There are 130 article(s) tagged Brian Kelsey:

• February 2021

  • Senate committee advances ‘right to work’ constitutional amendment

    A Tennessee Senate committee on Tuesday, Feb. 23, advanced a right-to-work constitutional amendment, one step in a long process to place the amendment on the November 2022 ballot for final approval by voters.

    By Ian Round February 23, 2021

  • Tennessee Senate passes bill allowing governor to force schools open

    School superintendents and local public health officials may lose some of their power under a bill that passed by a party-line vote in the Tennessee Senate Monday, Feb. 22.

    By Ian Round February 22, 2021

  • ‘It’s time!’ says Kelsey as bill advances to get SCS students back in class

    After a tense exchange between two Memphis-area lawmakers, the Senate Education Committee voted 8-1 for a measure that would ensure Gov. Bill Lee could legally force Shelby County Schools to offer in-person learning.

    By Marta W. Aldrich February 11, 2021

  • Right-to-work amendment advances in state Senate

    The measure could move to a vote before the full Senate if it passes through the Senate Commerce and Labor Committee, which is scheduled to meet on Feb. 16.

    By Blake Fontenay February 10, 2021

  • Opinion: Our kids are under house arrest

    Dan Conaway: “Our kids, Memphis kids, our tomorrow, have to get back in classrooms. Today. Period. Every day they don’t is another day falling further behind.”

    By Dan Conaway February 05, 2021

• January 2021

  • Akbari, Kelsey have different view of ‘following science’ on in-person school

    On “Behind The Headlines,” the Republican and Democratic legislators from the Shelby County delegation to Nashville also agreed on mandatory summer school or tutoring to help students who have slipped academically during the pandemic.

    By Bill Dries January 28, 2021

  • Tennessee legislators begin advancing bills in education special session

    Tennessee legislators began a special session on education Wednesday, Jan. 20, by advancing three bills to Senate committee and five others to subcommittees, including two bills that would raise teacher pay.

    By Ian Round January 20, 2021

  • Kelsey appointed to chair state Senate’s education committee

    Kelsey, who represents Germantown, Cordova and East Memphis. will serve as chairman of the senate education committee.

    By Abigail Warren January 13, 2021

  • Bill clarifies authority over schools’ emergency operations

    State representatives from Shelby County want to clarify that authority for school operations lies with local district’s elected leaders. 

    By Abigail Warren January 11, 2021

  • Kelsey bill would eliminate residency requirements statewide for police and fire

    The bill follows a City Council decision late last year to remove a referendum question that would have allowed Memphis police and firefighters to live outside Shelby County.

    By Bill Dries January 06, 2021

• December 2020

  • Shelby lawmakers outline priorities for 2021 legislative session

    Memphis-area legislators say Medicaid expansion, school funding and criminal justice reform will be among the biggest issues that face when the General Assembly convenes Jan. 12. 

    By Ian Round December 28, 2020

• August 2020

  • Nashville attorney: ‘ESA students check out, but they never leave’

    Robert Cooper used a line from the Eagles song “Hotel California” to argue that Metro Nashville and Shelby County will be hurt financially by the state’s Education Savings Account program.

    By Sam Stockard August 05, 2020

• July 2020

  • Kelsey backs state opposition to expanding absentee balloting in pandemic

    State Sen. Brian Kelsey’s law firm is inserting himself into the state's legal affairs again, getting involved in an absentee ballot battle with a legal brief arguing the Legislature, not the court, should determine the state’s voting laws.

    By Sam Stockard July 20, 2020

• May 2020

  • Chancellor leaves opening to challenge ruling striking down voucher law

    The Davidson County chancellor who ruled the state’s voucher law is unconstitutional is allowing the state to expedite a challenge before the Court of Appeals. And the Governor's Office and state Sen. Brian Kelsey are ready to go to the state Supreme Court if necessary.

    By Sam Stockard May 05, 2020

• March 2020

  • Booze closer to pouring during daily hours at Memphis Zoo

    Memphis Zoo goers are closer to sipping a cold beer while hanging out with the animals after the state Senate passed legislation Monday allowing booze to be sold during regular business hours.

    By Sam Stockard March 02, 2020

• February 2020

  • DeBerry bill to expedite vote counts fails

    A House subcommittee declined Wednesday to vote on legislation by Rep. John DeBerry, which is designed to speed up vote counts, as lawmakers raised concerns about releasing early and absentee vote totals while voters stand in line

    By Sam Stockard February 19, 2020

  • Right to Work resolution flies through Senate with Republican supermajority

    Legislation setting the course for putting Tennessee’s Right to Work Law into the state Constitution passed the Senate on a 24-5 vote, with only Republicans backing it in a supermajority advantage.

    By Sam Stockard February 14, 2020

  • Strickland asks lawmakers for help with budget shortfall

    Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland is pushing passage of two bills designed to fill a growing hole in the city’s budget with $12 million in sales tax revenue.

    By Sam Stockard February 11, 2020

  • State senator to represent low-income families potentially shut out from vouchers

    State Sen. Brian Kelsey will handle legal work for a law firm prepared to file suit on behalf of families against the Shelby County and Metro Nashville school systems over the voucher lawsuit.

    By Sam Stockard February 07, 2020

  • Conaway: The mean in Tennessee is mean

    It’s just flat mean of the Tennessee Legislature to continue to deny even basic health insurance to some 300,000 working Tennesseans just to make a political point.

    By Dan Conaway February 07, 2020

  • Kelsey amendment aims blow at Dr. King’s work in Memphis

    When laws unfairly give companies the upper hand in negotiations with labor unions, all workers suffer the consequences.

    By Raumesh Akbari, Sara Kyle, Katrina Robinson February 05, 2020

• January 2020

  • Commerce committee passes Kelsey’s Right to Work amendment

    With an 8-1 vote, the Senate Commerce and Labor Committee passed a resolution Tuesday, Jan. 28, by state Sen. Brian Kelsey to put Tennessee’s Right to Work Law into the state Constitution.

    By Sam Stockard January 28, 2020

  • Kelsey declares potential conflict of interest in Right to Work amendment

    The Senate Judiciary Committee passed legislation Tuesday to put Tennessee's Right to Work law in the state Constitution as state Sen. Brian Kelsey declared a potential conflict of interest because of his legal work against unions in other states.

    By Sam Stockard January 22, 2020

  • Kelsey, Parkinson push student-athlete pay to avert another Wiseman debacle

    State Sen. Brian Kelsey and state Rep. Antonio Parkinson began campaigning Tuesday for legislation to compensate college athletes and to prevent the derailing of superstars such as former University of Memphis basketball player James Wiseman.

    By Sam Stockard January 21, 2020

  • Kelsey sponsors Right to Work resolution while fighting unions in courtrooms nationally

    State Sen. Brian Kelsey is sponsoring a Right to Work constitutional amendment while battling unions in his outside job, raising questions about whether he has a conflict of interest.

    By Sam Stockard January 21, 2020