This November, there will be four constitutional amendments on the ballot immediately behind the governor’s race. The first of the four amendments would make our existing right-to-work protection a fundamental, constitutional right. Tennessee has proudly been a right-to-work state for the past 75 years. But some D.C. politicians and even some of my fellow legislators here in our own state have proposed eliminating right-to-work. We have to do what we can to prevent them from succeeding.

Right-to-work ensures that workers can decide whether or not to join a union and pay dues. It prohibits employers from firing the worker who chooses to join a union and the worker who chooses not to associate with the union.

One of the most important rights we have as Americans is our freedom of association. It’s in the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution for a reason. We believe that people should be free to associate with groups they agree with, including joining a union. We also believe that people should never be forced to join or pay to associate with an organization they disagree with or don’t want to support.

Not only is right-to-work a cherished right, but this Tennessee tradition has made our state economy strong. Tennessee is thriving compared to forced unionization states like California, Illinois, and New York that don’t protect this right. We have the lowest debt per capita in the entire nation and the second lowest overall tax burden. Right-to-work states like Tennessee also have higher income growth and employment growth than states that don’t protect the right-to-work.

I for one want to keep it this way. I don’t want us to become one of those states that over-tax and rack up debt that even their great-grandchildren will be paying. One of the critical distinctions between those states and ours is whether or not they protect right-to-work.

Given how important this is and given the growing attacks on worker freedom both nationally and here at home, the best thing we can do is enshrine right-to-work in our Tennessee Constitution. That’s why the legislature has placed Amendment 1 on the ballot.

It’s not often that we amend our state constitution, and it’s a long process. It takes two votes of the legislature, the second by a two-thirds majority, to even put a constitutional amendment on the ballot. As your state representative, I proudly voted both times to protect this right.

Now it’s your turn to make your voice heard. The final step to amending the constitution comes down to your vote to ratify Amendment 1. On November 8, if you vote for Amendment 1, you will be voting to keep Tennessee moving forward for generations to come. That’s why I will be voting "yes on 1" and I hope you will, too.