There are 33 article(s) tagged Joe Towns:

• February 2020

  • Facing $65K in penalties, Towns searching for ‘miracle’

    State Rep. Joe Towns is negotiating with the Attorney General’s Office.

    By Sam Stockard February 11, 2020

  • Senator: Governor puts ‘pause’ on Memphis megasite

    The governor reportedly wants to wait until the state finds a tenant for the Regional Megasite before continuing to invest additional funding. 

    By Sam Stockard February 05, 2020

• January 2020

  • Amtrak hoping to add to Memphis service, create Nashville line

    Amtrak is hoping to add a Memphis line from Illinois and possibly create a Memphis-to-Nashville line and another from Nashville to Atlanta as it tries to tap into growth in the Southeast.

    By Sam Stockard January 18, 2020

• December 2019

  • Opponents seek to erase education voucher law

    Reps. Bo Mitchell of Nashville and Joe Towns of Memphis have drafted separate proposals that would rescind Tennessee’s education savings account law.

    By Marta W. Aldrich December 19, 2019

• November 2019

  • Towns ordered to explain failure to file campaign reports

    The Tennessee Registry of Election Finance is ordering state Rep. Joe Towns to come before the panel to explain why he is failing to file campaign finance reports, violations that have led to $65,000 in civil penalties against him.

    By Sam Stockard November 13, 2019

• August 2019

  • Registry of Election Finance hits Towns with another $10,000 penalty

    The Tennessee Registry of Election Finance levied another $10,000 civil penalty against state Rep. Joe Towns Wednesday, raising his total to $55,000. But he is refusing to pay out of protest and could be planning legal action.

    By Sam Stockard August 19, 2019

  • Towns working on legislation to repeal voucher law

    Rep. Joe Towns is preparing to sponsor legislation to rescind the state’s new education savings account law and said he notified House Speaker nominee Cameron Sexton about his plans.

    By Sam Stockard August 17, 2019

• July 2019

  • Towns hopes to take anti-slavery amendment to national level

    State Rep. Joe Towns passed a resolution this year calling for a constitutional amendment to remove slavery and involuntary servitude from the Tennessee Constitution. He contends the U.S. Constitution needs amending, just as the state document does.

    By Sam Stockard July 23, 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

• June 2019

  • Registry of Election Finance gives Hardaway clean slate

    The Tennessee Registry of Election Finance cleared state Rep. G.A. Hardaway Wednesday for filing a late report on his campaign finances for the pre-general period of 2018.

    By Sam Stockard June 12, 2019

• May 2019

  • Towns calls on governor to rescind signing of ‘tainted’ voucher bill

    Rep. Joe Towns believes the governor should rescind the signing of his voucher bill into law and have it heard again by the Legislature.

    By Sam Stockard May 30, 2019

  • Towns, Democrats ask governor not to sign voucher bill – but it could be too late

    Tennessee Democrats, led by state Rep. Joe Towns of Memphis, sent a letter to Gov. Bill Lee Friday asking him not to sign his voucher bill until the FBI finishes investigating potential improper favors for votes. But Lee said he signed the measure Friday morning.

    By Sam Stockard May 24, 2019

• April 2019

  • Amendment shifts voucher funds from urban Shelby to rural districts with troubled schools

    House Republicans amended Gov. Bill Lee’s education savings account bill to move money into rural districts with Priority schools before it was approved Wednesday night by the Finance Committee, shifting a portion of it from urban districts such as Shelby County Schools that might lose students to private schools.

    By Sam Stockard April 18, 2019

  • White guides charter commission bill to passage in House

    State Rep. Mark White pushed Gov. Bill Lee’s state charter commission through the House Wednesday, saying it will create a better system for overseeing charter schools in Tennessee.

    By Sam Stockard April 17, 2019

• March 2019

  • Planned Parenthood takes back endorsement of Towns over abortion vote

    In a largely symbolic gesture, Planned Parenthood of Tennessee and North Mississippi is taking back its endorsement of Democratic state Representative Joe Towns of Memphis in last year's primary and general elections because of Towns' recent vote in favor of the “fetal heartbeat” bill.

    By Bill Dries March 20, 2019

  • 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.

    By Sam Stockard March 18, 2019

  • Towns trying to remove slavery from state Constitution

    Saying he wants to blot out “one of the worst parts of our history,” state Rep. Joe Towns is renewing legislation to eliminate slavery and involuntary servitude from the Tennessee Constitution.

    By Sam Stockard March 15, 2019

  • House nixes subpoena power for police oversight boards

    Despite the objections of Davidson County lawmakers, the House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed legislation Thursday removing subpoena power from police oversight boards in Tennessee.

    By Sam Stockard March 14, 2019

  • Registry of Election Finance zaps Towns for another $10K

    State Rep. Joe Towns’ civil penalties reached a total of $45,000 Wednesday after the Tennessee Registry of Election Finance fined him another $10,000 for failing to file campaign reports.

    By Sam Stockard March 13, 2019

  • Towns sounds off on Memphis monuments lawsuit

    State representatives say monuments caused consternation among black community for years in Memphis.

    By Sam Stockard March 04, 2019

• February 2019

  • Registry of Election Finance wants explanation from Towns, Hardaway

    State Rep. Joe Towns of Memphis failed to file a third-quarter report in 2018, while the pre-general report last year of state Rep. G.A. Hardaway’s, also of Memphis, lacked sufficient information, official says.

    By Sam Stockard February 13, 2019

  • Towns trying to revive state horse racing commission

    Hoping to keep gambling dollars from slipping out of Shelby County, state Rep. Joe Towns is sponsoring legislation to revive the Tennessee Horse Racing Commission and bring races to Memphis.

    By Sam Stockard February 11, 2019

  • Legislation would cut campaign finance penalties, let lawmakers pay with campaign accounts

    State Rep. Joe Towns' bills could affect thousands of dollars in penalties levied against the Memphis Democrat by the Registry of Election Finance.

    By Sam Stockard February 08, 2019

• January 2019

  • Fetal heartbeat bill draws support of governor, key Republican leaders

    Some groups believe fetal heartbeat bill would run into constitutional problems, with state attorney general calling it "suspect."

    By Sam Stockard January 30, 2019

  • Lee to maintain gun prohibition in state Capitol

    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.

    By Sam Stockard January 16, 2019