There are 133 article(s) tagged Raumesh Akbari:

• April 2023

  • Rep. Justin Pearson says move to expel is ‘persecution’

    Rep. Justin Pearson spoke at the Tuesday, April 4, ceremony at the National Civil Rights Museum marking the 55th anniversary of the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. 

    By Bill Dries April 04, 2023

• February 2023

  • Bill Lee’s State of the State highlights his priorities despite vocal opposition

    “The state of our beloved state is prosperous, hopeful, and unrivaled,” Lee said. Doctors stood outside the state House chamber protesting a bill that bans gender-affirming care for transgender youth.

    By Ian Round February 07, 2023

• January 2023

  • Hernando DeSoto Bridge is a symbol of protest amid calls for reform

    As public officials expressed outrage about Tyre Nichols’ death online, the protests marking the release of the videos returned to the symbol of local protest in the age of Black Lives Matter — the bridges across the Mississippi River.

    By Bill Dries January 30, 2023

• December 2022

  • Local lawmakers promise oversight of MLGW

    “Tennessee is in a sound financial position and can afford to provide critical funding to Memphis to repair and replace our aging water infrastructure,” said state Rep. John Gillespie.

    By Ian Round December 28, 2022

• October 2022

  • Proposed amendment would ban slavery as punishment for a crime

    The Tennessee constitution states “that slavery and involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime, whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, are forever prohibited in this state.” The third constitutional question on the Nov. 8 ballot proposes deleting the exception.

    By Ian Round October 03, 2022

• May 2022

  • A quick guide to what legislators did this session

    A rundown on the fate of every bill we’ve covered since January, organized by subject.

    By Ian Round May 10, 2022

• April 2022

  • Tennessee General Assembly finishes legislative session

    On the last day of the session, lawmakers put the finishing touches on a bill that would lead to books being banned from schools and on Gov. Bill Lee’s school funding overhaul.

    By Ian Round April 28, 2022

• March 2022

  • Tennessee Senate to vote on Germantown namesake schools

    Tennessee senators will vote on legislation affecting Germantown’s namesake schools next week. If the legislation becomes law, there is still much work on the local level.

    By Abigail Warren March 20, 2022

• February 2022

  • Variety of education initiatives, some controversial, working through General Assembly

    “This bill does not ban any book,” state Sen. Jack Johnson said about the controversial Age-Appropriate Materials Act of 2022.

    By Ian Round February 20, 2022

  • Guest column: County mayor, state senator call for rehiring of Starbucks employees

    “We write to protest a recent employment action by your company which interferes with a movement potentially beneficial to our community,” say TN officials in letter to Starbucks CEO, Kevin Johnson.

    By Guest Op-Ed February 09, 2022

• August 2021

  • Local redistricting numbers taking shape

    U.S. Census figures show some County Commission districts have grown in population while others have lost population since a decade ago. 

    By Bill Dries August 20, 2021

• May 2021

  • Legislative session ends with satisfied Republicans, disappointed Democrats

    Lawmakers wrap up legislative session viewed differently by Democrats and Republicans. 

    By Ian Round May 09, 2021

• April 2021

  • Bill affecting 3Gs heads to House floor, chased by Kelsey amendment

    The House is scheduled to hear legislation related to Germantown’s namesake schools Monday, but language affecting the 3Gs won’t be part of it.

    By Abigail Warren April 11, 2021

  • Bill directed at transferring 3Gs advances in Senate Education Committee

    A bill regarding the three Germantown namesake schools that appeared dead when it failed in the state Senate education committee Wednesday, got new life after Sen. Brian Kelsey amended the measure.

    By Abigail Warren April 09, 2021

• February 2021

  • Tennessee bill would empower teachers to remove problem students

    The Teacher’s Discipline Act would create a uniform referral process allowing teachers to petition for removal of a student who repeatedly or substantially interferes with classroom learning.

    By Marta W. Aldrich February 28, 2021

  • Lee defends conservative COVID response in his third State of the State

    Lee defends his administration’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, but Democrats including Raumesh Akbari of Memphis say the state has not invested in what is important to Tennessee families. 

    Related stories

    Full text of Gov. Bill Lee’s State of the State address

    Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee’s budget proposal for 2021-22

    By Ian Round February 08, 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

  • Has Tennessee’s response been good? Depends who you ask

    Dr. Jon McCullers, a Memphis infectious disease expert, says greater ‘central control’ was needed at both the federal and state levels for a more effective response to the coronavirus pandemic.

    By Don Wade January 25, 2021

  • Feds approve state’s Medicaid block grant waiver

    The $8.6 billion waiver must be approved by the Tennessee General Assembly and sets a cap on TennCare funding with the state keeping a share of any savings if its spending comes in below the cap. 

    By Bill Dries January 09, 2021

• October 2020

  • New COVID relief funding targets minorities, women, veterans

    Gov. Bill Lee’s Administration unveiled $50 million more Wednesday, Oct. 7, in federal COVID-19 relief funds, this time designed to help businesses owned by minorities, women and veterans.

    By Sam Stockard October 07, 2020

• September 2020

  • House Speaker calls for cutting Shelby Health Department autonomy

    House Speaker Cameron Sexton will try to reduce the authority of the Shelby County Health Department and five others operating independently, but could run into opposition from others who believe urban areas need autonomy in situations such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

    By Sam Stockard September 30, 2020

  • Akbari wants end to no-knock police warrants in wake of Breonna Taylor death

    Trying to prevent a replay of the Breonna Taylor shooting death from taking place in Tennessee, state Sen. Raumesh Akbari is planning legislation prohibiting police from using no-knock warrants.

    By Sam Stockard September 24, 2020

• August 2020

  • Bill making camp-out protests a felony comes under fire

    A new law stripping people’s voting rights for camping on restricted state property is drawing heat from voting rights advocates and state lawmakers who say it is unjustified.

    By Sam Stockard August 25, 2020

  • Lee, Akbari defend ‘child wellbeing’ proposal despite reversal

    Republican Gov. Bill Lee and Democratic state Sen. Raumesh Akbari are defending a defunct proposal by the Tennessee Department of Education for “child wellbeing checks” at homes statewide while some lawmakers call the program “overreach.”

    By Sam Stockard August 21, 2020

  • Akbari to give keynote speech at Democratic National Convention

    State Sen. Raumesh Akbari will give a keynote speech Tuesday, Aug. 18, with 16 other “rising stars” at the Democratic National Convention.

    By Sam Stockard August 17, 2020