Legislature adopts community oversight subpoena bill
Senate and House pass subpoena guidelines for community oversight boards mirroring Memphis’ rules requiring its Civilian Law Enforcement Review Board to go through the city council.
Sam Stockard
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 :
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April 2019
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State Government -
State Government Governor pours $10 million into Tom Lee Park improvements
Gov. Bill Lee is putting $10 million of his $66.8 million supplemental budget into a Memphis riverfront development grant, though the scope of the funding is unclear. Mayor Jim Strickland said the money is specifically for Tom Lee Park.
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State Government Amendment shifts voucher funds from urban Shelby to rural districts with troubled schools
House Republicans amended Gov. Bill Lee’s education savings account bill to move money into rural districts with Priority schools before it was approved Wednesday night by the Finance Committee, shifting a portion of it from urban districts such as Shelby County Schools that might lose students to private schools.
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State Government White guides charter commission bill to passage in House
State Rep. Mark White pushed Gov. Bill Lee’s state charter commission through the House Wednesday, saying it will create a better system for overseeing charter schools in Tennessee.
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State Government Senate Finance committee approves state charter schools commission
The Senate Finance, Ways & Means Committee approved legislation Tuesday setting up a charter school commission with authority to overrule local school boards, even though it could cost nearly $1 million next year and continue to tap the state budget.
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State Government Attorney general refuses to answer Hardaway’s voucher question
Worried about the “threat of litigation,” Attorney General Herbert Slatery’s office is declining to issue a legal opinion to state Rep. G.A. Hardaway about the constitutionality of Gov. Bill Lee’s education savings account bill.
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State Government House passes voter registration penalties in face of protest
Despite protests, the House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly Monday for legislation penalizing voter registration drives that produce large numbers of “incomplete” forms.
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State Government Conference committee adopts Memphis community oversight subpoena method
A legislative conference committee adopted an amended community oversight board bill Monday mirroring Memphis’ guidelines, despite opposition from state Sen. Raumesh Akbari.
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State Government Camper makes public apology for pulling House Speaker’s mic
Less than a week after yanking House Speaker Glen Casada’s microphone, House Minority Leader Karen Camper issued a public apology and drew a standing ovation.
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State Government ‘Trigger’ bill outlawing abortion revives in Tennessee Legislature
With the state Legislature on the brink of producing no meaningful abortion legislation this year, House leaders are bringing back a bill to outlaw abortion in Tennessee if the landmark case of Roe v. Wade is reversed.
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State Government Senate panel silences Kelsey’s Green Alert bill
Warned about the potential for “stigmatizing” veterans, the Senate Judiciary Committee postponed state Sen. Brian Kelsey’s Green Alert bill until 2020, saying the language needs work.
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State Government Legislature ready to penalize ‘deficient’ voter registration forms
A Senate committee passed legislation Tuesday penalizing voter registration drives that turn in large numbers of “deficient” forms, a bill stemming from the 2018 Black Voter Project in Shelby County.
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State Government House approves Medicaid block grant bill despite Memphis opposition
The House overwhelmingly approved legislation Thursday urging the governor to negotiate a Medicaid block grant with no strings attached, in spite of adamant arguments against it by Memphis Democrats.
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State Government Speaker gavels Camper down for grabbing mic
House Minority Leader Karen Camper grabbed the wrong mic Thursday and at the wrong time, leading to a bit of a dressing down about House decorum.
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State Government Hardaway seeks AG opinion on legality of voucher bill
State Rep. G.A. Hardaway of Memphis sent an official letter to Attorney General Herbert Slatery this week seeking a legal opinion on the legality of a parental ID provision in Gov. Bill Lee’s education savings account bill.
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State Government Medical cannabis bill hangs out to dry
Medical cannabis legislation designed to give the state’s sickest residents a chance to use THC rather than addictive opiates is withering on the vine, at least for 2019 in the General Assembly.
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State Government Senate Education panel gives nod to education savings accounts
The Senate Education Committee approved Gov. Bill Lee’s education savings account initiative Wednesday, paving the way for public dollars to follow students to private schools.
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State Government Online sports betting passes House committee
Legislation enabling wagering companies to start taking bets in Tennessee for mobile online gambling passed the House State Committee Tuesday.
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State Government Bill allowing unlicensed ‘natural hair styling’ passes
Legislation allowing unlicensed “natural hair styling” passed the House of Representatives with ease Monday night despite opposition from three Memphis lawmakers.
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State Government Senate voucher bill doubles number of students but still contains parental ID provision
The Senate version of Gov. Bill Lee’s education savings account plan would raise the number of students to 30,000, doubling the House amount. It also adds homeschooling while keeping language requiring parental identification that could bar immigrant students.
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State Government House panel gives ‘negative’ vote to Lamar pregnant Lottery scholars bill
A House rule-making body gave a “negative recommendation” Monday to legislation giving pregnant high school seniors an extra year to have children and hold on to Lottery scholarship funds.
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State Government Robinson backing medical cannabis bill as it morphs for Senate Health debate
Senate Health and Welfare Committee to consider medical cannabis legislation this week after conflicting testimony between supporters and TBI director.
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State Government Lieutenant governor predicts tough road for bills flagged as anti-LGBT
Legislation deemed discriminatory by LGBT advocacy groups appears headed for a high hurdle in the state Senate, even after passage in the House.
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State Government Democrats appear to be putting DeBerry on hot seat
For the second week in a row, a Democratic legislative group apparently discussed state Rep. John DeBerry’s voting record in line with supermajority Republicans.
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State Government Senate Education chairwoman concerned about constitutionality of House ESA bill
State Sen. Dolores Gresham, chairman of the Senate Education Committee, said Thursday she is worried about the constitutionality of amended House legislation that could affect whether immigrant students qualify for education savings accounts.
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