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Stockard on the Stump: Lee Administration walking tightrope on license plate readers
With questions about privacy and compelling public interest, Gov. Bill Lee’s administration appears to be treading lightly – if not reversing – on policy surrounding automated license plate readers and the state’s new blue license tags, which some cameras can’t read at night. The Tennessee Department of Transportation in late March turned down a request […]
Registry of Election Finance declines to investigate Rep. Sherrell’s fire-hall checks
The Tennessee Registry of Election Finance claimed Wednesday it had been “weaponized” in the state House District 43 race and refused to investigate a complaint that Rep. Paul Sherrell wrote checks to volunteer fire halls and asked for cash back. “What we’re being asked here is to assume that Mr. Sherrell is a crook, bottom […]
State Supreme Court overturns lower courts, approves governor’s education savings account program
The Tennessee Supreme Court overturned lower court rulings and paved the way for Gov. Bill Lee’s education savings account program to provide state funds for students to enroll in private schools. In a ruling released Wednesday, the high court found Lee’s voucher program, which will provide funds to low-income students in Davidson and Shelby County […]
Battle over ethics reform bill rages as group calls for veto
More than two weeks after the legislative session’s end, lawmakers continue warding off the efforts of advocacy groups to kill increased reporting requirements for “dark money” campaign spending. Lt. Gov. Randy McNally this week characterized those who oppose the legislation as either “wildly misinformed or willfully obtuse.” And state Rep. Sam Whitson, a Franklin Republican […]
Federal judge rejects Tennessee’s transgender bathroom law
A federal judge overturned a state law requiring businesses to post a government-prescribed sign if they allow transgender people to use their restrooms. In a ruling issued Tuesday, U.S. District Court Judge Aleta Trauger determined that transgender Tennesseans and the businesses that welcome them “are real,” in spite of the viewpoints of lawmakers and government […]
Registry delves into fire-hall check-cashing complaint against state Rep. Paul Sherrell
The Tennessee Registry of Election Finance is looking into a complaint that state Rep. Paul Sherrell wrote checks from his campaign account to local fire halls and asked for cash back, potentially pocketing it while campaigning this year. Sparta resident Dale Walker, director of the Tennessee Pastors Network, filed the sworn complaint asking for an […]
Senate, House speakers respond to governor’s refusal to sign truth-in-sentencing
A day after Gov. Bill Lee declined to sign strict truth-in-sentencing legislation, but allowed it to become law despite his disagreement, the bill’s sponsors fired back. “You can protect criminals, or you can protect victims. I stand with victims, as do members of law enforcement, our district attorneys, & criminal judges across Tennessee,” House Speaker […]
Stockard on the Stump: Vendor protests prison communications contract
A company beaten out of a Tennessee prisons communications contract is challenging the state’s decision, claiming it is awarding the deal to a competitor that will charge inmates and families about $7 million more. Securus Technologies LLC lost an initial protest after the state gave the contract for inmate communications and technology services to Global […]
Tennessee legislators react to leak from SCOTUS on Roe v. Wade
Said state Rep. Jason Zachary, a Knoxville Republican, “If the leaked document truly represents the pending opinion of the judges, it will save millions of babies’ lives across our nation by pushing the decisions about abortion back to the states.” Asked whether women could put themselves in danger by seeking abortions from unlicensed clinics, Zachary […]
Governor still reviewing truth-in-sentencing legislation
Gov. Bill Lee would not say Monday whether he will sign a new truth-in-sentencing measure into law after his administration opposed the bill, but he believes “we found a way forward” with the bill’s sponsors. House Speaker Cameron Sexton and Lt. Gov. Randy McNally transmitted House Bill 2656/Senate Bill 2248, which they sponsored, to the […]
Stockard on the Stump: So long, farewell
Despite great grinding and gnashing of teeth, the Legislature adopted an ethics reform bill on the final day of the 112th session, one designed to shed more light on so-called dark money. Nonprofit groups that have been raising Cain about the bill, claiming it will require them to file reports for something as innocuous as […]
Representative says he would burn books deemed inappropriate by state
State Rep. Jerry Sexton said Wednesday he would “burn” books found obscene by an expanded state textbook commission charged with policing school library selections. In debate with Sexton over legislation requiring school districts to submit lists of library books to the commission, state Rep. John Ray Clemmons, D-Nashville, asked what the state would do with […]