A lot of what WPLN Political Reporter Blaise Gainey covers during the Tennessee legislative session are bills — the things that change state law. But resolutions sometimes get overlooked. When the General Assembly met last year, 3,900 passed.
At the statehouse: Maps, marriage and the legislative morgue
Redistricting maps on the ropes, another jab at same-sex marriage and a trip to the legislative morgue. It’s time to catch up on what you missed at the statehouse this week.
Tennessee Senate plans to appeal court ruling that requires them to draw new district maps
Republican Senate Leader Randy McNally wants a court to reconsider blocking the state’s new Senate maps. A court ruling Wednesday gave the state 15 days to redraw the maps, while allowing new House maps to stand.
Tennessee will make ivermectin available without a prescription, despite research showing no benefit for COVID treatment
Under a bill awaiting Gov. Bill Lee’s signature, Tennessee would make ivermectin available at pharmacies without a prescription.
A plan to discriminate against same-sex marriages in Tennessee would’ve made child marriage legal. It’s now expected to be amended.
A Tennessee bill that would have eliminated minimum age limits to get married caught fire on social media this week. Now, the bill’s Republican sponsor is amending the legislation.
Tennessee lawmakers aim to take oversight of police technology away from local governments
The battle over police reform is heating up once again in Tennessee. Legislators now want to control what they call “criminal justice technology” — like body cameras and facial recognition.
Many states have made it illegal to shackle incarcerated people while they give birth. Could Tennessee be next?
After years of fits and starts, a statewide ban on restraining pregnant people has garnered the support of criminal justice reform advocates, medical professionals and even members of law enforcement.
At the Statehouse: A precarious week for bills penalizing abortions, transgender athletes and the incarcerated
An abortion bill hits a dead end, a ban on transgender athletes in college is revived and a warning is issued over a criminal justice bill that could backfire.
TBI report: Most people killed by law enforcement in Tennessee in 2021 were armed
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation’s latest reporting on law enforcement-related deaths reveals that most people killed by police were armed.
Former Tennessee prisons director says ‘truth in sentencing’ bill could balloon prison population and make communities less safe
WPLN criminal justice reporter Samantha Max sat down with This is Nashville host Khalil Ekulona to unpack the so-called “truth in sentencing” bill.
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