Accomplishments

The biggest challenges we face in the city will not be solved by one vote alone. We need a majority of our city council to agree on an issue in order to see progress in our city. And with open records laws that prevent members of city council from discussing business outside of meetings (without inviting the public and press), city council members often must be persistent in their pursuit of needed improvements for their district or city as a whole. That's why it is important to have a Councilperson who can be a successful legislator. Amelia has been one of the most successful legislators in Council this term in passing legislation with eleven resolutions passed that Amelia introduced and nine other initiatives that she co-sponsored. Below are a few highlights of her first-term accomplishments as well as unfinished work.

Legislative Successes

Oppose state gun permitting legislation

3/10/20

Cosponsor

A Resolution respectfully requesting that the members of the Knoxville Legislation Delegation consider and oppose proposed legislation regarding gun permitting (Introduced by McKenzie)

Allocate emergency funding during COVID-19 and evaluate tax relief opportunities

Expand Medicaid in Tennessee

Medicare for All during COVID-19 and beyond

Allocate Sufficient Appropriations to Sustain the United States Postal Service

Posthumous Pardon of Knoxvillian Maurice Franklin Mays Overdue

Zero Tolerance Policy for Racist/Sexist Practices in City Government

Treat Gun Violence as a Public Health Emergency

Celebrating Pride and recognizing those in the LGBTQI+ community who are still fighting to live freely as their authentic selves in our city

Saving the Mature Trees at Cradle of Country Music Park

Restore the right of Knoxville residents to access fundamental obstetric and gynecological health care services, including abortion

Recognizing Service: Jacklyn Lane and Beth Waters

Study of the Form Based Zoning Codes

Amending the Animal Care Ordinance to Ban Unsupervised Tethering of Pets

Adjusting the Budget Calendar to Allow More Time to Review the Budget and Engage with Constituents

Recognizing the centennial anniversary of Ironworkers Local 384

Tennessee, take action to stop gun violence, particularly gun violence that impacts our youth

Adding the honorary name “Big John Tate Corner” to Lakeside Street at its northern intersection with Magnolia Avenue

Pass the Protecting Community Television Act

Recognizing the need for Alternative Response and setting a Public Hearing on the issue

Failed Proposals

Amelia is a leader who is not afraid of failure. For each legislative failure is an opportunity for learning and sometimes an opportunity to bring long needed discussion to an item. Below are Amelia's unsuccessful proposals.

Charter Amendment impacting the KUB Board and requiring fees, fixed monthly charges, and basic service fees not exceed the actual cost of service

7/28/20

Co-Introduced with Singh

An Ordinance to amend the Charter of the City of Knoxville, specifically Chapter 412 of the Private Acts of 1923 of the General Assembly of the State of Tennessee, entitled, "An Act to incorporate the City of Knoxville and Knox County, Tennessee, and define the rights, powers, and liabilities of the same; to fix the boundaries of said municipality, and repeal all acts or parts of acts in conflict with this act," and all acts amendatory thereto, by amending Article XI, entitled "Knoxville Utilities Board", to promote accountability, cost-savings, and transparency by shortening commissioner terms, changing the process of nominating commissioners and filling vacated seats, and requiring that fees, fixed monthly charges, and basic service charges must not exceed the actual cost of service as determined by a cost of service study, and be subject to a public hearing before enactment, and further providing for the submission of this ordinance to the qualified voters of the City of Knoxville for approval as provided in Article XI, Section 9 of the Constitution of the State of Tennessee.

Urging TVA to reverse decision to outsource IT staff during COVID-19

Creating regulations for temporary encampments for unhoused individuals during COVID-19 and the ongoing housing crisis

Opposing state legislation that would have expanded the tax district around the stadium and redirected already allocated state and local taxes to pay for the bonds on the baseball stadium

3/9/21

Introduced and made no motion after a version passed in support of the bills earlier in the agenda; the bills ultimately failed and instead the project received a grant from the state in the amount of #13.5 million.

A Resolution respectfully requesting the Tennessee General Assembly oppose Senate Bill 783 and House Bill 1204, which have the purpose of amending Tennessee Code Annotated Title 67, Chapter 6, relative to sales and use taxes, and any legislation that would redistribute local and state sales tax revenue to fund the bond payments of a sports stadium.

· Concerns raised about the baseball stadium

Budget Process: Removing the mandate in the City Charter that City Council must pass the budget on first reading

6/28/22

Introduced

of the City of Knoxville for approval as provided in Article IV, Section 9 of the Constitution of the State of Tennessee.

Budget Process: Changing the final day the budget can be adopted from June 15 to June 30

6/28/22

Introduced

An Ordinance to amend the Charter of the City of Knoxville, specifically Chapter 412 of the Private Acts of 1923 of the General Assembly of the State of Tennessee, entitled, "An Act to incorporate the City of Knoxville and Knox County, Tennessee, and define the rights, powers, and liabilities of the same; to fix the boundaries of said municipality, and repeal all acts or parts of acts in conflict with this Act,” and all acts amendatory thereto, by amending Article IX, Section 901(F) so as to change the final date for City Council to adopt the budget ordinance from fifteen days prior to the commencement of the fiscal year (June 15) to one day prior (June 30), and further providing for the submission of this Ordinance to the qualified voters of the City Of Knoxville for approval as provided in Article IV, Section 9 of the Constitution of the State of Tennessee.

Budget Process: Changing the final day the tax levy ordinance can be adopted from June 15 to June 30

6/28/22

Introduced

An Ordinance to amend the Charter of the City of Knoxville, specifically Chapter 412 of the Private Acts of 1923 of the General Assembly of the State of Tennessee, entitled, “An Act to incorporate the City of Knoxville and Knox County, Tennessee, and define the rights, powers, and liabilities of the same; to fix the boundaries of said municipality, and repeal all acts or parts of acts in conflict with this Act,” and all acts amendatory thereto, by amending Article IX, Section 901(G) so as to change the final date for City Council to adopt the tax levy ordinance from fifteen days prior to the commencement of the fiscal year (June 15) to one day prior (June 30), and further providing for the submission of this Ordinance to the qualified voters of the City of Knoxville for approval as provided in Article IV, Section 9 of the Constitution of the State of Tennessee.

Budget Process: Changing the final day the Capital Improvements Budget can be adopted from June 15 to June 30

6/28/22

Introduced

An Ordinance to amend the Charter of the City of Knoxville, Article IX, Section 901(J) so as to change the final date for City Council to adopt the Capital Improvements Budget from fifteen days prior to the commencement of the fiscal year (June 15) to one day prior (June 30), and further providing for the submission of this ordinance to the qualified voters of the City of Knoxville for approval.

Budget Process: Changing the final day that city council can finally act on the Capital Improvements Program from June 15 to June 30

6/28/22

Introduced

An Ordinance to amend the Charter of the City of Knoxville, Article VIII, Section 801(C)(3) so as to change the final date for City Council to finally act on the capital improvements program from fifteen days prior to the commencement of the fiscal year (June 15) to one day prior (June 30), and further providing for the submission of this ordinance to the qualified voters of the City of Knoxville for approval.

Budget Process: Changing the final date for the mayor to submit to city council the capital improvements budget from 45 days prior to the commencement of the fiscal year to 60 days prior

6/28/22

Introduced

An Ordinance to amend the Charter of the City of Knoxville, Article VIII, Section 801(C)(2) so as to change the final date for the Mayor to submit to Council a capital improvements budget and program from forty-five days prior to the commencement of the fiscal year to sixty days prior to the commencement of the fiscal year, and further providing for the submission of this ordinance to the qualified voters of the City of Knoxville for approval.

City Elections: Preventing a tie in a primary election, when a runoff is not an option, by allowing all candidates with the two highest number of votes to appear on the regular election ballot (district reps)

6/28/22

Introduced

An Ordinance to amend the Charter of the City of Knoxville, Article VII, Section 707(B) so as to change the language from “the two (2) candidates receiving the highest number of votes in each district shall be placed on the regular election ballot” to “the candidates with the two (2) highest number of votes in each district shall be placed on the regular election ballot”, and further providing for the submission of this Ordinance to the qualified voters of the City of Knoxville for approval.

6/28/22

Introduced

An Ordinance to amend the Charter of the City of Knoxville, Article VII, Section 707(C) so as to change the language from “the two (2) candidates receiving the highest number of votes for each designated at-large seat shall be placed on the regular election ballot” to “the candidates receiving the two (2) highest number of votes for each designated at-large seat shall be placed on the regular election ballot”, and further providing for the submission of this Ordinance to the qualified voters of the City of Knoxville for approval.

Emergency Ordinance to enact a 90-day moratorium on building permits in the South Waterfront zoning districts while the form based zoning code is under review

Opposing the Expulsion of TN State Reps. Gloria Johnson, Justin Jones, and Justin J. Pearson for disorderly behavior and breaking House rules

5/4/23

Read during Council Report; Insufficient time to introduce ahead of meeting

A Resolution respectfully requesting the Knoxville legislative delegation to oppose HB 0063, HB 0064, and HB 0065 filed in an effort to expel Reps. Gloria Johnson, Justin J. Pearson, and Justin Jones from their duly elected seats for disorderly behavior and breaking House rules on March 30, 2023.

Proposal to create an Alternative Response Task Force to develop and propose a plan for piloting alternative response in the city of Knoxville

Service & Programs

Austin-East After School Transportation Study

Affordable Housing Survey

East Tennessee Crisis Standards of Care Planning Group

In Progress

Use of Surveillance Technology Ordinance

City of Knoxville Equitable Investments Policy

City of Knoxville 10-Year Charter Review Process