Legislative session ends with satisfied Republicans, disappointed Democrats
Lawmakers wrap up legislative session viewed differently by Democrats and Republicans.
Topic: Raumesh Akbari
RSSThere are 122 article(s) tagged Raumesh Akbari:
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May 2021
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April 2021
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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.
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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.
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February 2021
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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.
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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.
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January 2021
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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.
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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.
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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.
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October 2020
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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.
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September 2020
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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.
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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.
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August 2020
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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.
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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.”
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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.
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Analysis: Special session displays growing rift among legislators
While some Republicans shied away from the notion they were targeting protesters with legislation toughening penalties for rowdiness, Democrats said the GOP-controlled Legislature put a "knee on their neck" during the 111th General Assembly second extraordinary special session.
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Akbari: Anti-protest bill ‘ludicrous’ for making illegal camping a felony
Legislation making camping on restricted state property a felony is “ludicrous,” state Sen. Raumesh Akbari said as the Legislature wrapped up a special session designed, in part, to stop “lawless” activity and send protesters packing.
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July 2020
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Governor signs abortion ban into law, court immediately blocks
Just moments after Gov. Bill Lee signed an abortion ban into law Monday, July 13, a federal judge blocked the measure from taking effect and set up a court battle with the ACLU-Tennessee.
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Schools to receive $81M in CARES Act grants
The state is doling out $81 million in grants to K-12 schools, colleges and universities to prepare for a safe reopening this August in the COVID-19 climate.
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Voter registration deadline for August election likely to pass quietly
The deadline is the end of the business day Tuesday for those not already registered. But 83% of the county's voting age population is already on the voting rolls. Meanwhile, about 7,500 Shelby Countians already registered to vote have requested absentee ballots — far above the usual number of requests for the mail-in ballots.
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June 2020
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Sanford: Mask or no mask? Politics – and gender – inform the decision
A study released this month found that men are less likely to wear masks in public than women. 'Men more than women agree that wearing a face covering is shameful, not cool, a sign of weakness, and a stigma,' one of the study’s authors said.
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Senate passes COVID liability protection for businesses, schools
The Republican-controlled state Senate, attempting to stop a potential wave of COVID-19 lawsuits, passed legislation this week giving businesses and schools greater protection from liability.
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House questions reserve fund status as budget talks begin
As the House digs into a proposed $39.4 billion budget for fiscal 2021, lawmakers are coming to grips with the idea of building up reserves while cutting programs such as education in the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Senate passes nearly $40B budget using reserves to cover shortfall
The state Senate approved a $40 billion budget for fiscal 2021, using a chunk of reserve funds to cover about $1 billion in tax shortfalls caused by the COVID-19 crisis, but refused to restore money for education and postpartum health care.
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Senate allows Forrest Day observance to continue but lets governor wash his hands
Tennessee will observe Nathan Bedford Forrest Day on July 13, but the governor won’t have to sign a proclamation recognizing the observance under legislation passed by the Senate Wednesday.
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State to inject $200M into small businesses forced to close in pandemic
The Department of Revenue will look at the sales taxes reported by businesses statewide and prepare to make payments ranging from $2,500 for the smallest to $30,000 for the largest ones, as the state distributes federal CARES Act funds.
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