The Tennessee General Assembly will be back in Nashville on Tuesday for the start of the 2022 general session. One task is changing the state’s COVID-19 protocols — again. 

In October, legislators passed an enormous COVID-19 bill that made several changes to masking and vaccine policies. But even then, several lawmakers, as well as Gov. Bill Lee, said that more changes would need to be made when the session begins. One is clarifying when a COVID-19 patient can have visitors. Lawmakers meant to allow those near end of life to have someone there with them. However, the current wording allows any COVID-19 patient to have visitation.

Other things to look forward to include lawmakers finalizing the new State House, Senate and Congressional district maps. They will also discuss changes to the elections process that would get rid of voting machines and ballot marking devices, forcing the use of only hand-marked paper ballots.