Matthew Hill

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This article is about the Tennessee politician. For the English football (soccer) player, see Matthew Hill (footballer). For the Canadian voice actor, see Matt Hill. For the English comedian, see Harry Hill.
Rep. Mathhew Hill.

Matthew Hill (born December 4, 1978 at Fort Wayne, Indiana) is a religious broadcaster[1] and a member of the Tennessee House of Representatives, representing the state's 7th House District (part of Washington County).[2]



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[edit] Early life

Hill grew up in northeast Tennessee. He graduated from Tri-Cities Christian High School[3] and earned an associate's degree from Northeast State Technical Community College and a Bachelor of Science degree in Mass Communication from East Tennessee State University.[2][3]

At the time of his first campaign for the Tennessee General Assembly in 2004, he worked concurrently as operations manager of the Appalachian Radio Group and host of "Good Morning Tri-Cities" on the WHCB 91.5 FM "sister station" WPWT "PowerTalk" 870 AM for seven years.[3]

Hill is employed by his father, Rev. Dr. Kenneth "Ken" C. Hill[4][5], as Information Communications Corporation, Inc. Vice President and Independent Methodist broadcaster with WHCB 91.5 FM.[6][7] Dr. Kenneth Hill is a former Sullivan County State Executive Committee Member to the Tennessee Republican Party (2005-2008)[8], a current Director of the Tennessee Regulatory Authority,[9] and is also a president of the now defunct State of Franklin political action committee. Dr. Kenneth Hill was in late 2005 nominated by then U.S. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist in 2005 for appointment as commissioner with the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC).[10]

Rep. Hill's younger brother, Timothy Aaron Hill, was formerly employed as a press secretary by U.S. Representative David Davis and is also himself a former WPWT 870AM Good Morning Tri-Cities[11] conservative talk radio show host.

[edit] State Representative

Hill was first elected to the Tennessee House of Representatives in 2004 as a member of the Republican Party. He was re-elected in 2006, defeating Fred Phillips, former Washington County Sheriff and Tennessee Department of Safety Director, in the general election.[12][13] He is a member of the Children and Family Affairs Committee, the Transportation Committee, the Domestic Relations Subcommittee, and the Public Safety and Rural Roads Subcommittee.

Rep. Mathhew Hill speaking during 2008 Republican primary debate, Jonesborough, Tennessee.

During the 2004 7th House District election, Hill was quoted by a local newspaper stating that he "would only vote for an income tax if there was a war."[14]

A 2005 article within Business Tennessee Magazine cited Hill as a "...firebrand political conservative," who "...championed social issues to recently get elected to the state House of Representatives representing Johnson City and Washington County."[15]

Among the 2006 legislation sponsored by Hill in the Tennessee General Assembly is HB2921 authorizing (upon passage) "...the display, in county and municipal public buildings..., of replicas of historical documents and writings" including the Ten Commandments religious displays.

Former Rep. Jerome Cochran of Carter County introduced HB2921 in the Tennessee House Constitutional Protections subcommittee[16] --- of which Hill is not a standing member --- and Hill's HB2921 legislation died peacefully in subcommittee.[17]

Another 2006 bill introduced by Matthew Hill, HB2924[18], would make child rape a capital offense, punishable by death or life imprisonment and would cost Tennessee taxpayers over $15 million each year to carry out the proposal.[19]. Hill's HB2924 failed in both the House and the Senate during the 2006 legislative session. The Senate version of Hill's child rape bill, SB2490, was sponsored by State Senator Raymond Finney. Finney has stated since the defeat of both HB2924 and SB2490 within the Tennessee General Assembly that he "...does not plan to continue with his bill."[20]

[edit] References

  1. ^ http://www.whcbradio.org/ArticleViewer.aspx?ObjectId=12
  2. ^ a b Matthew Hill, Tennessee General Assembly website
  3. ^ a b c Matthew Listens, Matthew Hill campaign website archived by Internet Archive on March 17, 2004
  4. ^ FCC 323-E Ownership Report For Noncommercial Educational Broadcast Station BOA - 20060302ACA (WHCB 91.5 FM)
  5. ^ FCC 323 OWNERSHIP REPORT FOR COMMERCIAL BROADCAST STATIONS BOA - 20060303AAW (WPWT-870 AM)
  6. ^ "Patton, challengers square off in debate for District 7 House seat" Kingsport Times-News. James Brooks. April 16, 2004
  7. ^ “Mr. Matthew" - WHCB 91.5 FM Kids Show” (frame)
  8. ^ "2005 - 2006 Sullivan County Republican Party Executive Board"
  9. ^ http://www.state.tn.us/tra/leadership/hillbio.html
  10. ^ "Kenneth Hill is nominated for FCC Commissioner" Leonard L. Kahn. December 12, 2005, issue #23. wrathofkahn.org
  11. ^ "Officials look to focused leaders, not College GOP and campaigners." Robert Houk. Johnson City Press. August 39, 2007
  12. ^ Kingsport Times-News article on Fred Phillips challenging Rep. Hill in the 2006 Tennessee House election
  13. ^ Phillips for the 7th
  14. ^ "Patton, challengers square off in debate for District 7 House seat" Kingsport Times-News. James Brooks. April 16, 2004
  15. ^ "30 Under 30". Business Tennessee Magazine. Orr, Ruble & Smirnov. February 2005.
  16. ^ Kingsport Times-News article on Rep. Hill sponsoring Ten Commandments legislation
  17. ^ Kingsport Times-News article on the above bill dying in the House subcommittee
  18. ^ Limitations on Capital Punishment - Proportionality
  19. ^ Kingsport Times-News article on Rep. Hill's bill making child rape a capital offense
  20. ^ "Child Rape Bill Stalled".

[edit] External links

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matthew_Hill"