Frank Niceley
Frank Niceley | |
|---|---|
| Member of the Tennessee Senate from the 17th Senate District | |
| Assumed office January, 2013 | |
| Member of the Tennessee House of Representatives from the 8th House District | |
| In office 2005–2012 | |
| In office 1999–2002 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Frank Samuel Niceley March 3, 1947 Strawberry Plains, Tennessee, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican Party Tea Party |
| Spouse | Cyndie Niceley |
| Children |
|
| Residence(s) | Knoxville, Tennessee, U.S. |
| Alma mater | University of Tennessee Soil Science (B.S. 1969) |
| Profession | Farmer Businessman Politician |
Frank S. Niceley (born March 3, 1947) is a member of the Tennessee State Senate who previously served in the Tennessee House of Representatives. In the House he represented District 17, which encompasses parts of Knox County and the majority of Jefferson County.
Early life, education, and career
Niceley is a native of Knox County and of the district he served in the state House of Representatives. He was raised around agriculture. After graduating from Jefferson High School, Niceley attended the University of Tennessee, where he received a bachelor's degree in soil science in 1969. Subsequently, he and his wife, Cyndie, moved their residence to neighboring Jefferson County, where he began his career as a farmer and businessman.
Tennessee House of Representatives
Niceley served in the Tennessee House from 1988 to 1992 (96th and 97th Tennessee General Assemblies). He was elected again in 2004 to serve in the 104th General Assembly, and won re-election in 2006 and 2008 to serve in the 105th and 106th General Assemblies. During his time as a State Representative, he has been a member of the House Agriculture Committee, the House Conservation and Environment Committee, House Environment Subcommittee, and the House Parks and Tourism Subcommittee.
Locally, Niceley serves with the Farm Bureau, which enables financial services to farmers, and the National Rifle Association.
Niceley has argued against making cockfighting a felony in Tennessee and helped defeat a bill that would have increased the $50 fine for cockfighting to $2,500, saying that cockfighting is a cultural tradition. He said: "They pay their taxes. They're not bothering anybody. I don't know what the big deal is." He also noted that cockfighting brings in tourist dollars from other states. "They buy food, they stay in hotels, they buy gas," he said.[1]
Statements and controversies
2009
In 2009, Niceley was one of four Republican members of the Tennessee House to announce plans to join a legal action to force President Barack Obama to release his birth certificate and prove his citizenship.[2][3]
2012
During a Tennessee House committee hearing in February 2012, Niceley declared that coyotes had been introduced to Tennessee by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) for purpose of controlling the wild deer population, but had subsequently become pests that attack livestock. This allegation was investigated by PolitiFact Tennessee. PolitiFact determined that coyotes had arrived in the state naturally, without any involvement by the TWRA. Stating that Niceley had repeated an "urban myth" that had been debunked previously, PolitiFact characterized his statement as a "real howler" and categorized it as "Pants On Fire", indicating a statement that "is not accurate and makes a ridiculous claim".[4]
2017
Nicely rejects mainstream views of climate science. At a December, 2017 meeting of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), he stated to E & E News reporter Zack Colman: "I think the whole premise that carbon dioxide is a pollutant is flawed," said Tennessee state Sen. Frank Niceley (R). "It's not a pollutant, it's just as natural as oxygen. The trees and plants depend on CO2 just the same way we depend on oxygen."[5]
References
- ^ Chattanooga Free Press, May 21, 2011.
- ^ Emery, Theo (February 13, 2009). "Four Tennessee legislators want Obama to prove citizenship". The Tennessean. Nashville. Retrieved February 13, 2009.[dead link]
- ^ Woods, Jeff (February 13, 2009). "Democrats Ridicule Lawmaker for Demanding Obama's Birth Certificate". Nashville Scene. Archived from the original on February 15, 2009. Retrieved February 13, 2009.
{{cite news}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ "House committee chairman claims state agency delivered coyotes to cull deer population". PolitiFact Tennessee. February 23, 2012.
- ^ https://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1060068569.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help)
External links
- Rep. Frank S. Niceley, Tennessee General Assembly web site
- Frank Nicely said, What?, Frank S. Niceley's blog
- Sen. Frank Niceley, Twitter account