Tennessee Republicans are continuing their push for a second legislative special session this month to address COVID-19 mitigation efforts.
State Rep. Jason Zachary, R-Knoxville, shared on social media the petition asking to call a special session beginning at 4 p.m. Oct. 27. It stated the session would be for “considering and acting upon legislation to establish uniform standards regarding facial coverings, vaccinations, and other restrictions relative to COVID-19.”
The petition also references using vaccination status against an employee or the use of state or federal funds to mitigate or require vaccination.
Proposed special session topics also include administering a vaccine to a minor without parental consent, a topic that was a large part of the discussion surrounding former Tennessee vaccine chief Dr. Michelle Fiscus, who was fired after she sent a memo regarding the Mature Minor Doctrine, which allowed for minors to get vaccines without parental approval.
Fiscus is suing the state for wrongful termination. As part of the lawsuit, Fiscus provided an email in which she received the interpretation of the Mature Minor Doctrine from Grant Mullins, a Department of Health attorney. Fiscus’ lawsuit said her memo was verbatim what she was sent by Mullins.
At a hearing regarding the memo, Department of Health Commissioner Lisa Piercey noted her children, with her blessing, were part of a handful in the state who had received the vaccine without proof of parental approval.
A second special session also could discuss whether an employer could be held accountable for harm or injury to an employee who was required or incentivized to get a COVID-19 vaccine by the employer. The discussion also could include a limit on how long a governor’s executive order powers can last.
“The tentative date is Oct. 27 for the special session related to all things COVID,” Zachary said in a social media video, noting his office has been receiving calls regarding this week’s special session and COVID-19 regulations.
Tennessee lawmakers are in a special session this week related to $884 million in spending for the creation of Ford’s Blue Oval City project at the Memphis megasite along with the creation of a new board to oversee the project and surrounding projects.
“The way (the Ford session) is drafted makes it really challenging to present anything related to COVID,” Zachary said. “But that doesn’t mean there’s not a way to do that, so stay tuned for more there.”
This Ford special session was called by Gov. Bill Lee. The second proposed special session could be created if two-thirds of the Tennessee Senate and House vote to call for it.
Lee’s executive order allowing parents to opt out of school mask mandates has been blocked by courts in Davidson, Shelby and Knox counties.
