<BillNo> <Sponsor>
SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION 534
By Southerland
SJR0534
008043
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A RESOLUTION to honor and commend Senator Frank Niceley
for his distinguished, brilliant, and principled
service as a member of the Tennessee General
Assembly.
WHEREAS, it is most appropriate that the members of this General Assembly should
honor those fellow legislators who performed their duties with integrity and whose efforts during
their time in office were dedicated to providing thoughtful service to their districts and to this
great State; and
WHEREAS, Senator Frank Niceley of Strawberry Plains is one such distinguished public
servant, who served both his constituency and this legislative body with honor and ability; and
WHEREAS, Senator Niceley is never afraid to speak truth, even when inconvenient, and
often delivers it in a way that makes you laugh, learn, and then Google a few things afterward;
and
WHEREAS, Frank Niceley always seems to know what is coming before the rest of us—
perhaps from time travel, or good reading habits; and
WHEREAS, in a world where many talk but few truly listen or learn, Senator Niceley
stands out for his brilliance, boldness, and boundless curiosity; and
WHEREAS, Senator Niceley served in the General Assembly for over two decades,
championing small farms, low taxes, and Second Amendment rights, and he made it his mission
to keep Tennessee strong enough to withstand another Depression—or at least a couple of bad
federal policies; and
WHEREAS, Senator Niceley has always been an influential figure in the political, social,
and civic life of his community, and he served his constituents in numerous capacities during his
twenty-four-year tenure on Capitol Hill; and
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WHEREAS, unafraid to challenge the establishment, he once lost reelection after
refusing to support a permanent tax increase, proving that he was more interested in doing what
was right than what was easy; and
WHEREAS, Frank Niceley ably represented the 35
th
District in the House of
Representatives during the 96
th
and 97
th
General Assemblies and the 17
th
House District during
the 104
th
through 107
th
General Assemblies, serving as chair of the House Agriculture
Committee during his last term; and
WHEREAS, in 2012, Mr. Niceley ascended to the upper chamber of the General
Assembly and served three terms in the Senate during the 108
th
through 113
th
General
Assemblies, rendering sterling service as 2
nd
vice chair of the body's Transportation and Safety
Committee and as a member of its Energy, Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee; and
WHEREAS, Frank Niceley was a tremendous asset for the good people of Claiborne,
Grainger, Hancock, Jefferson, Union, and Sevier counties in the Senate, working with purpose
and commitment to protect family farms and increase their profitability, ensure fiscal
responsibility in State government, maintain low taxes, fight federal government overreach, and
make Tennessee the best place to live and raise a family; and
WHEREAS, Senator Niceley's life and family history are deeply embedded in East
Tennessee; he is the direct descendent of five veterans of the Revolutionary War, all of whom
are buried in the 8
th
Senate District he represented, and one of these ancestors was the
doorkeeper to the first Tennessee General Assembly that established our State; and
WHEREAS, Frank Niceley and his wife, Cyndie, make their home on 400 acres along
the Holston River in Jefferson County; their Riverplains Farm is a working farm that includes row
crops, livestock, and an active equestrian training center; and
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WHEREAS, Senator Frank Niceley is committed to the precepts of public service that
have earned Tennessee recognition as the Volunteer State, and he should be recognized upon
his tenure in the General Assembly; and
WHEREAS, his deep love of Tennessee history, his commitment to principled
leadership, his ability to educate his colleagues with the vigor of a university professor and the
flair of a front-porch philosopher, and his one-of-a-kind personality have earned him not only the
unofficial title of "Senate Historian," but also the very official respect of this General Assembly;
now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED FOURTEENTH
GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE, THE HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING, that we honor Senator Frank Niceley for his meritorious
service to Tennessee, his countless contributions and many good works in service of the
residents of the 8
th
Senate District, and for making legislative sessions both smarter and far
more interesting. We commend him for his years of advocacy, wit, and wisdom, and extend to
him our sincerest best wishes for much continued success and happiness.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that an appropriate copy of this resolution be prepared
for presentation with this final clause omitted from such copy and upon proper request made to
the appropriate clerk, the language appearing immediately following the State seal appear
without House or Senate designation.