Tennessee General Assembly finishes legislative session
On the last day of the session, lawmakers put the finishing touches on a bill that would lead to books being banned from schools and on Gov. Bill Lee’s school funding overhaul.
Ian Round
Ian Round is The Daily Memphian’s state government reporter based in Nashville. He came to Tennessee from Maryland, where he reported on local politics for Baltimore Brew. He earned a master’s degree in journalism from the University of Maryland in December 2019.
There are 432 articles by Ian Round :
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April 2022
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State Government -
State Government General Assembly passes new school funding formula
State Sen. Jack Johnson said the current formula “is outdated, it’s antiquated, it’s difficult to understand. Quite frankly, it is broken. (This) rips that old formula out by the roots and starts with a clean state.”
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Elections Two Republican primaries are already throwing sparks
The only two contested Republican primaries in August for seats in the Tennessee General Assembly representing parts of Shelby County could change dramatically with new challenges that could remove one of the contenders from each of the two-man races.
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State Government State House passes permitless carry for 18-year-olds, but it won’t become law
Lawmakers debated the Second Amendment and liberty, the value of training and permitting, and the maturity of teenagers, even though a Senate committee stalled the bill earlier this month.
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State Government General Assembly passes ‘truth in sentencing,’ but Lee won’t share his position
House Speaker Cameron Sexton invoked the names of Memphis rapper Young Dolph and Rhodes College student Drew Rainier, both of whom were shot and killed last year, in a speech arguing against early release for a handful of crimes.
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Elections Equity Alliance releases Shelby County voter guide
“Regardless of where you live in Tennessee, you should have a say in who represents you,” writes Tequila Johnson and Charlane Oliver.
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State Government Tennessee lawmakers consider range of bills targeting gay, transgender communities
“I’ve heard a lot that Tennessee just isn’t the place for us,” said state Rep. Torrey Harris, one of two openly gay members of the General Assembly. “And I’m trying not to get to the place where I believe the same thing.”
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State Government State Senate passes bill requiring Black history, ‘virtues of capitalism’ curricula
Teachers would be required to provide lessons on Black history and the “virtues of capitalism” under a handful of bills passed Tuesday, April 12 by the state Senate related to civics and history.
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State Government Collierville students speak out against ‘obscenity’ bill, help stall action
“There’s a clear difference between desensitizing a child to obscenity and removing stigmas to topics society continues to turn its head to,” Milana Kumar of Collierville said.
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State Government General Assembly passes tweak to law affecting college athletes
The bill, sponsored by state Rep. Kevin Vaughan (R-Collierville), amends last year’s name, image and likeness law, which allowed college athletes to get paid while still prohibiting their schools from paying them directly.
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State Government Permitless carry bills stall in General Assembly
Two bills expanding permitless gun carry stalled Wednesday, April 6 in the General Assembly.
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Transportation & Logistics TDOT awards $141 million contract for I-55/Crump Blvd. interchange renovation
The intersection just east of the Memphis-Arkansas Bridge was a major choke point last year when the I-40 bridge was closed.
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Education U of M looks to rent up to 300 beds before the fall semester
Growing out-of-state enrollment and declining in-state enrollment are due in part to the looming “enrollment cliff” and the university’s improved prestige and R1 status.
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March 2022
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Update
State GovernmentLee proposes $20 million for riverfront dock expansion
The budget amendment also includes $10 million for the National Civil Rights Museum, $2.5 million each for the Brooks Museum of Art and the Leftwich Tennis Center and $100,000 for the Southern Heritage Classic.
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State Government General Assembly won’t tackle child care this year
The economic effect of lack of access to child care is enormous, according to a Tennesseans for Quality Early Education report. In Memphis, the impact is $259 million annually in lost earnings and revenue.
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State Government Lee’s school funding proposal progresses despite corruption inquiry
Amid an FBI investigation coming to a head, lawmakers found time to advance Gov. Bill Lee’s school funding overhaul.
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State Government Cities could lose right to regulate some energy projects
Rep. Kevin Vaughan (R-Collierville) proposed the bill, which has been approved the State Senate, to prevent moves such as Memphis City Council’s efforts to keep the Byhalia Connection Pipeline away from the city’s aquifer.
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State Government State House committee advances two bills giving state more power over speech
“I might say this sounds like a five star bill to me,” state Rep. Kevin Vaughan (R-Collierville) said of a bill that seeks to ban “factually false” reviews on sites like Yelp.
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Elections Drew Rainer’s father advocates for ‘truth in sentencing,’ but governor’s support in doubt
A criminal defense lawyer told lawmakers he crafted a law similar to “truth in sentencing” decades ago — and regretted it.
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State Government General Assembly passes ‘divisive concepts’ bill for public colleges
State Sen. Richard Briggs, the only Republican who voted against the measure, said legislators are “trying to overprotect students” and that the bill is “a solution looking for a problem.”
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State Government Senate version of ban on police residency requirement — not targeting Memphis — passes House
Residency requirements for police and firefighters would be prohibited across Tennessee, not just in Memphis.
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State Government House passes bill allowing parents to challenge books in school libraries
The bill comes amid a parents’ rights movement among conservatives, who have fought COVID mandates, banned books in some places, and challenged lessons on race, gender and history.
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State Government Construction on I-55/Crump Blvd. interchange to begin this spring
Accidents are common on the interchange, where drivers have to slow down and take an exit in order to stay on the highway.
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Public Safety MICAH pushes for a conviction review unit at virtual town hall
Shelby County District Attorney General Amy Weirich, seeking a second eight-year term, has resisted creating a conviction review unit.
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Elections TN General Assembly honors Memphis 13
Bill sponsored by G.A. Hardaway recognizes Black first-graders who integrated four Memphis schools in 1961 as ‘young civil rights leaders.’
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