The veteran state legislator will have an office on Capitol Hill in Nashville as part of the governor’s cabinet.

Gov. Bill Lee continued to leave mask mandates in the hands of local officials Tuesday, while Health Commissioner Lisa Piercey estimated a late spring to early summer time frame for widespread vaccination availability.

Mayors from the West Tennessee counties outside Shelby County heard a pitch from Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris and others Thursday for a regional mask mandate. Harris says Gov. Bill Lee is unlikely to order a statewide mask requirement. The regional effort will move to one-on-one talks.

The chairman of the Shelby County legislative delegation to the Tennessee General Assembly talked about the issue on The Daily Memphian Politics Podcast. 

Republican Bill Hagerty handily defeated Democratic Memphis environmental activist Marquita Bradshaw Tuesday, Nov. 3, for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Lamar Alexander, bringing to an end the surprise run for the seat that Bradshaw began with a primary upset of Nashville attorney James Mackler.

After staying out of the casino business, Tennessee approved mobile sports wagering and the betting is scheduled to go live Sunday, Nov. 1. 

Related Story: Tennessee online sports betting preview: Launch incentives

Data shows transmission happening in suburbs where athletic events are frequent and masks are fewer. 

A preliminary plan for the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines prioritizes vulnerable populations and areas hard hit by the virus.

The White House quietly told Tennessee last week that “a statewide mask mandate must be implemented” to curb its growing spread of COVID-19.

A member of Lee’s security detail tested positive Wednesday after saying he did not feel well. An online statement from the governor’s office says Lee has tested negative for the virus but is quarantining “out of an abundance of caution.” Lee said later he continues to serve from quarantine. The First Lady was to be tested later Wednesday.

The opening of hearings on the U.S. Supreme Court nominee included Democrats criticizing the timing of the nomination. Blackburn responded by calling the attacks on the process and Barrett as “paternalistic” and “disrespectful.”

Few House races statewide are expected to see turnover in the Nov. 3 election, but Shelby County has a handful of seats that could shift.

Gov. Bill Lee agrees the state Legislature should review the executive branch’s executive powers during a state of emergency and appears willing to give up some of the office’s authority.

The governor and speakers of the House and Senate are in dispute over the next step for removing the Nathan Bedford Forrest bust from the State Capitol.

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.

Gov. Bill Lee is taking President Donald Trump’s view of the pandemic, saying people should not fear COVID-19 but “respect” the virus and take steps to avoid it, even though the president has downplayed the importance of wearing masks.

Tennessee House Speaker Cameron Sexton talked about his plan to strip away the autonomy of the Shelby County Health Department during a visit Monday to the county. He says public health officials should advise mayors, who would make the ultimate decision on pandemic and other health-related measures.

House Democrats, including five from Shelby County, are calling for a state Comptroller’s audit of Gov. Bill Lee’s federal-coronavirus-funds spending amid questions about its effectiveness.

The chairman of a committee studying the governor’s emergency authority says the Legislature could increase notification requirements and even put an end the office’s executive powers in a prolonged state of emergency.

Sen. Katrina Robinson, accused of embezzling more than $600,000 from her business, The Healthcare Institute, now has a trial date set for Sept. 13, 2021.

The governor and his education commissioner stand by the presentation of a massive learning loss report even though old data was used to make dire predictions stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic.

House Minority Leader Karen Camper criticized plans by House Speaker Cameron Sexton to kill the independence of Shelby County’s Health Department amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

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.

A federal court has blocked temporarily a state law that forces abortion clinics to tell patients about the potential to “reverse” a medical abortion.

The Tennessee Court of Appeals struck another blow against Gov. Bill Lee’s Education Savings Account program, Tuesday, Sept. 29, finding the state violated the Constitution with an effort to use public money to send students to private schools.