There are 47 article(s) tagged Antonio Parkinson:

• August 2019

  • Sexton willing to discuss removal of Forrest bust from Capitol

    House Speaker nominee Cameron Sexton is opening the door for talks on removal of the Nathan Bedford Forrest bust from the State Capitol.

    By Sam Stockard August 07, 2019

  • Speaker nominee Sexton sees no 'institutional racism' in Legislature

    House Speaker nominee Cameron Sexton found common ground with the Tennessee Black Caucus on items such as criminal justice reform and the state’s new voucher law during a recent Memphis town hall, but he’s on a different wave length on the existence of “institutional racism” in the Legislature.

    By Sam Stockard August 06, 2019

  • Raleigh Springs Town Center on track to open early next year

    After several delays, construction has resumed at Raleigh Springs Town Center and the site is expected to be open by early 2020.

    By Omer Yusuf August 05, 2019

• July 2019

  • Raleigh to get new farmers market and park

    The site for a new Raleigh farmers market and community park is near the Raleigh Town Center development site. 

    By Omer Yusuf July 29, 2019

  • Legislature could consider rolling back voucher law with Sexton at helm

    Voucher legislation – the most contentious issue of the 2019 session – could make its way back to the House next year with a key opponent, state Rep. Cameron Sexton, set to take the reins as Speaker.

    By Sam Stockard July 29, 2019

  • Summer heat tests door-to-door campaign strategies

    Mayoral contenders Tami Sawyer and Jim Strickland are mixing old-fashioned door-to-door campaigning with canvassing apps that show the voting histories of households.

    By Bill Dries July 23, 2019

  • Parkinson calls for elimination of ASD after bad report

    While some officials contend a new strategy is needed for the state’s Achievement School District following a poor report, state Rep. Antonio Parkinson says it’s time to ditch the program.

    By Sam Stockard July 18, 2019

  • Memphis legislators want to dump Forrest Day, and governor may comply

    On the heels of Tennessee’s annual Nathan Bedford Forrest Day, authorized with a proclamation signed by Gov. Bill Lee, Memphis legislators say they’re ready to end the yearly observance. And Lee indicates he may go along. 

    By Sam Stockard July 15, 2019

  • Legislators leery of governor’s move to expedite vouchers

    State lawmakers are concerned rushing the Education Savings Account program could cause problems in delivery of state funds to student to enroll in private schools.

    By Sam Stockard July 15, 2019

  • Banning campaign donations to legislators’ businesses would hurt at least one Memphis lawmaker

    An East Tennessee legislator bothered by reports lawmakers are directing campaign funds to their personal businesses is prepared to sponsor a bill to stop the practice, a move that would affect at least one Memphis lawmaker.

    By Sam Stockard July 10, 2019

• June 2019

  • Supreme Court lets states continue gerrymandering unchecked

    The impact of a U.S. Supreme Court decision in which it declined to set limits on partisan gerrymandering could be felt in Tennessee when it starts redistricting in two years, drawing support from Republicans and opposition from Democrats.

    By Sam Stockard June 28, 2019

  • Shelby lawmakers say Achievement School District needs state hearing, restructuring

    Memphis lawmakers are calling for hearings on the Achievement School District and restructuring the way it manages charter schools in the wake of the director’s resignation.

    By Sam Stockard June 19, 2019

• May 2019

  • Memphis House Democrats say Casada is only part of bigger problem

    Democratic state Reps. Antonio Parkinson and London Lamar say the Legislature has a problem with racism that goes beyond text messages in which House Speaker Glen Casada was included. 

    By Bill Dries May 18, 2019

  • Black Caucus calls for Casada to resign amid email, texting scandal

    The Tennessee Black Caucus isn’t ready to accept a “painful” apology from House Speaker Glen Casada for his involvement in racist and sexist text messages.

    By Sam Stockard May 14, 2019

  • Senate passes Kelsey resolution to pay college players for performance

    NASHVILLE – State Sen. Brian Kelsey’s push to pay college athletes for performance got a boost in the General Assembly this week.

    By Sam Stockard May 02, 2019

• April 2019

  • Legislature reaches agreement for $38.6 billion budget

    The state Senate approved a $38.6 billion budget for fiscal 2019-20 with a variety of tax cuts while adding $220 million to bolster the rainy day fund and give teachers pay increases totaling $71 million.

    By Sam Stockard April 30, 2019

  • Governor’s voucher-type bill likely bound for legislative talks

    With major sticking points between the House and Senate on Gov. Bill Lee’s education savings account bill, the legislation is likely headed for a conference committee, lawmakers say, where even a compromise plan’s result is unpredictable.

    By Sam Stockard April 28, 2019

  • 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.

    By Sam Stockard April 11, 2019

  • 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.

    By Sam Stockard April 09, 2019

  • 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.

    By Sam Stockard April 03, 2019

• March 2019

  • Memphis Democrats outline opposition to voucher bill

    Three Democratic state legislators from Memphis say on "Behind The Headlines" that the dollar figures in Gov. Bill Lee’s school voucher proposal aren’t enough to protect the per pupil funding to the public schools from which those children would exit.

    By Bill Dries March 30, 2019

  • 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.

    By Sam Stockard March 30, 2019

  • 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.

    By Sam Stockard March 29, 2019

  • 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.

    By Sam Stockard March 23, 2019

  • 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.

    By Sam Stockard March 20, 2019