Early Voting ends July 29th See Inside Nashville Election Special Edition
ONlY
It’s football time in Tennessee See page 6A
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Volume XXXVII, Number 30
People Are Talking Sales tax holiday begins Friday
Tennesseans can take advantage of back-to-school savings during this weekend’s July 28-30 traditional sales tax holiday. “Tennessee’s commitment to strong fiscal stewardship has allowed our state to cut taxes and put dollars back in the pockets of hardworking Tennesseans,” said Gov. Bill Lee. “I encourage every Tennessee family to take advantage of back-to-school savings this weekend and thank the General Assembly for partnering to provide direct financial relief for taxpayers.” This year, the traditional sales tax holiday will suspend state and local sales tax from Friday, July 28 through Sunday, July 30, giving Tennesseans the opportunity to save up to 9.75% on back-toschool items, including clothing, school supplies and computers. The traditional sales tax holiday comes in addition to Gov. Lee’s Tennessee Works Tax Act, which includes a three-month grocery tax suspension this August 1 through October 31. Clothing Exempt items include: • General apparel that costs $100 or less per item, such as shirts, pants, socks, shoes, dresses, etc. Not exempt: • Apparel items priced at more than $100 • Items sold together, such as shoes, cannot be split up to stay beneath the $100 maximum • Items such as jewelry, handbags, or sports and recreational equipment School supplies Exempt: • School and art supplies with a purchase price of $100 or less per item, such as binders, backpacks, crayons, paper, pens, pencils, and rulers, and art supplies such as glazes, clay, paints, drawing pads, and artist paintbrushes Not exempt: • School and art supplies individually priced at more than $100 • Items that are normally sold together cannot be split up to stay beneath the $100 maximu Computers Exempt: • Computers for personal use with a purchase price of $1,500 or less • Laptop computers, if priced at $1,500 or less, also qualify as well as tablet computers Not exempt: • Storage media, like flash drives and compact discs • Individually purchased software • Printer supplies • Household appliances A sales tax holiday on food and food ingredients (grocery sales tax suspension) begins at 12:01 am on Monday, August 1, and ends at 11:59 pm on Wednesday, August 31. During this period, food and food ingredients may be purchased tax-free. Food and food ingredients purchased from a micro-market or vending machine remain subject to sales tax. Food and food ingredients are defined as a liquid, concentrated, solid, frozen, dried, or dehydrated substances that are sold to be ingested or chewed by humans and are consumed for their taste or nutritional value. Food and food ingredients do not include alcoholic beverages, tobacco, candy, or dietary supplements. The Nashville PRIDE Newspaper is on Facebook and follow us on Twitter: @pridenews
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July 28, 2023
Republican state election official adds new step to Tennessee’s voting rights restoration process
In a new memo, Tennessee tightens its felony disenfranchisement scheme. On July 21, Tennessee’s Coor- out-of-state felony convictions from ernor, U.S. president, or other approdinator of Elections Mark Goins (R) voting in Tennessee. Tennessee has priate authority of a state, have had announced a change to Tennessee’s what is known as a pay-to-vote law, full rights of citizenship restored as felony rights restoration policy in a which requires individuals to pay all prescribed by law; and memo to county elections commis- fees, fines or other debts related to • have paid all restitution to the sions across the state, adding a new their conviction before being eligible victim or victims of the offense step to an already arduous process. for enfranchisement. ordered by the court as part of the senThe change was made in light of As outlined in the memo, a person tence, if any; and last month’s decision in Falls v. Goins, convicted of a felony in a Tennessee • have paid all court costs in which the Tennessee Supreme Court court, an out-of-state court or a federal assessed, if any, unless the court made upheld a disenfranchisement scheme court must: Continued on page 5A that prohibits certain individuals with • “Have been pardoned by a gov-
Rep. Justin Jones, Rep. Ayanna Pressley stand with Tennessee mothers in call for gun control With special session on ‘public safety’ just one month away, lawmakers and parents demand action to stop future shootings
Pictured (front l to r): Rep. Justin Jones with Rep. Ayanna Pressley; (rear l to r): Rafiah Muhammad-McCormick with Deputy Mayor Brenda Haywood and Shaundelle Brooks. On, Friday, July 21, state Rep. real solutions to gun violence. Justin Jones was joined by state Rep. With a special session on ‘public Ayanna Pressley to stand with Ten- safety’ just one month away, the lawnessee mothers in an urgent call for makers and parents are united in
demanding action to stop future shootings. “Later this month the Tennessee legislature has an opportunity to act,” said Rep. Ayanna Pressley. “They must heed the calls of the mothers we stood alongside who lost their babies to gun violence.” Rep. Pressley’s home state Massachusetts offers important lessons as a leader in gun sense legislation and a stark contrast to Tennessee, which routinely ranks last in gun safety. According to Rep. Justin Jones, Boston, Massachusetts “has about the same amount of people, but with eight times less the gun violence due to common sense legislation.” “We come with the reminder that Covenant wasn’t the first mass shooting. Unless we act, it will not be the last,” said Jones. “We are united in our struggle for community safety and justice, and we are committed to bringing about change for all Tennesseans who are tired of the proliferation of firearms and the epidemic of gun violence. My colleagues chose to end the legislative session early but we will not allow justice to be denied any longer. Rather than excuses, we must act in the face of special interest-funded opposition, and Continued on page 5A
Anti-Black History Curriculum approved by Florida Board of Education by Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire senior national correspondent Florida’s Board of Education voted to approve several new rules this week, including teaching that African Americans benefited from their enslavement. The new curriculum has sparked outrage and accusations of racism, setting up a new school year unlike any other because of these changes and other laws passed by state lawmakers and signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis. One of the most controversial rules drawing significant pushback is the alteration of the standards of instruction for African American history. Critics argue that the new standards attempt to rewrite Black history in a deeply concerning manner.
Democratic state lawmakers made their objections known at the board’s meeting on July 19, expressing particular concern over one instructional change implying enslaved individuals benefited from their enslavement. “Any kind of standards that indicate that slavery benefited Black people is such an insult,” said State Rep. Rita Harris. Rep. Anna Eskamani also said: “The notion that enslaved people benefited from being enslaved is inaccurate and a scary standard for us to establish in our education system.” The new rule faced additional opposition from a coalition of Black leaders and community groups, who wrote a letter to the school board asserting that the standards Continued on page 5A
One of the most controversial rules drawing significant pushback is the alteration of the standards of instruction for African American history.