The Biden administration’s recent announcements regarding COVID-19 vaccines have set up a challenge with conservative states like Tennessee and raise legal questions. 

Lt. Gov. Randy McNally (R-Oak Ridge) Friday, Sept. 17, appointed seven senators to an ad-hoc committee on redistricting. State Sen. Raumesh Akbari (D-Memphis) is one of two Democrats and will serve as one of two co-chairs. 

Days after Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed a restrictive abortion ban, with the U.S. Supreme Court declining to intervene, an important decision came down from another court that invalidated a similar law signed last year by Gov. Bill Lee.

Compromise possible but lawyers say it’s more likely restraining order will be extended.

Prosecutors, sheriffs, judges, criminal justice reform advocates and others testified to a General Assembly committee on the money bail system Monday, Sept. 13. But lawmakers leaned more to small changes than sweeping reform.

The Tennessee Sheriffs’ Association and the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office announced Monday morning their expanded marketing campaign for their Tennessee SAVIN (Statewide Automated Victim Information and Notification) system. 

State Sen. Katrina Robinson’s federal trial on theft and fraud charges is slated to begin Monday, Sept. 13, in Memphis.

A ruling is expected before the temporary restraining order expires on Sept. 17.

The redistricting process formally began Wednesday, Sept. 8, with a bipartisan state House committee hearing public input and approving guidelines. Memphis is likely to lose seats in the General Assembly.

The first-term City Council member claims the numbers are there to first win the August statewide primary and then the November general election. That’s despite no Democrat winning statewide office in Tennessee in 15 years.

Memphis Councilman JB Smiley Jr. plans to run for governor of Tennessee. 

The Tennessee Housing Development Agency has spent less than 5% of its federal rental assistance money. In Memphis and Shelby County, where high poverty and low homeownership make the need much more urgent, that number is more than 60%.

State Sen. Katrina Robinson was indicted last year and charged with theft and embezzlement involving government programs and wire fraud.

Shelby County is ordered to enforce its universal mask mandate in all schools. 

Federal prosecutors file a motion to move Sen. Katrina Robinson’s Sept. 13 hearing out of Memphis, alleging that Robinson’s recent media interviews and social media posts could taint the jury pool. 

As more than a third of new COVID cases are among children, Lee says, “We’re doing what we believe is the best way forward.”

Hagerty spoke Wednesday, Sept. 1, at an East Memphis political fundraiser just before leaving for a tour of Europe to meet with government leaders and NATO allies.

The opt-out order on masks is one of many times in recent years that the state government has preempted local governments, negating laws passed by mayors and city and county councils.

Federal suit filed in Memphis late Thursday afternoon. 

“All our leaders around the state and region understand the connection between rising case counts and bans on masking,” mayor says.

“Debate is healthy, but not when the debate is about wearing a mask that can decrease the chance of children contracting COVID-19,” Dr. James Downing said.

Jason Martin treats COVID-19 patients in a Nashville hospital and has been one of the biggest critics of Gov. Bill Lee’s handling of the pandemic.

Flooding in rural areas took out roads, cellphone towers and telephone lines, leaving families uncertain about whether their loved ones survived the unprecedented deluge.

The state’s executive order banning mask mandates is taking fire from President Joe Biden as well as Biden’s education secretary Miguel Cardona, who this past week specifically questioned the legality of the executive order.