SR0179 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0179 LRB103 31820 LAW 60441 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The Tennessee House of Representatives recently expelled two fellow lawmakers from the state legislature for their role in a protest calling for more gun control in the aftermath of the deadly school shooting at the Covenant School in Nashville, where six people were killed, including three children; and

WHEREAS, Of the three representatives who were involved in the protest, Reps. Gloria Johnson, Justin Jones, and Justin Pearson, only the latter two were expelled; and

WHEREAS, Reps. Jones and Pearson are Black, while Rep. Johnson is white; and

WHEREAS, Tennessee House leadership has denied that race was a factor, alleging that Reps. Jones and Pearson were trying to incite a riot at the protest, while Rep. Johnson was more subdued; and

WHEREAS, President Joe Biden has called the expulsions shocking, undemocratic, and without precedent; and

WHEREAS, Expulsion from the chamber is a move the Tennessee House has used only a handful times since the Civil War under distinctly different circumstances, including accusations of sexual misconduct and misuse of federal grant money; and

WHEREAS, While most state legislatures have the power to expel members, it is generally reserved as a punishment for lawmakers accused of serious misconduct, not used as a weapon against political opponents; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we condemn the actions taken by the Tennessee House of Representatives on their racist action of expelling and silencing two Black lawmakers duly elected by Tennesseans.