Tennessee passes $58B budget
Tennessee’s fiscal year 2027 includes $50 million for public safety in Memphis, $350 million for the University of Tennessee Health Science Center and $3.5 million for the new Downtown art museum.
Topic: Tennessee General Assembly
RSSThere are 270 article(s) tagged Tennessee General Assembly:
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April 2026
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TN lawmakers vote to stifle education lawsuits as MSCS takeover legislation advances
“We don’t want anyone using those public dollars that we send down to educate the children to enter into litigation because they might not agree with the high accountability standards that we’re putting in place,” bill sponsor state Rep. Mark White, R-Memphis, said.
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TN Senate inches closer to details of an MSCS takeover, which could get $1M in startup money
A small group of state lawmakers is expected to meet Monday, in the waning days of the legislative session, to determine the details of a proposal to take over the Memphis school system.
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Cloud control: Where do Shelby County suburbs stand on vaping regulations?
One Shelby County suburb is putting restrictions on vaping at 21-and-up venues. How are other suburbs handling vaping and smoke shops?
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Suburbs could get voting representation on MLGW board
About 30% of the MLGW’s customers live outside the city limits, and new legislation in Nashville could give them a say on the board.
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MSCS advances improvement plan, acknowledges ‘critical blind spots’ uncovered by state’s audit
MSCS head Roderick Richmond is advancing plans to improve internal controls and district processes in response to forensic audit findings released last week. Now, the district has launched two websites to track progress.
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MSCS audit yields findings ‘consistent with waste and abuse’
An interim forensic audit report of Memphis-Shelby County Schools yielded 175 deficiencies.
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March 2026
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MSCS reconsiders superintendent contract on eve of forensic audit results
The revote sets the stage for the elected Memphis-Shelby County Schools board to consider finalizing a superintendent contract shortly before Tennessee lawmakers make significant headway on legislation that would strip the board of those hiring and firing powers.
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How a tweak to Tennessee law signals Grizz lease momentum
A Shelby County Board of Commissioners vote signaled the subtle progress local governments are making toward a long-term lease with the Memphis Grizzlies.
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Ahead of Memphis schools takeover, Republicans move to block district’s legal pushback
Two Memphis Republicans are backing legislation to block Tennessee school districts from funding lawsuits that oppose accountability measures like state interventions.
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New bill would oust Memphis airport board
Local control of Tennessee’s airports would be grounded if a bill that would give airport-board appointment power to a handful of state lawmakers glides through both chambers.
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Memphis Safe Task Force Accountability Act heading to state Senate floor
“It does not alter the work that the district attorney is doing, does not restrict their discretion,” state Sen. Brent Taylor said.
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Republican bill clears way for private firearms in government buildings
This follows a trend in this session of legislation that relaxes gun rules in public spaces.
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MSCS board makes Richmond ‘interim’ again, punts on takeover alternative plan
Memphis-Shelby County Schools board members voted 7-2 during a special-called meeting on Wednesday, March 18, to keep Roderick Richmond on his interim superintendent contract.
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Before driving in Tennessee, Republicans want people to pass the written exam in English
In addition to progress being made on the Republicans’ immigration package this week, voucher expansion moved forward, Memphis Democrats were united while Nashville Democrats split and more at the state Capitol.
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Memphis lawmakers pass effort to restore voting rights for some Tennesseans
The Tennessee General Assembly passed a bill this week reforming two long-standing financial barriers that have blocked formerly incarcerated people from having their voting rights restored.
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Four Tenn. Legislature incumbents win reelection at filing deadline
Here’s what the 16 races for seats in the Tennessee legislature representing Shelby County looked like at the Tuesday deadline to get on the Aug. 6 ballot. Check out the full list for all of the races via a link in the story.
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Competing bills battle to restrict community bail funds
While sponsors argue the bills enhance public safety, community leaders say limiting how often community funds can bail people out would be detrimental.
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As forensic audit results loom, MSCS to update certain processes
Announced changes to business and records-keeping processes at Memphis-Shelby County Schools offer clues about what recommendations forensic auditors may soon publicize.
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MSCS pitches ‘accountability plan’ alternative to state takeover
Billed as “a proactive alternative to state-imposed governance,” the new intervention would create a Memphis-Shelby County Schools board committee of local elected officials and community members.
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Opinion: Displaying the Ten Commandments in schools is a monumental error
“Someone will be forced to decide which biblical version to display and how to number the commandments. Any such choice would privilege one religious tradition over others.”
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Teachers may soon have to pass a civics exam to earn their license
A bill that would require new teachers in Tennessee to pass a civics test to earn their teaching license is zipping through the legislature.
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February 2026
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MSCS could challenge state takeover in court
Republican sponsors of the bill have said they’ll push the Tennessee General Assembly to pass legislation that would kneecap the elected board by giving a new board of state appointees powers over MSCS.
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Health insurance crackdown: New laws could help patients and hospitals stand up to unfair policies.
Insurance companies deny claims, use AI, refuse to pay hospitals and limit cancer care, some TN lawmakers say. Now, they’re rising up against the industry.
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New plan means results of high-stakes MSCS probe will be ready in March
State lawmakers voted to fund the audit last spring. No initial findings of wrongdoing prompted it; rather, lawmakers bolstered a smaller effort from the Shelby County Board of Commissioners who were frustrated by the school board’s ouster of former Superintendent Marie Feagins.
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