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.
Topic: Raumesh Akbari
RSSThere are 114 article(s) tagged Raumesh Akbari:
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October 2020
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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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May 2020
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House, Senate conflict builds as session arrives
With the Legislature set to reconvene June 1, the House and Senate are at odds over the scope of legislation to be considered in what is expected to be a short get-together to deal mainly with the budget and COVID-related bills.
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DeVos directive on CARES Act funding splits Shelby lawmakers
Tennessee House Education Committee Chairman Mark White agrees with federal guidelines diverting a great share of CARES Act funds to private schools, but Memphis Democrats say the decision creates a wider gap in education resources.
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Appeals Court decision puts voucher program in jeopardy for 2020-21
Tennessee’s Education Savings Account program faces a tough road for the coming school year after the state Court of Appeals upheld a decision enjoining the state from executing it until the legal case is decided. Arguments aren't scheduled until Aug. 5, about the time school is expected to start.
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Leery Shelby lawmakers set for June session, but public’s return unclear
Shelby County lawmakers who missed the final days of hectic mid-March work when the COVID-19 pandemic started are planning to return June 1 when the public will be allowed in the Capitol and Cordell Hull Building as well.
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Federal funds targeted to keep unemployment fund from draining
State leaders say they plan to use federal CARES Act money to keep from "extinguishing" the state’s $1.2 billion unemployment insurance trust fund.
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Tennessean for vice president? No, but how about the Supreme Court
With no current Tennessee Democrat available to fulfill Biden’s pledge to choose a woman VP, how about his other promise: to “appoint the first black woman to the Supreme Court”?
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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.
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April 2020
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State leaders figuring out how to spend $3.6B in federal stimulus funds
Tennessee leaders are trying to figure out how to spend $3.6 billion in federal COVID-19 funds, about half of which has arrived in the state as officials remain worried about tax revenue shortfalls and their impact on state and local budgets.
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