The sentencing has been canceled after the Germantown Republican last week asked to withdraw his two guilty pleas on campaign fraud charges.

The officers being decertified are Justin Smith, Demetrius Haley, Desmond Mills Jr. and Emmitt Martin III. 

In May, Tennessee will stop accepting HIV prevention funding from the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, stripping local nonprofits of dollars they rely on to serve high-risk populations.

The only health conditions the amended bill mentions are ectopic and molar pregnancies. It does not mention preeclampsia, for example, and there are no exceptions for rape or incest.

Gov. Bill Lee’s budget does not include restoring the shared sales tax relationship and returning a fair share to municipalities. However, local mayors remain hopeful.

Lawyers for former state Sen. Brian Kelsey — who chaired the Senate Judiciary Committee — argued he pleaded guilty in November in part because of his “inexperience with the criminal justice system.”

Tennessee lawmakers are close to amending the state’s total abortion ban to allow doctors to terminate pregnancies to save patients’ lives. But the amended bill is more vague than the original about when abortion would be legal.

The rally was hosted by OUTMemphis and the Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest LGBTQ civil rights organization. Other participating organizations included Choices Memphis and My Sistah’s House Memphis.

A new state bill working its way through the state legislature would provide options for deciding when to implement the third-grade retention process.

Related story:

Amendment to controversial third grade law passes first legal hurdle

County government celebrates its “MLGW independence day.” 

The special election to fill the vacancy for the state House seat held by the late Barbara Cooper was decided with the January primary. Democrat Justin J. Pearson is running unopposed on the Tuesday, March 14, ballot. He’s already serving in Nashville by appointment.

“The biggest challenge we are going to face in education moving forward is defining the intent of our legislators.” 

In this installment of “Minor Offenders, Major Offenses,” we look at how lawmakers intend to build on the mandatory-minimum “truth in sentencing” law with bills that treat juveniles as adults in more circumstances. Many of the tough-on-crime proposals pivot from former Gov. Bill Haslam’s moderate juvenile justice reform effort in 2018.

Tennessee lawmakers on Wednesday, March 8, delayed a vote on a bill that would expand permitless gun carry to 18-year-olds and allow permit holders to carry any firearms, not just handguns. No law enforcement agencies support it.

The amendment would provide students with another way to measure reading proficiency outside of the single, English Language Arts TCAP score currently used under the new law.

Bill Lee proposed $100 million for anti-abortion crisis pregnancy centers, one of which he co-founded; he is also proposing a $2.2 million uncompetitive grant to a campaign donor’s foundation.

U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen talks about a new strategy for bringing home federal funding with the new Republican majority and the state’s two Republican Senators show up for CPAC’s return to Washington. The Daily Memphian’s D.C. Scorecard tracks the city’s representatives in Washington D.C.

Currently, the state has several official symbols, including horses, insects, minerals and trees. But nothing as delicious as pies. 

Gov. Bill Lee signed off on legislation, which bans adult cabaret from public property or anywhere minors might be present without issuing a statement or a public ceremony. The bill goes into effect July 1.

The protests of proposed state laws that would outlaw drag various forms of drag shows came as Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee attended the Wednesday, March 1, opening of the Whitehaven YMCA.

Related story: 

Back in the swim of things: $11.5M YMCA opens in Whitehaven

Concerns about rental properties in the Bartlett area have drawn the attention of officials in the suburb, in the county and at the state legislature.

None of the health care-related organizations that contribute the most heavily to Tennessee politicians is publicly opposing legislation that bans transgender health care for youth despite support for that care from leading medical associations.

Related story:

Tennessee House passes trans youth care ban, Bill Lee expected to sign

If the ban becomes law in Tennessee, doctors would be prohibited from providing gender-affirming care to anyone under the age of 18, including prescribing puberty blockers and hormones — and could even be penalized.

Related story:

Health care groups and big political donors silent on trans youth bill

Years after the wine in grocery stores battle was fought, a new battle is brewing — over spirit-based seltzers. 

House Speaker Cameron Sexton and Gov. Bill Lee say they don’t want to deal with the requirements that accompany federal funding for education and HIV prevention and Tennessee is in the financial shape to replace it.