Article III, Section 10 states that the Governor “shall take care that the laws be faithfully executed.” Nowhere in this provision is there a mandate for the Governor to interfere in the legislative process, pressure lawmakers, or dictate policy outcomes. His role is clear: he is to execute the laws, not create them. When the executive oversteps these bounds, he distorts the balance of power and compromises the integrity of the legislative process.
Yet, despite these constitutional constraints, Tennessee has an informal “flagging” system that allows the Governor to exert undue influence over legislative decisions. Through this process, members of the General Assembly are discreetly notified when the Governor directly opposes a piece of legislation. In theory, this might appear to be an innocuous mechanism for the executive to express concerns. However, in practice, it operates as a tool of coercion, discouraging legislators from supporting bills that might otherwise reflect the will of their constituents.
As one might expect from a RINO Governor, this opposition is almost always directed at the most conservative legislation. Time and again, we see conservative bills—those that seek to limit government power, protect individual liberties, secure Second Amendment rights, or resist federal overreach—become targets of executive obstruction. Instead of standing firm on constitutional principles and allowing the legislative process to unfold as intended, such a Governor intervenes inappropriately, weakening the conservative agenda that many Tennesseans elected their representatives to advance.
Pay attention to the legislators in committees that vote NO on HJR 92 and SB 479. It’s a safe bet that these members of the General Assembly need to be replaced by conservatives who won’t bow down to a self-declared king.
Use the links below to contact legislators and support these conservative bills.
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Gary Humble
Gary Humble