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 :
Criminal justice reform promises to be a recurring theme in the 111th General Assembly in 2019, along with medical marijuana and possibly an immigration issue affecting in-state tuition.
Tennessee lawmakers passed a number of bills in 2018 that became law on Jan. 1, affecting everything from Sunday wine sales to sanctuary city prohibitions and ultrasounds done before abortion procedures.
The Shelby County legislative delegation will have five new faces and one member moving to the Senate from the House as the 111th General Assembly convenes Jan. 8.
Legislation sponsored by Senate Minority Chairwoman Raumesh Akbari would authorize sports betting in Tennessee and set up a gaming commission to oversee the industry, with 10 percent of the revenue going to state and local governments and community colleges and technical schools.
Shelby County Deputy District Attorney Jennifer Nichols is set to oversee the Tennessee Department of Children's Services in Gov.-elect Bill Lee's administration.
State Reps. London Lamar and G.A. Hardaway joined a call Thursday for Gov. Bill Haslam to grant clemency to convicted murderer Cyntoia Brown, who killed a man in 2004 at the age of 16 after he picked her up for prostitution.
Tennessee's likely next House speaker might push a rule that would enable committee chairs to have five more bills than the 15-bill limit for unexpected situations.
House Majority Leader William Lamberth calls the Shelby County Schools board's lawsuit against the state for more funding a "waste" and says the system should work with the state instead for a solution.
Gov. Bill Haslam commutes the life prison sentence for a woman convicted of killing man when he picked her up for prostitution at age 16.
The House of Representatives elected Glen Casada as speaker on the first day of the 111th General Assembly with Democratic Rep. John DeBerry of Memphis backing the Franklin Republican instead of Memphis Rep. Karen Camper, leader of the Democratic Caucus.
The 111th General Assembly takes the oath of office Tuesday to prepare for a session in which it will attack numerous issues ranging from health care to sports betting and education vouchers.
The Tennessee Registry of Election Finance dismissed or reduced penalties against three Memphis lawmakers for failing to file election finance reports on time.
Lee exiting as Lee Company chairman and putting stock in a blind trust during term as governor.
Sen. Brian Kelsey of Germantown is losing his post as chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee but picking up a leadership job as chairman of the Investigations and Oversight Subcommittee of Finance.
House members will consider giving committee chairs five extra bills on top of the 15-bill limit while also mulling a new system combining some committees and creating extra subcommittees.
House Minority Leader Karen Camper's former assistant stole $12,500 from the House Democratic Caucus over three years, according to a forensic audit.
Republican state Rep. Mark White of Memphis will serve as House Education Committee chairman during the 111th General Assembly, and two other members of the Shelby County delegation, Reps. Jim Coley and Kevin Vaughan, will chair subcommittees.
The state Legislature could take action in 2019 to penalize pharmaceutical companies and pharmacies for failing to comply with Tennessee's new "partial-fill" law designed to cut opioid abuse.
The medical cannabis advocacy group Safe Access Tennessee is greenlighting Senate candidate Steve McManus in the District 32 race, even though Tipton County candidate Paul Rose says he also would support medical marijuana legislation.
Gov.-elect Bill Lee makes three key appointments, including Jackson County's David Salyers as commissioner of the Department of Environment and Conservation.
Gov.-elect says he won't change Haslam's policy prohibiting weapons in the state Capitol, but conceal-carry holders are likely to be allowed to continue bringing guns into the Cordell Hull building.
Governor-elect Bill Lee discusses everything from K-12 education funding to sanctuary cities and criminal justice reform in advance of Saturday's swearing-in ceremony.
A Memphis representative’s legislation would allow minors to be sentenced as juveniles, rather than adults, stemming from the Cyntoia Brown case.
Outgoing Gov. Bill Haslam said failure to land industry a major regret as he discusses the ups and downs of a busy eight years in office and weighs U.S. Senate run.