CLARKSVILLE, Tenn.- (CLARKSVILLENOW) The League of Women Voters of Tennessee have announced what the legislative priorities will be for the group in 2018.

The League of Women Voters of Tennessee is a nonpartisan political organization. The organization encourages participation in government, works to increase understanding of public policy issues, and influences public policy through education and advocacy. The League of Women Voters has a national chapter as well as local chapters.

The 2018 policies for the League of Women Voters of Tennessee

ELECTIONS: SUPPORT FREE AND FAIR ELECTIONS
• Increase access to voting.
• Lessen the discriminatory effects of the Photo ID law and support its repeal.
• Support an open and independent redistricting process.

OPEN GOVERNMENT: ENSURE CITIZEN ACCESS
• Support open government through access to public records, open meetings, public notice by printed and
• electronic means, and general government transparency.
• Support right to take electronic photos of public records.
• Support transparency and accountability of privatization through feasibility studies and follow up
• evaluations to ensure clear savings and comparable service.

GOVERNMENT FINANCE: SUPPORT REVENUES AND ADEQUATE FUNDING FOR
ESSENTIAL SERVICES AND GOOD GOVERNANCE
• Support safety net services, such as mental health, child protection, disability and food services.
• Oppose privatization of core government services that ensure the common good or protect basic needs.
• Oppose reduction of revenue sources without replacing them with other sources of revenue.
• Support multi-source long term funding for transportation including regional mass transit.
• Support vigorous collection of out-of-state sales and other taxes.
• EDUCATION: PROVIDE QUALITY EDUCATION
• Support the policies and funding needed to provide quality public education, pre-k through high school.
• Oppose public funding of for-profit charter schools or their management by for-profit companies.
• Oppose public funding of private school vouchers.

HEALTH CARE REFORM: ASSURE COMPREHENSIVE, AFFORDABLE, AND ACCESSIBLE
HEALTH CARE OPTIONS FOR ALL TENNESSEANS
• Oppose repeal of the Affordable Care Act and efforts to undermine its implementation; carefully evaluate
• proposed changes to this law.
• Support the enrollment of eligible, uninsured Tennesseans in ACA health plans or TennCare.
• Maintain the current level of TennCare benefits for children, families, and disabled adults; and expand
• TennCare to include all adults with income up to 138% of poverty.
• Study other proposed options to assure comprehensive and affordable health coverage for all
• Tennesseans.

ENVIRONMENT: SUPPORT FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF MEASURES TO PROTECT AND
IMPROVE AIR, LAND, AND WATER QUALITY
• Restrict mining of natural resources that harms the human and natural environments.
• Restrict discharge of toxic substances into the air, land, or waters.
• Support development of infrastructure for renewable, sustainable energy.
• IMMIGRATION: ENSURE THAT IMMIGRANTS AND REFUGEES ARE TREATED FAIRLY
• Support policy changes that allow Tennessee immigrant youth fair access to higher education.