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The Tennessee House of Representatives passed a bill Thursday that gives some legal cover to gun-carry permit holders who get caught with a firearm on posted property.

The Tennessee Senate has passed a new set of definitions for public school sex education, with the proposal’s sponsor agreeing that it will still be okay to talk about contraception in class.

A bill to make marijuana legal – as a prescription drug – died a state legislative death today, but backers say they’re more optimistic than ever that Tennessee will eventually have medical marijuana.

The state House of Representative spent more than a half hour today debating a resolution with no practical effect – it would tell the federal government that Tennessee doesn’t approve of mandatory coverage of contraception the national health care plan.

Three of Governor Bill Haslam’s most important bills are heading for the House floor. The bills include the civil service overhaul known as the TEAM Act, a reduction of the sales tax on food, and a measure lowering the inheritance tax. WPLN’s Joe White reports yesterday the House Finance Committee gave all three bills its blessing.

Governor Bill Haslam’s latest update to the budget covers the cost of a bill that would make designer drugs illegal to make and sell. The legislation had been stopped cold because of the added cost to incarcerate more offenders.

State Representative Curry Todd told fellow lawmakers today he is battling a rare form of cancer. His admission came during debate over a new, simpler chemotherapy treatment.

A Shelby County fight over who should run the schools boiled over into the rest of the state last night. A proposal that passed in the state senate would allow the creation of new city schools.

The State Senate Monday night passed a bill that would allow any college instructor to receive a license to teach his subject in high schools with no additional educational training.

This week state lawmakers will get down to the business of passing a budget. Governor Bill Haslam says he’ll unveil his final update Monday, adding back at least some funds that were cut from the original $30 billion spending plan.