Lamar bill allowing pregnant students to keep Hope scholarship passes committee
Students who get pregnant would get time to give birth and start raising child before using state scholarship funds for college.
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 Charter commission bill rolling through Legislature
Senate and House panels approve charter commission legislation with opposition from lawmakers who say charters aren't improving student performance.
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State Government Voter registration groups criticize proposed penalties
Tennessee Black Voter Project and other groups could face fines for turning in hundreds of incomplete voter registration forms.
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State Government Medical marijuana bills merge for Senate Health consideration
Lawmakers hoping to pass medical marijuana legislation are teaming up to bring an amendment before the Senate Health and Welfare Committee Wednesday.
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State Government U.S. Education Secretary backs governor on charters, vouchers
With key votes looming this week on Gov. Bill Lee’s charter and voucher bills, U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos visited Nashville to “cheer” his proposals.
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State Government Governor says education savings accounts for state’s ‘legal residents’
Gov. Bill Lee defended the legality of his education savings account bill Tuesday but acknowledged for the first time it is set up to provide funds to “legal residents,” a matter being challenged by opponents of the legislation.
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State Government Hardaway to request attorney general opinion on voucher bill immigration provision
State Rep. G.A. Hardaway said Monday he will request a state attorney general’s opinion on the constitutionality of voucher legislation requiring parents to show identification proving U.S. citizenship.
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State Government Pro-school-choice group recruiting immigrant students to Arizona voucher program
Tennessee Federation for Children's Arizona counterpart urged Spanish-speaking parents to take advantage of education savings accounts without worrying about immigration status.
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March 2019
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State Government Lawmakers question voucher legislation’s constitutionality
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.
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State Government House Education Committee passes savings account plan
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.
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State Government Embattled House member loses Education subcommittee chairmanship
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."
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State Government Black Caucus could be at odds with DeBerry over voucher vote
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.
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State Government Abortion ban ‘trigger’ bill fails in House panel
Bill would prohibit abortions if Roe v. Wade is overturned or U.S. Constitution is amended.
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State Government Kelsey calls for TVA to expedite Allen Fossil Plant coal ash removal
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.
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State Government Past terrorism concerns less prevalent among legislators in voucher legislation debate
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.
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State Government Governor sells ‘school-choice’ initiatives to West Tennessee Economic Development Caucus
As a key vote approaches this week, Gov. Bill Lee pushed his “school-choice” proposals Monday in a West Tennessee Economic Development Caucus gathering.
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State Government House panel passes charter commission bill with ‘sunset’ provision
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.
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State Government Senate slows fetal heartbeat bill amid worry about costly lawsuit
House and Senate Republican leaders are on different wavelengths when it comes to passage of a fetal heartbeat bill restricting abortions.
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State Government Senate Education panel passes charter bill, but Dems find some disagreement
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.
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State Government Legislature passes act removing appellate review in death-penalty cases
The state Senate passed legislation Thursday removing an appellate court review from death penalty cases, despite efforts by Shelby County Democrats who opposed it.
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State Government Shelby delegation split as charter authorizer bill advances
Shelby County legislators split support Wednesday in a vote sending legislation creating a charter schools commission to the House floor.
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Metro Memphis lawmakers, deputy chief help kill red-light camera bill
Transportation Committee defeats legislation requiring red-light camera citations to go through courts rather than citations being sent directly to suspected violators.
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State Government Governor’s education savings account bill advances
Gov. Bill Lee’s signature piece of legislation allowing students to use public dollars to enroll in private schools cleared its first hurdle Tuesday.
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State Government Senate passes community oversight legislation with limited subpoena power
Memphis Democratic senators oppose bill even though it would allow oversight boards to have a private investigator seek subpoenas from a judge.
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State Government Shelby Republicans say governor’s voucher plan faces questions
Education savings accounts would cost $75 million in first year with projected costs escalating to $125 million after three years.
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