Tennessee Governor: "Drop the 'Don't Say Gay Bill'"

Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam (R) has told state lawmakers to drop the now infamous “Don’t Say Gay” bill that has made nationwide headlines for the past few years.

The bill would make any discussion or acknowledgment of homosexuality illegal in Tennessee schools.

Via Nashville Public Radio:

Yesterday a committee of state lawmakers put off dealing with so-called ‘Don’t Say Gay’ legislation. That’s after hearing in private from an official with Governor Bill Haslam’s office.

The amendment that passed the state senate last year would limit all sexual instruction up through eighth grade to quote “natural human reproduction science.” Now some House lawmakers want to add some exceptions, or keep it from interfering with an anti-bullying law passed last year.

Asked about his administration’s reported intervention yesterday, Haslam told reporters he thinks there are simply better things for lawmakers to spend their time on.

“I’ve said before I don’t think that should be a priority of the legislature. I think there’s other things that we can and should be focused on right now, and I’ve been up front about that from the very beginning.”

With Tennessee’s unemployment rate higher than the national average, ranked 39th out of 50 states for child homelessness, plus being ranked 45th out of 50 states for state planning and policy, you have to wonder: is this the most important thing to be debating in Tennessee?