Co-ops, Tutorials and the Fire Marshall

Home school coops and tutorials were being closed down last year.

Your local Fire Marshall has stricter controls for schools than for churches.

No one wants to be in a fire trap. No one wants their child to be in a fire trap.

Last year home schoolers with their coops and tutorials threatened with closure met with Department of Commerce and Insurance representatives along with State Fire Marshall officials to clearly spell out the problem. There are multiple sets of standards that local officials can select as fire standards. Those standards were carefully evaluated and a bill has been introduced to fix the problem all across the state.

Rep. Stacey Campfield has introduced legislation HB3019, see below, to address the problem that home school groups have had in using church buildings for their meeting places.
This bill is scheduled to be heard in the Industrial Impact Sub-Committee on March 26, 2008.

A full list of the members of that sub committee and how to get In touch with them is below.

Please contact these members. Ask them, “Were you aware that facilities used regularly by larger church groups were not acceptable for home school coops and tutorials? HB3019 fixes this problem for us. Please support HB3019 when it comes to your sub committee on March 26, 2008.”

As soon as any member of that committee says they will vote for HB3019, please post the good news to claibornethornton.blogspot.com/.

Until you see they have agreed to support the bill keep calling to ask for support.

After they support the bill call or email them and say, "Thanks for supporting HB3019."

A republic works best when elected representatives are informed in a timely fashion of your desires.

NOW IS THE TIME FOR HB3019.

Thanks.
Claiborne Thornton , President
Tennessee Home Education Association



Industrial Impact Sub Committee
206 War Memorial Bldg. Phone (615) 741-3513
David Shepard, Chair
Richard Montgomery, Vice Chair
Members:
John DeBerry,
Joanne Favors,
Dennis Ferguson,
Jim Hackworth,
Bill Harmon,
David Hawk,
Joe McCord,
Dennis Roach,
Charles Sargent,
Park Strader,
Curry Todd and
Eddie Yokley

To get the contact information for these committee members please go to http://www.legislature.state.tn.us/ In the left column click on House, then click members for phone numbers and email address.



HOUSE BILL 3019
By Campfield
AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 68,
relative to safety.

WHEREAS, Many home schools are conducted in environments that are designed for
multiple uses by groups of people; and

WHEREAS, Some fire safety and codes inspectors are enforcing more stringent standards for home school organizations than for other organizations that use the same or a similar building; and

WHEREAS, Safety is always paramount and should never be compromised, but unreasonable restrictions interfere with the opportunities for home school students to exercise their rights to obtain an education; now, therefore,

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:

SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 68, Chapter 102, Part 1, is amended by adding a new section thereto, as follows:
Section 68-102-154. When the principal purpose of a facility is not for educational purposes, neither the state fire marshal nor any inspector who contracts with the state shall enforce fire safety codes applicable to a school. The state fire marshal or any inspector who contracts with the state shall enforce the fire safety codes that are applicable to the facility, even though educational activities may be conducted at the facility.

SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 68, Chapter 120, Part 1, is amended by adding a new section thereto, as follows:

Section 68-120-119. When the principal purpose of a facility is not for educational purposes, neither the state fire marshal nor any inspector who contracts with the state shall enforce building codes applicable to a school. The state fire marshal or any inspector who contracts with the state shall enforce the building codes that are applicable to the facility, even though educational activities may be conducted at the facility.

SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.