There are 803 article(s) tagged Bill Lee:

• March 2020

  • Coronavirus daily blog, March 16: SCS extends closure to April 6

    Confirmed cases

    Tennessee

    52

    Shelby County

    2

    • Tunica casinos close temporarily
    • Catholic Diocese of Memphis decree cancels Eucharist celebration, excuses people from mass
    • U of M may postpone spring graduation 
    • Dow experiences worst day since 1987
    • Gov. urges all Tennessee schools to close

    By The Daily Memphian Staff March 20, 2020

  • Governor to expedite scaled-back budget for early recess, long layoff

    Reacting to the national coronavirus pandemic, Gov. Bill Lee will present an “adjusted” budget by Wednesday containing funds to respond to the COVID-19 crisis and mid-state tornado victims as lawmakers hoped to take a recess of at least two months.

    By Sam Stockard March 16, 2020

  • Governor urges all school districts to close for coronavirus

    Gov. Bill Lee called Monday for all school districts to close as soon possible to stop the spread of coronavirus, drawing a response from the TEA for TNReady testing to be canceled.

    By Sam Stockard March 16, 2020

  • Uninsured Tennesseans will depend on safety net, charity for coronavirus treatment

    Memphis is home to one of Tennessee's safety net hospitals, which will serve low-income residents in need of health care should they contract the COVID-19 virus.

    By Sam Stockard March 15, 2020

  • Montgomery: Are people of faith limited to thoughts and prayers?

    Do we just pray for our environment? Or pray for children being separated from their parents? Or might the faith communities be called to engage in … dare I suggest it … politics?

    By Steve Montgomery March 15, 2020

  • State leaders look to speed up budget work amid economic shock

    Tennessee’s political leaders are speeding up work on Gov. Bill Lee’s $40.9 billion budget proposal, which is expected to contain extra funding to deal with COVID-19 and tornadoes that struck the state amid a state of emergency.

    By Sam Stockard March 14, 2020

  • Conaway: In the governor’s office and beyond, common sense is far from common

    Tennesseans don’t trust Tennessee to take care of them any more than they trust Washington to take care of them. The same people are in charge in both places.

    By Dan Conaway March 13, 2020

  • Sanford: No more Mr. Nice Guy

    Gov. Bill Lee sticks to his guns, unmoved by pleas from law enforcement officials, mayors, gun merchants and firearms trainers. 

    By Otis Sanford March 12, 2020

  • Speaker won’t adjourn House temporarily at lawmaker’s request

    House Speaker Cameron Sexton is turning down a Nashville lawmaker’s request for temporary adjournment of the House and passage of a short-term budget until state and federal health officials get a handle on the coronavirus pandemic.

    By Sam Stockard March 11, 2020

  • Literacy bill advances in Legislature, minus ‘science of reading’ phrase

    The governor set aside $68 million in next year’s proposed budget to overhaul reading instruction. 

    By Marta W. Aldrich March 11, 2020

  • State changes course on coronavirus reporting, will identify home county

    The state reversed course Tuesday amid criticism and said it would begin identifying the home county of those with confirmed cases of coronavirus.

    By Sam Stockard March 10, 2020

  • Shelby County wants out of permitless gun carry legislation

    Shelby County Commission wants to be "carved out" of Tennessee's proposed permitless carry law.

    By Linda A. Moore March 09, 2020

  • Permitless carry proposal stirs debate on both sides of issue

    Proponents and opponents of Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee's proposed permitless carry measure weigh in on the controversial issue. 

    By Yolanda Jones March 09, 2020

  • Governor forms task force to head off coronavirus

    Gov. Bill Lee is forming a Coronavirus Task Force to bolster the state’s efforts to prevent and treat cases of COVID-19, a viral scare sweeping the nation.

    By Sam Stockard March 05, 2020

  • Developing: President to visit Tennessee as tornado death toll climbs to 23

    A “massive act of nature” killed 23 people and destroyed buildings and homes from Benton County to downtown Nashville, Mt. Juliet and Cookeville early Tuesday, leaving people’s lives shattered as emergency workers searched for more missing people, officials said.

    By Sam Stockard March 03, 2020

  • Vouchers in the crosshairs: Shelby, Davidson County parents file challenge

    Tennessee's voucher program is facing a second legal challenge, with a group of Shelby and Davidson County parents saying it violates the Constitution and state law by diverting taxpayer funds to private schools.

    By Sam Stockard March 02, 2020

• February 2020

  • Locked and loaded: Governor proposes new handgun bill

    Gov. Bill Lee proposed legislation Thursday to allow “constitutional carry,” watering down the state’s handgun permit system, if not almost eliminating it.

    By Sam Stockard, Yolanda Jones February 27, 2020

  • Gov. Lee expected to make handgun announcement Thursday

    Gov. Bill Lee is expected to make major announcement related to handguns Thursday.

    By Sam Stockard February 27, 2020

  • County mayor wisely paused plans to build a new juvenile center

    The impatience to build a new facility from scratch caught the attention of the company holding title to an existing, unoccupied facility. Now instead of an $11 million annual lease agreement, the county could acquire the building and property for just a fraction of the original expense – $3.4 million.

    By Mick Wright February 21, 2020

  • 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.

    By Sam Stockard February 20, 2020

  • Sanford: Tennessee has a man problem in politics, public policy

    Far too many of this state’s political leaders have a paternalistic and chauvinistic attitude toward women. And what’s worse, these guys just don’t care how it looks.

    By Otis Sanford February 20, 2020

  • 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.

    By Sam Stockard February 18, 2020

  • 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.

    By Sam Stockard February 17, 2020

  • With six kids in college, refugee family works while others wait

    Faith-based agencies in 2019 resettled the fewest refugees in Tennessee in more than two decades. The numbers likely will be even lower this year. Meanwhile, some legislators are challenging Gov. Bill Lee’s decision to continue participating in the nation’s 40-year-old refugee resettlement program.

    By David Waters February 15, 2020

  • Lee clarifies position on megasite development

    Governor pushed back against word earlier this month that the 4,100-acre Memphis Regional Megasite in Haywood County is not on the administration’s front burner. 

    By Bill Dries February 14, 2020