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

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.

Dr. Lisa Piercey, the face of the state’s efforts during the coronavirus pandemic, is stepping down from her post as Health Commissioner, Gov. Bill Lee announced Thursday, April 28.

State Sen. Jack Johnson said the current formula “is outdated, it’s antiquated, it’s difficult to understand. Quite frankly, it is broken. (This) rips that old formula out by the roots and starts with a clean state.”

The only two contested Republican primaries in August for seats in the Tennessee General Assembly representing parts of Shelby County could change dramatically with new challenges that could remove one of the contenders from each of the two-man races.

A question about a census tract has left hundreds of homes in limbo with questions of whether they sit in Arlington or Fayette County.

The Senate made significant revisions to a bill affecting the ownership and operations of four Memphis-Shelby County Schools.

Lawmakers debated the Second Amendment and liberty, the value of training and permitting, and the maturity of teenagers, even though a Senate committee stalled the bill earlier this month.

House Speaker Cameron Sexton invoked the names of Memphis rapper Young Dolph and Rhodes College student Drew Rainier, both of whom were shot and killed last year, in a speech arguing against early release for a handful of crimes.

Senate and House finance committees are expected to take up the proposed Tennessee Investment in Student Achievement (TISA) funding formula this week. A final vote in both legislative bodies could come soon.

“I’ve heard a lot that Tennessee just isn’t the place for us,” said state Rep. Torrey Harris, one of two openly gay members of the General Assembly. “And I’m trying not to get to the place where I believe the same thing.”

Sectarian prayers at a government meeting notwithstanding, the General Assembly’s daunting task this session to allocate an additional $1 billion to education is more than a math problem.

Teachers would be required to provide lessons on Black history and the “virtues of capitalism” under a handful of bills passed Tuesday, April 12 by the state Senate related to civics and history.

A bill adopted by the state Senate regarding four schools in Shelby County suburbs must return to the House for review after a flurry of amendments before Senate passage Tuesday.

A bill potentially impacting the ownership and operation of four Memphis-Shelby County Schools received new amendments on the state Senate floor.

The County Commission Monday approved the agreement with Grizzlies to keep the team in Memphis through at least 2029.

Related story:

Calkins: Grizzlies aren’t leaving Memphis — now or in 2029

The bill, sponsored by state Rep. Kevin Vaughan (R-Collierville), amends last year’s name, image and likeness law, which allowed college athletes to get paid while still prohibiting their schools from paying them directly.

Two bills expanding permitless gun carry stalled Wednesday, April 6 in the General Assembly.

Lucy Elementary lies in Millington. It’s one of four Memphis-Shelby County Schools campuses affected by pending legislation.

The budget amendment also includes $10 million for the National Civil Rights Museum, $2.5 million each for the Brooks Museum of Art and the Leftwich Tennis Center and $100,000 for the Southern Heritage Classic.

The economic effect of lack of access to child care is enormous, according to a Tennesseans for Quality Early Education report. In Memphis, the impact is $259 million annually in lost earnings and revenue.

Amid an FBI investigation coming to a head, lawmakers found time to advance Gov. Bill Lee’s school funding overhaul.

Rep. Kevin Vaughan (R-Collierville) proposed the bill, which has been approved the State Senate, to prevent moves such as Memphis City Council’s efforts to keep the Byhalia Connection Pipeline away from the city’s aquifer. 

Strickland’s backing of Brent Taylor in the state Senate District 31 primary follows endorsements by Tennessee Republican U.S. Sens. Marsha Blackburn and Bill Hagerty.