Governor’s Tax Bills Headed to His Desk

The Senate passed two tax bills – lowering the sales tax on food and raising the exemption on the inheritance tax – and sent them to the governor, who proposed them in the first place.

The House and Senate can’t seem to agree on the state’s $31 billion budget and will likely form a smaller group to work out the differences. The upper chamber passed a spending plan for next year before noon and within 90 minutes, the lower chamber voted not to go along.

State wildlife officials say they’re getting closer to a day when anglers could reel in a huge lake sturgeon. They’re trying to restore a population of the giant fish, which hasn’t been found naturally in Tennessee since 1960.

State officials are offering their condolences to the family and friends of a soldier from Franklin who died Thursday. Specialist Jason Edens was wounded in Afghanistan two weeks ago during an attack on his unit.

The owner of RiverGate Mall announced a new policy Friday designed to reduce the number of unsupervised teens on the weekends.

Unemployment dropped in 89 Tennessee counties in March. Several in Middle Tennessee have the lowest unemployment.

Of the 30,000 runners expected to start the Country Music Marathon and half Martahon this weekend, some will be pushing strollers. Others will be wearing costumes. And a few will be “joggling.”

The state House Thursday night debated how to protect Christian groups from having to follow a university rule intended to prevent discrimination. Both sides claimed Jesus Christ was on their side. But the sponsor finally dropped the bill into parliamentary limbo.

The state Senate Thursday night passed a proposed law to change the eligibility date for a child to enter kindergarten.

The governor could soon sign off on a bill to overhaul state unemployment compensation. Yesterday Tennessee’s Senate passed the measure, which House members had already approved a week ago.