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 :
Here’s a look back at the timeline that led to former state Sen. Brian Kelsey’s expected sentencing hearing Thursday, July 27, on two campaign-finance felonies.
Kelsey is now scheduled to be sentenced Aug. 11 at 1 p.m. in federal court in Nashville. Brian Kelsey’s sentencing was delayed again. Here’s a timeline of his legal odyssey.Related story:
The Tennessee Education Association and five state educators including two affiliated with MSCS filed a lawsuit against the 2021 ‘prohibited concepts’ law, banning certain discussion surrounding race and gender in public and charter schools.
In the months since Gov. Bill Lee announced he would convene a special session, top lawmakers’ initial openness to a “red flag” law hardened into uncompromising opposition, and the focus of the special session shifted from guns to mental health and tough-on-crime legislation.
Republican Debra Maggart had worked to pass a number of gun bills, but she said the National Rifle Association decided to “annihilate” her in 2012 after she spoke against Tennesseans keeping weapons in their cars while at work.
Justin J. Pearson was sworn into the state House of Representatives for the third time on Monday, Aug. 21, following his April 6 expulsion, quick interim reappointment and subsequent special election victory earlier this month.
Representatives of DC Project, Equity Alliance, Memphis For All, Moms Demand Action and other groups gathered in Nashville leading up to the special session that commenced Monday, Aug. 21.
In addition to limiting public access, the Tennessee House of Representatives listed consequences for members who breach decorum during the special legislative session that began Monday, Aug. 21. Protesters in Nashville rally for — and against — stricter gun laws ‘Freedom Ride for Millennials:’ Dozens bus to Nashville for first day of special sessionRelated story:
Tuesday saw the first committee hearings of the special session and the beginning of discussion on bills. More than 100 people — including parents of Covenant School shooting survivors — were removed from one of the first hearings. House sets controversial rules as General Assembly begins special sessionRelated story:
The bills seek to improve background checks, create an awareness campaign about free gun locks and require a report on human trafficking; they mostly continue things the state government already does.
The General Assembly’s special legislative session will not end this week. The state Senate on Thursday, Aug. 24, adjourned for the weekend with the intention of returning Monday afternoon, after a meeting that lasted just a few minutes.
Sexton’s moves followed a subcommittee chairman’s move last week to clear the entire audience from a hearing room — including parents of survivors of the Covenant School shooting.
In her campaign for Memphis mayor, Tennessee House Minority Leader Karen Camper is emphasizing her relationships with the state’s Republican leadership, saying her role would allow her to bring more state resources to Memphis.
The two chambers of the Tennessee General Assembly resolved a standoff on Tuesday, Aug. 29, agreeing to pass the four bills that the Senate passed last week and ending a special session prompted by the Covenant School shooting.
The renovation is part of the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services’ plan to manage the crisis of placements for youths in foster care or the juvenile justice system.
Prosecutors say Kelsey’s request for bail is another delay tactic. The parties are set for oral arguments on the bail motion Thursday, Sept. 21.
With four weeks left until he’s scheduled to go to prison, former state Sen. Brian Kelsey appeared in federal court in Nashville on Thursday, Sept. 21 to argue that prosecutors violated his plea deal — and that he should remain free while the appeal plays out.
House Speaker Cameron Sexton first expressed interest in rejecting $1.8 billion in annual federal education funding during the regular legislative session earlier this year.
The judge determined that Kelsey had raised a “substantial and close question that is integral to the merits of his convictions” and did not appeal for the sole purpose of delay.
A panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit ruled 2-1 that the transgender plaintiffs did not have a constitutional right to gender-affirming care as minors, saying courts should get out of the way of “thoughtful debates” within state legislatures.
TennCare says the majority who lost health coverage are eligible but fell through the cracks due to “procedural” reasons, such as failing to update their contact information after moving.
Justin Jones’ attorneys argue Cameron Sexton “led an illegal and unconstitutional effort to expel them — all in an effort to quash legitimate and open discussion about the use of weapons of war in murdering six Nashville citizens.”
Most said Young is a good listener capable of improving the local economy. They described him with words such as “deliberate,” “vision,” “different,” “new” and “refresh.”
Turnaround times at the Jackson Crime Lab, which processes sexual assault evidence kits from Memphis, decreased from 51 weeks to 18 weeks between July 2022 and August 2023. Last year, the numbers were getting worse.
“There are things that my office is doing that I think the Cameron Sextons of the world would be pleased to hear,” Shelby County District Attorney General Steve Mulroy told The Daily Memphian in a recent interview.