Tennessee State Legislative Election 2018 Political Courage Test

Abortion & Reproductive

1. Do you generally support pro-choice or pro-life legislation?
- Pro-choice

2. Should abortion be legal when the pregnancy resulted from incest or rape?
- Yes

3. Do you support the prohibition of public funds for organizations that perform abortions?
- No

4. Other or expanded principles
- Besides evaluating abortion legislation, I have an interest in addressing access to contraception, providing quality sex-ed to young people, family planning services, and support programs for new parents. They are all interrelated issues.

Budget, Spending, & Tax

1. Reducing state employee salaries AND/OR pensions?
- No

2. Instituting mandatory furloughs AND/OR layoffs for state employees?
- Yes

3. Reducing benefits for Medicaid recipients?
- No

4. Other or expanded principles
- I support lowering the state sales tax and implementing a minor income tax. Sales taxes hit the budgets of the lowest earners the hardest. An income tax is a more equitable tax. I also support a sugar tax on soft drinks, with those monies earmarked for improving services at local health facilities.

Campaign Finance & Government Reform

1. Do you support any limits on campaign contributions to state candidates?
- Yes

2. Do you support the regulation of indirect campaign contributions from corporations and unions?
- Yes

3. Do you support the use of an independent AND/OR bipartisan commission for redistricting?
- Yes

4. Do you support requiring a government-issued photo identification in order to vote at the polls?
- No

5. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Crime & Public Safety

1. Do you support capital punishment for certain crimes?
- Yes

2. Do you support the legalization of marijuana for recreational purposes?
- Yes

3. Should a minor accused of a violent crime be prosecuted as an adult?
- Yes

4. Do you support the enforcement of federal immigration laws by state and local police?
- No

5. Other or expanded principles
- I support either an expedited capital punishment system, or abolishing lifelong incarceration. Taxpayers should not be footing the bill to support a separate, ghost population of our own creation.

Economic

1. Do you support state government spending as a means of promoting economic growth?
- Yes

2. Do you support lowering state taxes as a means of promoting economic growth?
- No

3. Do you support reducing state government regulations on the private sector?
- No

4. Do you support expanding access to unemployment benefits?
- Yes

5. Do you support requiring welfare applicants to pass a drug test in order to receive benefits?
- No

6. Do you support an increase of the minimum wage of Tennessee?
- Yes

7. Other or expanded principles
- A gradual increase in the Tennessee minimum wage is an absolute necessity. I would support an a-la-cart option when it comes to reducing state taxes for businesses. Items on the list would include different benefit options and corporate policies. Every organization would be taxed at a flat rate, with organizations meeting or offering these extra things getting extra discounts. No one is penalized, but those that are giving back more to their employees and communities are getting more benefits.

Education

1. Do you support adopting federal education standards in Tennessee?
- Yes

2. Do you support state funding for charter schools?
- Yes

3. Should immigrants unlawfully present in the United States who graduate from Tennessee high schools be eligible for in-state tuition at public universities?
- Yes

4. Other or expanded principles
- Any person, regardless of immigration status, should be eligible for in-state tuition if that person has lived in the State of Tennessee for more than one year. Adopting education standards only does so much. In reality, our entire educational evaluation system needs an overhaul. I would like to see the focus shift from standard benchmarks, to individual progress tracking. Some people will learn to read faster than others. Some will learn math slower. It's time to move away from age as the determining factor in educational sorting.

Environment & Energy

1. Do you support state funding for the development of renewable energy (e.g. solar, wind, thermal)?
- Yes

2. Do you support state government regulations of greenhouse gas emissions?
- Yes

3. Do you support increasing state funding for clean drinking water initiatives?
- Yes

4. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Gun

1. Do you generally support gun-control legislation?
- Yes

2. Should background checks be required on gun sales between private citizens at gun shows?
- Yes

3. Should teachers be allowed to bring guns into the classroom?
- No

4. Should a license be required for gun ownership?
- No

5. Other or expanded principles
- A person can own and keep as many firearms as they would like in their own homes, but I support requiring every citizen to undergo free, public training if they wish to carry a firearm in public. Everyone must learn the rules of the road if they want to drive an automobile in public. Everyone should do so for carrying a firearm in public. I support require more training for conceal carry permits.

Health

1. Should the state government increase funding for treatment facilities to combat opioid abuse?
- Yes

2. Do you support Medicaid expansion through Tennessee's health care programs?
- Yes

3. Do you support requiring individuals to purchase health care insurance?
- No

4. Do you support legislation that grants citizens the right to choose to die through euthanasia?
- Yes

5. Do you support eliminating religious exemptions for vaccinations?
- Yes

6. Other or expanded principles
- I support a hybrid system, where a base level of care is provided to every citizen, paid for by the citizen taxes, with the option to buy additional private insurance for extra benefits. I support requiring medical facilities to post their average cost list for services rendered to facilitate transparency and help consumers make the best decisions when it comes to their care.

Social

1. Do you support the inclusion of sexual orientation in Tennessee's anti-discrimination laws?
- Yes

2. Do you support the inclusion of gender identity in Tennessee's anti-discrimination laws?
- Yes

3. Do you support greater efforts by Tennessee state government in closing the pay gap between men and women?
- Yes

4. Should Tennessee permit localities to adopt "Sanctuary City" immigration policies?
- Yes

5. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Legislative Priorities

In the following area, please explain in a total of 100 words or less, your top two or three priorities if elected. If they require additional funding for implementation, please explain how you would obtain this funding.
- As a rural resident struggling with the issue of internet access, along with my community, establishing this service in every home is my top priority. This lack thereof is a hindrance to both education and development in the region. I will work with local governments and utility boards to solve this problem. My second priority is the need to transition into better health care, including expanding Medicare/Medicaid. Lastly, I would like to work to improve the unemployment benefit process to make it more user friendly and efficient. I will also support any legislation that establishes term limits.