Frank Niceley

Frank S. Niceley (born March 3, 1947) is a Republican member of the Tennessee State Senate representing the 8th district, consisting of Claiborne, Grainger, Hancock, Hawkins, Jefferson and Union counties.

Frank Niceley
Member of the Tennessee Senate
from the 8th district
Assumed office
January 2013
Preceded byDoug Overbey
Member of the Tennessee House of Representatives
from the 17th district
In office
2005–2012
Preceded byJamie Woodson
Succeeded byAndrew Farmer
Member of the Tennessee House of Representatives
from the 35th district
In office
1988–1992
Preceded byLynn G. Lawson
Succeeded byMonty E Mires
Personal details
Born
Frank Samuel Niceley

(1947-03-03) March 3, 1947
Strawberry Plains, Tennessee
Political partyRepublican
Residence(s)Knoxville, Tennessee
Alma materUniversity of Tennessee (BS)
ProfessionFarmer
businessman
politician

Niceley had previously served in the Tennessee House of Representatives. In the House, he represented District 17, which encompassed portions 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 Tennessee Hunter Alliance, and the Farm Bureau, which enables financial services to farmers.[1]

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.[2]

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.[3][4]

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".[5]

2017

Niceley rejects mainstream views of climate science. At a December 2017 meeting of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), he told E&E News reporter Zack Colman: "I think the whole premise that carbon dioxide is a pollutant is flawed. 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."[6]

2022

While speaking in favor of a bill that would make camping on any public property punishable by a $50 fine, Niceley cited Adolf Hitler as an example of someone who worked his way out of homelessness to "lead a life that got him in the history books."[7][8]

References
  1. "TN General Assembly - Senator Frank S. Niceley". capitol.tn.gov. Tennessee General Assembly. Archived from the original on February 22, 2013.
  2. Chattanooga Free Press, May 21, 2011.
  3. Emery, Theo (February 13, 2009). "Four Tennessee legislators want Obama to prove citizenship". The Tennessean. Nashville. Retrieved February 13, 2009.
  4. 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.
  5. "House committee chairman claims state agency delivered coyotes to cull deer population". PolitiFact Tennessee. February 23, 2012. Archived from the original on February 24, 2012.
  6. "POLITICS: Inside the battle for the right's climate conscience". www.eenews.net. Archived from the original on July 14, 2020.
  7. Metzger, Bryan. "Tennessee Republican uses Hitler as an example of a homeless person who 'went on to lead a life that got him in the history books' while pushing to criminalize camping on public property". Business Insider. Archived from the original on April 14, 2022. Retrieved April 14, 2022.
  8. Ramirez, Alejandro. "Anti-Camping Bill Passes Senate Vote". Nashville Scene. Archived from the original on April 13, 2022. Retrieved April 14, 2022.
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