The governor recently provided an update to the school safety executive order he signed in June after the mass shooting in Uvalde, Texas.

Bill Gates and the Walton family funded a substantial portion of the advocacy for Gov. Bill Lee’s school funding overhaul. Skeptics fear this philanthropy is self-interested, advancing an agenda to dismantle public schools to benefit private interests.

The response from Comptroller Jason Mumpower is a response to a bipartisan resolution from the Shelby County Commission calling for state oversight of the county clerk’s office led by clerk Wanda Halbert. It also raises the possibility of some kind of local ouster effort

Criminal defense lawyers say there are effectively no exceptions to the Human Life Protection Act of 2019.

Casada and his former chief of staff, Cade Cothren, were indicted on 20 counts of bribery and kickbacks, wire fraud and money laundering.

The Tennessee Comptroller’s office plans to meet with other state officials about assisting or providing oversight of the Shelby County Clerk’s office and its distribution of license plates and the renewal of car tags.

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“If you think abortion access going away does not affect you, you’re going to be mistaken, because this falls out into all areas of medicine,” said a Tennessee OB-GYN.

Since an injunction was lifted last month, the state has been working to make taxpayer-funded private school vouchers available by the time class starts — which in Shelby County is Monday, Aug. 8.

Gov. Bill Lee is expected to win reelection, but Democrats think they have a shot after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. Meanwhile, incumbent lawmakers in Congress and the General Assembly all won.

Tennessee is the only state in which the attorney general is appointed by the Supreme Court. The position runs in eight-year terms. The new term begins Sept. 1.

Some observers believe ride share app records, credit card statements, internet search histories and more could be used to prosecute Tennessee abortion providers when the state’s near-total ban goes into effect Aug. 25.

Lee said Friday, July 29, at Knowledge Quest’s Teen Tech Center that more than 2,000 families in Memphis and Nashville have applied for school vouchers and 40 schools have expressed interest in accepting those vouchers.

Ritz’s nomination by President Joe Biden goes to the U.S. Senate for confirmation.

From July 1, 2022 to July 30, 2023, there is no sales tax on gun safes or safety devices. This weekend will be tax-free for clothes and school supplies. And the entire month of August will be tax-free for groceries.

The Memphis-Shelby County Schools board rejected on Tuesday evening, July 26, applications for three charter schools, but the schools could still gain approval by going an alternate route. 

The Supreme Court issued its judgment in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization Tuesday, initiating the 30-day countdown on Tennessee’s abortion ban.

A bill guaranteeing right to birth control passed in the U.S. House without support of Tennessee Republicans. Having a law on the books would preempt any decision the Supreme Court might make to withhold that right. 

But they offered no more clarity on what exactly teachers can and can’t say about race and history.

Harris was arrested after an argument with his ex-boyfriend. He maintained his innocence and expressed confidence the charges will be dropped.

Democrats have raised more money, but GOP candidates are spending faster and have more cash on hand. That’s due in large part to Brent Taylor’s largely self-financed state Senate campaign.

“Starting today, we will work to help eligible parents enroll this school year,” Gov. Bill Lee said, “as we ensure Tennessee families have the opportunity to choose the school that they believe is best for their child.”

Memphis City Councilman JB Smiley Jr., Nashville-based critical-care physician Jason Martin and Memphis activist Carnita Atwater touted their qualifications for Tennessee governor.

In a state legislature with a Republican supermajority emboldened by the reversal of Roe v. Wade, it’s unlikely that these bills — especially one seeking to codify Roe v. Wade — will pass.

A 2018 law created the Tennessee Civil Rights Crimes, Information, Reconciliation, and Research Center, but provided no additional funding or staff.

The White House said Biden will speak Friday morning “on protecting access to reproductive health care services.”