Listen A plan to legalize medical cannabis in Tennessee is dead for the year after stalling out Tuesday in the state Senate. Supporters of the measure had hoped to win over conservatives by stressing evidence that suggests using marijuana might cut opioid abuse. But the idea ran into a headwind of conservatives.
Citing Practicalities, Tennessee Lawmakers Reject Proposal To Let Teachers Carry Handguns
Listen State lawmakers voted down a measure Tuesday that would’ve allowed teachers in schools across Tennessee to go armed. The proposal had picked up steam after February’s mass shooting in Parkland, Florida. But even some pro-gun rights legislators seemed to doubt it made much practical sense.
What’s Left To Do Before Tennessee Lawmakers Adjourn
Listen Tennessee lawmakers are starting to wind up business for the year, but there are still several big debates left to resolve. School security. Medical marijuana. And marriage laws, to name a few. WPLN’s Emily Siner talked to our statehouse reporter Chas Sisk about what’s at stake in those debates.
Medical Cannabis Survives Another Vote, After Patients Tell Tennessee Lawmakers Their Stories
Listen A measure that would shield users of medical marijuana from criminal prosecution is advancing in the state legislature. The House Criminal Justice Committee set aside opposition from law enforcement, doctors and Governor Bill Haslam’s administration Wednesday and overwhelmingly approved a measure that both sides see as a step toward legalizing medical cannabis.
Tennessee Lawmakers Struggle To Decide: How Young Is Too Young To Marry?
Listen Later this week, Tennessee lawmakers will again take up the question of how old people need to be to get married. It’s an issue that has perplexed legislators during this year’s session. Advocates for a measure banning underage marriage point to a particular case: In 2000, a Kentucky woman took her 14-year-old daughter across […]
TennCare Work Requirement Hits A Snag
Listen A state law that would demand a work requirement for certain people on TennCare appeared to be on track last week before it hit a snag. The proposal had passed the state House and Governor Bill Haslam said he was ready to sign it. But a final vote in the state Senate was delayed […]
Top Republican In Legislature Puts The Brakes On TennCare Work Requirement
Listen A plan to add a work requirement to TennCare seems to be in doubt, as the top Republican in the state Senate raises questions about the cost and design of the proposal. That’s delayed a final vote, though Senate Speaker Randy McNally is stopping short of saying the idea is dead.
Plan To Cut Penalties For Illegal Guns Quashed In Tennessee Legislature
A measure that would have slashed the penalties for carrying a handgun illegally has died in the state legislature. The Tennessee Senate’s Judiciary quietly killed Senate Bill 2427 on Wednesday by declining to take it up for debate.
Lawmaker Offers To Water Down Cannabis Bill To Keep Debate Alive In Tennessee Legislature
Listen The East Tennessee legislator who’s been trying to win passage of a law allowing medical cannabis in Tennessee unveiled a new approach Wednesday, in the hope of getting it through the General Assembly. He suggests protecting many users from criminal prosecution. But they’d have to go out of state to buy cannabis and to […]
Tennessee’s Next Governor: How The Candidates Talk About Immigration — And Why It Matters
Listen About 315,000 people in the state are immigrants. That’s works out to about one in 20 Tennesseans. How other people feel about those newcomers has become one of the most polarizing questions among voters.
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