Legislation would keep ‘HOPE’ alive for pregnant students
Legislation sponsored by state Rep. London Lamar of Memphis would allow students who become pregnant to keep their HOPE Scholarships and take time to have a child before enrolling in college.
Sam Stockard
Reporter
Sam Stockard is a Nashville-based reporter with more than 30 years of journalism experience as a writer, editor and columnist covering the state Legislature and Tennessee politics for The Daily Memphian.
There are 1058 articles by Sam Stockard :
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February 2020
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State Government -
State Government Burying children is ‘saddest thing,’ Hardaway says in touting new law
Spurred by deaths of children, local legislators pushing laws to stiffen shooting penalties.
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State Government Bid to remove Forrest bust from Capitol runs into opposition
A bid to remove the bust of Nathan Bedford Forrest from the State Capitol stalled Tuesday, with some legislators saying they weren't sure the Confederate general had done anything wrong.
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State Government Senator: Governor puts ‘pause’ on Memphis megasite
The governor reportedly wants to wait until the state finds a tenant for the Regional Megasite before continuing to invest additional funding.
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State Government Nashville-Shelby lawsuit against private-school vouchers imminent
Metro Nashville officials are likely to announce a lawsuit Thursday to dismantle the state's private-school voucher program, and Shelby County Schools is expected to join the legal battle.
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Metro Shelby-Metro Nashville lawsuit: Education voucher program is ‘unconstitutional’
Shelby County government and Metro Nashville Public Schools joined forces in a lawsuit Thursday challenging the constitutionality of Tennessee’s education savings account program.
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State Government State senator to represent low-income families potentially shut out from vouchers
State Sen. Brian Kelsey will handle legal work for a law firm prepared to file suit on behalf of families against the Shelby County and Metro Nashville school systems over the voucher lawsuit.
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Premium
State GovernmentSenator digs in as pro-LGBT groups lobby against ‘Slate of Hate’ bills
State Sen. Paul Rose is refusing to bend as national companies such as Nike Inc., Tennessee businesses and the Nashville LGBT Chamber of Commerce urge the state Legislature to stop passing legislation they consider discriminatory.
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Public Safety ‘Everyone should be able to see a doctor when they need to’
Democratic state Sen. Katrina Robinson is partnering with Republicans on a Medicaid expansion bill designed to provide coverage to 300,000 Tennesseans who don't have health insurance.
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City of Memphis Strickland asks lawmakers for help with budget shortfall
Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland is pushing passage of two bills designed to fill a growing hole in the city’s budget with $12 million in sales tax revenue.
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State Government Kyle backs bill for state workers to deal with ‘child care deserts’
Hoping to give state employees a path around "child care deserts," state Sen. Sara Kyle of Memphis wants to give state departments the option to set up day care centers near their offices.
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State Government Lamar demands end to Forrest Day, compares him to Hitler
State Rep. London Lamar compared Nathan Bedford Forrest to Hitler and urged lawmakers Tuesday to put an end to Tennessee’s annual daylong observance for the Confederate general.
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State Government Facing $65K in penalties, Towns searching for ‘miracle’
State Rep. Joe Towns is negotiating with the Attorney General’s Office.
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State Government Lawmakers seek raft of information about voucher program as key Republican expresses regrets
Gov. Bill Lee's education voucher program is taking hits from all directions as legislators raise questions.
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State Government Memphians urge tougher penalties for drive-by ‘terrorism’
House committee approves legislation to toughen penalties for shootings into homes, cars, crowds after Memphis residents urge change in response to deaths.
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State Government Right to Work resolution flies through Senate with Republican supermajority
Legislation setting the course for putting Tennessee’s Right to Work Law into the state Constitution passed the Senate on a 24-5 vote, with only Republicans backing it in a supermajority advantage.
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State Government Camper seeks voucher audit for ‘flummoxed’ lawmakers
House Minority Leader Karen Camper is asking for a timeline audit of a no-bid education savings account contract to answer questions for legislators puzzled about the Education Department's method for expediting the program in time for the 2021-22 school year.
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State Government Major Trevor Joseph Act addresses issue of weekend military burials
State Rep. Kevin Vaughan is seeking passage of the Major Trevor Joseph Act after officials with the Tennessee Department of Veterans Services refused to allow a weekend burial for the soldier last fall.
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Elections Flinn wants policy to trump soundbites in U.S. Senate
Dr. George Flinn of Memphis is making a sixth run for Congress, and he's willing to spend big in hopes of ending D.C.’s “drama” and putting policy to the nation's biggest problems at the forefront
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State Government Senator says yes to ammo tax break, no on feminine hygiene products
State Sen. Joey Hensley calls for a negative vote on state Sen. Sara Kyle's feminine hygiene products sales tax holiday bill.
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State Government DeBerry bill to expedite vote counts fails
A House subcommittee declined Wednesday to vote on legislation by Rep. John DeBerry, which is designed to speed up vote counts, as lawmakers raised concerns about releasing early and absentee vote totals while voters stand in line
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State Government Lawmakers want Tennessee to be first in 2024 presidential primary
Democratic state Sen. Raumesh Akbari and state Rep. Jason Powell face opposition from their own state party.
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State Government Secretary of State tries to sidestep federal voter registration injunction
Secretary of State Tre Hargett is seeking legislation establishing a new set of voter registration rules, including $50 levies for violations, even though a federal judge enjoined the 2019 law because of its criminal and civil penalties.
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State Government Governor changes stance on family medical leave plan for state workers
Facing pressure from legislative leaders, Gov. Bill Lee is reversing course on his executive order for family leave, and sending the plan through the Legislature.
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State Government Forrest as hard to remove from Capitol as he was to defeat in war
The state's Capitol Commission took no vote Thursday on removal of the Nathan Bedford Forrest bust, and the chairman declined to schedule another meeting because of a vacancy on the board and numerous questions.
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