Reporter
Sam Stockard is a Nashville-based reporter with more than 30 years of journalism experience as a writer, editor and columnist covering the state Legislature and Tennessee politics for The Daily Memphian.
There are 1058 articles by Sam Stockard :
Two Shelby County lawmakers are sponsoring legislation creating a state commission with authority to approve charter schools without the operators going through a local school board.
State Sen. Brian Kelsey is downplaying a National Rifle Association graphic criticizing him for posing with members of Moms Demand Action, a group advocating for gun law reforms.
State Rep. Joe Towns’ civil penalties reached a total of $45,000 Wednesday after the Tennessee Registry of Election Finance fined him another $10,000 for failing to file campaign reports.
Calling for an end to the exploitation of college athletes, state Sen. Brian Kelsey says he is sponsoring legislation urging universities and conferences to pay athletes for their performance.
A key Senate committee chairman believes legislation barring nonprofit groups from using specialty tag proceeds to sue the state or cities is worth debating.
Despite the objections of Davidson County lawmakers, the House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed legislation Thursday removing subpoena power from police oversight boards in Tennessee.
Saying he wants to blot out “one of the worst parts of our history,” state Rep. Joe Towns is renewing legislation to eliminate slavery and involuntary servitude from the Tennessee Constitution.
Gov. Bill Lee’s charter school authorization bill is hitting a wall as legislators get pushback from local school districts and others.
Education savings accounts would cost $75 million in first year with projected costs escalating to $125 million after three years.
Memphis Democratic senators oppose bill even though it would allow oversight boards to have a private investigator seek subpoenas from a judge.
Gov. Bill Lee’s signature piece of legislation allowing students to use public dollars to enroll in private schools cleared its first hurdle Tuesday.
Transportation Committee defeats legislation requiring red-light camera citations to go through courts rather than citations being sent directly to suspected violators.
Shelby County legislators split support Wednesday in a vote sending legislation creating a charter schools commission to the House floor.
The state Senate passed legislation Thursday removing an appellate court review from death penalty cases, despite efforts by Shelby County Democrats who opposed it.
The Senate Education Committee passed a heavily-amended charter schools bill this week marked by support from Democratic state Sen. Raumesh Akbari and the bill’s sponsor, Republican state Sen. Brian Kelsey, both of Shelby County.
House and Senate Republican leaders are on different wavelengths when it comes to passage of a fetal heartbeat bill restricting abortions.
The House Government Operations Committee approved legislation Monday creating a state charter commission with the requirement it go through a “sunset” hearing to determine if it should remain in place after eight years.
As a key vote approaches this week, Gov. Bill Lee pushed his “school-choice” proposals Monday in a West Tennessee Economic Development Caucus gathering.
Once roiled by concerns about the spread of Islam, the Tennessee Legislature is considering legislation enabling state dollars to be used to send students to Islamic schools across the state.
State Sen. Brian Kelsey is urging the Tennessee Valley Authority to be “expeditious” in removing toxic coal ash from containment ponds at Allen Fossil Plant on President’s Island in Memphis.
Bill would prohibit abortions if Roe v. Wade is overturned or U.S. Constitution is amended.
Democratic state Rep. John DeBerry of Memphis could be in conflict with the Tennessee Black Caucus of State Legislators over his vote in favor of Gov. Bill Lee’s education savings account plan this week.
A day after voting against voucher legislation, state Rep. David Byrd lost his chairmanship of a House Education subcommittee Thursday with House Speaker Glen Casada saying the chamber needs "orderly operations."
The House Education Committee passed Gov. Bill Lee’s education savings account initiative Wednesday, with Shelby County legislators splitting votes on potentially the most contentious bill of the 2019 session.
State Reps. Antonio Parkinson and Jim Coley say Gov. Bill Lee's education savings account plan will likely face legal challenges because of a provision making unlawfully present students ineligible for the state funds.