Rep. Matthew Hill Asking Rabib Home Folks, Teabaggers: Dude, Where's My Anti-I69 Legislation?

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Rep. Hill: Bills blocking Interstate 69 project ‘misunderstood’
http://www.timesnews.net/article.php?id=9020785
By Hank Hayes
Published February 20th, 2010

Tennessee state Rep. Matthew Hill says there’s a 50-50 chance he will try to advance two contested bills prohibiting Interstate 69 development in West Tennessee.



Rep. Matthew Hill Asking Rabib Home Folks, Teabaggers: "Dude, Where's My Anti-I69 Legislation?"

Hill’s legislation has come under scrutiny from West Tennessee lawmakers and media outlets.

“It has been so misconstrued, misrepresented, used for political gain by other people, and misunderstood that I’m afraid the water is so tainted now that no matter what I do they are going to think it’s what that (bill) caption says,” Hill, R-Jonesborough, said of the reaction to the legislation. “If that’s the case, I’m not going to do it. I’ll wait until next year, and Lord willing, if I’m put back into office (he is seeking re-election this year), then we’ll start again.”



For now, Hill has taken both bills off notice. He is a member of the House Transportation Committee.

Last month, he told the Memphis Commercial Appeal that the legislation’s intent was “to keep our state sovereignty intact.”

The first bill, HB 2784, prohibits using the state highway fund for I-69 development or for “any other interstate or corridor designed to link Canada, the United States and Mexico.”

The second bill, HB 2785, would create a felony for any officer of the Tennessee Department of Transportation to develop I-69 or “any other interstate or highway project linking Canada, the United States and Mexico.” Violating the felony, according to the bill, would be punishable by a $10,000 fine.

Outside of the criticism, both bills would appear to have a slim chance of passing because of their cost to the state during challenging fiscal times.

According to the state’s Fiscal Review Office, more than $138 million in federal funds has been earmarked for I-69 work. The office noted HB 2784 would decrease one-time project spending by about $99.7 million in state and federal funds.

TDOT noted the I-69 corridor has been supported by congressional mandates since 1991, and the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) passed in 1992 has resulted in additional traffic demands and an increase in international freight movement.

I-69 has been described as a “North American trade route, international trade route, and NAFTA corridor,” according to TDOT.

Hill insisted his I-69 bills were merely “caption bills” — legislation containing brief descriptions.

He said some West Tennessee lawmakers, after meeting with them, are “good” with the bills.

“They’re like ‘Dude what’s going on?’ And when I explain it’s a caption bill, it’s like three seconds,” Hill explained.

When asked about the state’s dealing with illegal immigration from Mexico, Hill said Tennessee is doing “as much right now” as state government possibly can.

“We have a responsibility on the state level (to address illegal immigration),” he responded. “There was the bill we passed last year to work with federal immigration officials and develop a better relationship with them, as well as we’re trying to get legislation passed to make sure U.S. citizens are the only ones voting in our elections.”

One other bill he is again promoting is a measure authorizing employers to require English to be spoken in the workplace “if necessary to conduct the employer’s business.”

Small businesses support the bill, while the Nashville-based Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition (TIRRC) has problems with it, Hill said.

“I have met with them several times about the legislation. I kept trying to tell them ‘This is not what they’re trying to make it to be,’” Hill said of TIRRC.

His similar English-only bill failed last year in the House Consumer and Employees Affairs Committee.

For more information, go to www.capitol.tn.gov. Hill’s English-only bill is HB 2685. For more about the I-69 project, go to www.buildi69.com.


*HB 2784 by *Hill ( SB 3791 by *Bunch)
http://wapp.legislature.state.tn.us/apps/BillInfo/Default.aspx?BillNumber=HB2784

*HB 2785 by *Hill ( SB 3790 by *Bunch)
http://wapp.legislature.state.tn.us/apps/BillInfo/Default.aspx?BillNumber=HB2785

Rep. Matthew Hill sponsored legislation that would transfer the bulk of the Tennessee Department of Safety to his Rev. Dr. Daddy Kenneth C. Hill's Tennessee Regulatory Authority:
*HB 2683 by *Hill ( SB 2742 by *Kelsey)
http://wapp.legislature.state.tn.us/apps/BillInfo/Default.aspx?BillNumber=HB2683
Motor Vehicles - As introduced, transfers inspection and enforcement duties and responsibilities from the department of safety to the Tennessee regulatory authority. - Amends TCA Title 4, Chapter 3 and Title 65.

TNGA Rep. Matthew Hill (Jonesborough) is a son of the newly appointed Tennessee Regulatory Authority Director Kenneth C. Hill (Blountville). Director Hill was appointed to the TRA by his close friend, Lt. Governor Ron Ramsey, also of Blountville.

TNGA Rep. Matthew Hill is also the brother of former Congressional Press Secretary Timothy A. Hill who resigned from the office of former U.S. Rep. David Davis (R-TN 1) following his vandalizing Wikipedia biographicall articles pertaining to both U.S. Rep. Davis and TNGA Rep. Matthew Hill.

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1. "Caption Bills"...?

Neither of TNGA Rep. Matthew Hill's anti-I69 House bills were listed as "caption bills" on the two Bill Information web pages or Rep. Hill Sponsored Legislation web page.

Hill is also a member of the TNGA House Transportation Rural Roads Subcommittee were both of his anti-I69 bills were originally filed.