Tennessee
Tennessee Enacts First-In-The-Nation Law To Stop Adults From Helping Minors Access Gender-Affirming Care
Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee (R) on Tuesday signed a first-in-the-nation law to block adults from helping trans youth receive gender-affirming care without their parents’ consent.
Under the law, known as House Bill 2310, anyone who helps a child access gender-affirming care within Tennessee state lines can be sued for compensation by the minor or the minor’s parents. There are exceptions for the child’s own parents or legal guardians, for adults who have permission from the minor’s parents, and for transportation companies, like those that operate ride-sharing apps, buses or airlines, that a minor could take to get to a gender-affirming care clinic.
A previous version of the law included a criminal penalty, making anyone who “recruits, harbors, or transports an unemancipated minor within this state for the purpose of receiving a prohibited medical procedure” chargeable with a Class C felony.
Lee’s office did not immediately respond to HuffPost’s request for comment.
Tennessee had already banned gender-affirming care for minors — measures that can include puberty blockers, hormone replacement therapy and, in rare instances, gender-affirming surgery — last July, when Lee signed an earlier bill, Senate Bill 1, into effect.
“I want to be clear that this in no way bars parents or legal guardians from helping their child access to medical care that they need out-of-state,” Bryan Davidson, a policy director at the ACLU Tennessee, told HuffPost.
“I think that this is an attempt by the legislature to try to use misinformation and intimidation to try to get parents and families to self-censor themselves and to police their own behavior. That is the concerning part.”
If the problem of adults transporting minors across state lines were indeed a major issue, Davidson said, Tennessee already has a law on the books for that. “It’s called kidnapping,” he said.
The gender-affirming care ban, S.B. 1, was temporarily blocked for certain residents thanks to a legal challenge from the American Civil Liberties Union, but a federal appeals court ruled in the fall to allow the ban to stand.
Advocacy groups are now waiting to see if the Supreme Court will take up the ACLU’s challenge to S.B. 1, known as L.W. v. Skrmetti, and weigh in on the question of who is allowed to make medical decisions for minors seeking gender-affirming care. If this highest court does take up the challenge to Tennessee’s ban, it could have precedent-setting ramifications for other states’ restrictions on care.
Lee signed a separate bill on Tuesday that penalizes “abortion trafficking of a minor” and makes it a misdemeanor office for a person to help a minor obtain an abortion or abortion-inducing drugs without consent from the minor’s parents. Several GOP-led states — most notably Idaho — have passed similar laws since the reversal of Roe v. Wade two years ago.
The two new laws go into effect July 1.
Tennessee’s state legislature, which has a Republican supermajority, has long been an early adopter of new kinds of anti-LGBTQ legislation. As governor, Lee has never issued a veto on an anti-LGBTQ bill, and the state has far outpaced the rest of the country in terms of anti-LGBTQ legislation.
During this year’s legislative session, Lee enacted at least eight new anti-LGBTQ+ laws. This includes laws that force school administrators to tell parents if their child asks to use a name or gender marker that differs from their birth certificate; allow people to refuse to perform same-sex marriages; permit foster families to discriminate against LGBTQ+ kids; and eliminate the state’s human rights commission.
Last year, Tennessee became the first state to enact a drag ban, and blocked performances from taking place anywhere in public where children could be present. A federal judge ruled that ban unconstitutional, but the state Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti is trying to argue for the ban to be applied in private spaces, as well.
The state also garnered national attention last year after Skrmetti probed Vanderbilt University Medical Center for the records of trans patients — both minors and adults — after a Nashville-based right-wing media figure posted an inflammatory, misleading information on Twitter about the hospital’s treatments for transgender children. The Department of Health and Human Services has since opened an investigation into Vanderbilt’s release of patient medical records.
“Tennessee has become a sort of policy laboratory for attacks on LGBTQ+ folks at the state level,” said Davidson. “The anti-LGBTQ legislation is largely driven to appease the small fringe activist base in Tennessee.”
Davidson added that Tennessee is one of the most “egregiously gerrymandered states in the nation” and has one of the lowest rates of voter turnout, allowing more extreme rhetoric and policy to flourish.
Tennessee
Tennessee Baseball vs. Texas A&M In College World Series Finals: How To Watch, Preview | Rocky Top Insider
Tennessee baseball is looking for its first National Championship in program history as it prepares to face conference foe Texas A&M at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha.
The Vols and Aggies have both been ranked in the nation’s top five since early in the conference season an are looking to conclude the season with the ultimate prize.
Here’s how to watch and everything else to know about the College World Series Final Series.
Texas A&M swept its way for the first half of the College World Series. The Aggies prevailed out of the SEC heavy side of the bracket with two wins over Florida (3-2, 6-0) bookending a 5-1 win over Kentucky.
Tennessee swept it way through the first half of the College World Series too. The Vols used a ninth inning comeback to defeat Florida State 12-11 in their opener before defeating North Carolina 6-1 and Florida State, again, 7-2 to advance to the finals.
Probable Pitching Matchups
*Both teams have only announced their game one starters
Game One: LHP Chris Stamos (3-0, 4.26 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 31.2 IP, 16 BB, 35 K) vs. LHP Ryan Prager (9-1, 2.88 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, 93.2 IP, 118 K, 20 BB)
Game Two: RHP Drew Beam (9-2, 4.30 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 98.1 IP, 92 K, 25 BB) vs. TBD
Game Three: LHP Zander Sechrist (5-1, 3.22 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 72.2 IP, 69 K, 15 BB) vs. TBD
Everything Tony Vitello Said About The Aggies
On Texas A&M and its style of play
“As far as your one question, I think this is a series, SEC series that did not happen during the regular season, obviously. But I don’t mean to speak for anybody else. Both sides are probably pretty happy it’s at a neutral site. Their place has their own unique brand, how they do things. And you’d be remiss if you didn’t say it gets rowdy in that ballpark.
And then, I guess, you’re only as good as your last game, so to speak. That Evansville game that Zander pitched in was absolutely bananas with our fans. Maybe it’s best that it’s on a neutral site.”
On what they learned about Texas A&M by playing them in the SEC Tournament
“I was asked — I’ll lead because I was just asked that question on the radio and how much value does that game have. And unfortunately, not a whole lot because we’re, for whatever reason, able to edge them out on that particular day, but we don’t get any runs for that on the scoreboard.
And I think everyone who has ever competed in that tournament loves it. It’s hard to put into words quickly how awesome that event is and how well they do running it.
But, again, every SEC coach and player knows there’s a different vibe to each day and how you approach that tournament is unique for each team. So to recall on that game, maybe you look at some match-ups that occurred or something like that. I don’t think it carries a lot of weight.”
On Texas A&M’s pitching staff over the course of CWS
“In that particular instance, looking around the locker room, you’re looking at all kinds of guys. I’m reflecting back there — just talking about our group being good about competing against anybody. But obviously you get into match-ups with our lineup.
It’s like, man, Florida State and then Florida’s younger guys are getting more experience, which A&M shut them down. And you’ve got the most dangerous guy, him and Charlie, you know, I don’t include our players in any of that, and Cags. So they’re capable of shutting down anybody.
Then, again, you get to this point, every lineup, I feel like ours and theirs, can get you at any one spot. There’s a lot of uniqueness to each lineup, too, where there’s a variety of ways they can get you. I feel we’re included in that group.
But we’ll have to go up against Prager. It will be the second time. And he’s given a lot of people fits, either a lot of strikes out of him, but also gets guys to chase out of the zone a little bit.
At this point in our league or the ACC, too, you’ve got about as much experience as you are going to have. He’s already thrown on the mound out there.
It’s up to us to put our best foot forward or put ourselves forward and stay true to who we are. And he’ll be trying to do the same thing. Then you look at the guys who will be available afterwards — or better yet look at the way they’ve gone to the bullpen in the postseason — he’s not afraid to go to the bullpen early because he knows he’s got weapons down there.”
Bats To Know
OMAHA – The No. 3 Texas A&M baseball team looks to capture its first College World Series title in program history as they face off against No. 1 Tennessee in a best-of-three series starting Saturday night at 6:30 p.m. from Charles Schwab Field.
Game one of the series will air on ESPN, while Sunday’s game will be broadcast on ABC at 1 p.m. Monday’s ‘if necessary’ game is scheduled for 6 p.m. on ESPN. The championship series can also be heard locally on Sports Radio 1150AM/93.7 The Zone. Fans can also follow along with the games on X, @AggieBaseball.
The Aggies (52-13) punched their ticket to the championship series for the first time in program history after blanking Florida 6-0 Wednesday night. The shutout marked the squad’s first-ever at the College World Series and nation-leading 12th of the season, which matched the 1990 team for the most in program history. In the win, the Aggie pitching staff totaled 14 strikeouts to up their season total to 680, which is a program record.
The victory marked the 52nd of the season for the Maroon & White, which is the most since 1999 and tied for third in school annals. The squad’s three wins at the College World Series are the most in program history.
Saturday’s championship series opener marks the 22nd meeting all-time and second this season between the Aggies and Volunteers (58-12). The Maroon & White lead the series 11-10 and are 2-1 in a neutral venue against Tennessee.
Under Head Coach Jim Schlossnagle, Texas A&M is 17-4 in the postseason and 5-2 at the College World Series. The five wins at the Greatest Show on Dirt are the most by any head coach in program history. Prior to the 2022 College World Series, the Maroon & White had only won two games in Omaha.
Copyright 2024 KBTX. All rights reserved.
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Sixty-four teams entered the NCAA Division I baseball tournament. Only two remain.
The Tennessee Volunteers and Texas A&M Aggies will face off in the Men’s College World Series Finals after dominating their respective brackets. From regionals to super regionals to the eight-team field in Omaha, there has been only one loss between the two teams since the start of the Division I tournament in late May – an Evansville upset of Tennessee in Game 2 of their super regional.
Now, college baseball’s two hottest teams will face off in the best-of-3 series to decide the championship.
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The two teams met previously this postseason during the SEC Tournament. The Vols took that one, 7-4, and went on to win the tournament and take the undisputed conference title.
Tennessee vs. Texas A&M Game 1 predictions
Knoxville News Sentinel: Tennessee 8, Texas A&M 6
Mike Wilson writes: “The Vols have that feeling of being an unstoppable force since the ninth inning against Florida State in their CWS opener. That isn’t stopping now in the finals.”
“
SB Nation: Tennessee win in three games
“Watching the entire Men’s College World Series this year, you get the sense that today’s game is about what you can do at the plate. While both teams have potent lineups, Tennessee does have an advantage at the dish.
This is likely a series that goes the entire three games, and when all is said and done, the Volunteers will take home the title.”
COLLEGE WORLD SERIES: Tickets are on sale for the finals. See how much they cost
Tennessee vs. Texas A&M: Odds, spread and lines for Men’s College World Series Finals
The Volunteers are favored to win Game 1 of the MCWS Finals, according to the BetMGM college baseball odds. Looking to wager? Check out the best mobile sports betting apps offering 2024 sports betting promos.
Odds listed as of Thursday.
- Moneyline: Tennessee (-160); Texas A&M (+125)
Tennessee vs. Texas A&M: How to watch Game 1 of the Men’s College World Series Finals
- Date: Saturday, June 22
- Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
- Location: Charles Schwab Field, Omaha, Nebraska
- Cable TV: ESPN
- Streaming: ESPN+; YouTube TV; fuboTV
HOW TO WATCH: Catch the Men’s College World Series Finals with a subscription to ESPN+
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