From housewife and mother of three to mayor of the second-largest city in Miami-Dade County—Jacqueline Garcia-Roves made that leap in just six years.

Smyrna, and Sen. Shane Reeves, R-Murfreesboro, sponsored the legislation that won Tennessee General Assembly approval Monday.

Akanisi Lebaivalu or Nissi, as she’s known to her peers and others wants to make sure women know they deserve better. Her ...