After an opening gavel, the General Assembly is back to work. Whether or not to expand TennCare could be the most costly decision the body makes this year, and the first bill out of the gate would prevent Tennessee from expanding its Medicaid program as envisioned under the Affordable Care Act.
Capitol Hill Conversation – Blocking TennCare Expansion
Online Rant Catches State’s Attention
A Tennessee man’s handgun carry permit has been suspended over comments he made in an online video which went viral.
Metro Touts School-Choice Lottery Ahead of Vouchers Push
Metro Schools will hold its lottery tomorrow for thousands of students hoping to get into certain popular schools. The district is touting the revamped lottery as part of a push to give families lots of options. It comes as state lawmakers are pondering a vouchers program that would send more kids to private schools.
TVA Done With Sequoyah Maintenance
Work on the Sequoyah Nuclear Plant’s Unit Two reactor is finished ahead of schedule and under budget.
Rhee Brings Spotlight to State Legislatures
The controversial former chancellor of Washington D.C. schools is hopscotching the country this month, dropping in as state legislatures reconvene for the year. Michelle Rhee is using a political machine to push dozens of policy points from Missouri and Ohio to Georgia and Tennessee.
Legislative Committees Announced, Pave Way for GOP Priorities
State lawmakers have now been assigned committees. And Republican leaders say the makeup of some panels was tailored around specific issues.
Database Does Little to Curb Meth: Comptroller’s Study
Drug dealers who make methamphetamine have little trouble skirting legal obstacles in Tennessee. A new comptroller’s study looks at a database lawmakers created two years ago. It’s meant to block criminals from buying multiple boxes of pseudoephedrine. The cold drug is a key ingredient to making meth.
NHL Players Vote on Contract
The Nashville Predators will log on tomorrow or Saturday to vote on their new contract. The 700 plus members of the NHL Players Association must approve these terms before games begin. Predators forward Colin Wilson says the 113-day lockout was frustrating and lonely.
Warm Weekend Ahead, But Flooding Possible
Nashville has seen about two inches of rain over the last few days, but a front moving in from southern Texas will bring more moisture this weekend. Creeks and streams in the Nashville area could rise above their banks.
Marginalized Democrats Push for Openness
Democrats are trying to stay part of the lawmaking process, despite being outnumbered by more than two to one. In the state Senate, the minority party is trying to force meetings to be held in public.
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