Tennessee’s Education Savings Account program faces a tough road for the coming school year after the state Court of Appeals upheld a decision enjoining the state from executing it until the legal case is decided. Arguments aren't scheduled until Aug. 5, about the time school is expected to start.

The Tennessee Black Caucus of State Legislators is asking Gov. Bill Lee in letter form to end a program allowing personal information of COVID-positive people to be shared with law enforcement. Otherwise, it says people should refuse to give their addresses when tested.

The Memphis Area Transit Authority is getting more than $2.1 million from the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation for electric buses as part of a Volkswagen settlement.

The Tennessee Court of Appeals rejected the state's efforts to keep working on the Education Savings Account program while it's under appeal and set an Aug. 5 hearing for arguments, which could make it difficult for the program to get the go-ahead in time to start offering vouchers this year.

Tennessee House Education Committee Chairman Mark White agrees with federal guidelines diverting a great share of CARES Act funds to private schools, but Memphis Democrats say the decision creates a wider gap in education resources.

Grappling with finances in the pandemic era, Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee says the entire budget is up for review, including funds tied to the Education Savings Account, though he favors keeping the program intact as the Legislature gets ready to convene June 1.

When state lawmakers return to Nashville to grapple with the state budget in a flagging COVID-19 economy, they'll have an incomplete picture of the state's economy because state revenue is trickling in and business tax collections have been delayed until July.

With more than 12% of Tennessee prison inmates testing positive for COVID-19, an inmate advocate is raising questions about the cleanliness of facilities while challenging the state's numbers and policies.

The American Civil Liberties Union, the ACLU of Tennessee, and Dechert LLP filed a lawsuit Friday, May 15, seeking to make absentee voting available to all eligible Tennessee voters during the COVID-19 pandemic.

With the spread of COVID-19 appearing to weaken, the state’s Economic Recovery Group announced Friday, May 15, it will lift capacity restrictions on restaurants and retail in areas not covered by local directives, such as Shelby County.

Shelby County lawmakers who missed the final days of hectic mid-March work when the COVID-19 pandemic started are planning to return June 1 when the public will be allowed in the Capitol and Cordell Hull Building as well.

State Rep. London Lamar said Wednesday it is "irresponsible and inconsiderate" to ask tens of thousands of Tennesseans to go to the polls just months after the governor ordered them to stay home to avoid COVID-19.

State leaders say they plan to use federal CARES Act money to keep from "extinguishing" the state’s $1.2 billion unemployment insurance trust fund.

Gov. Bill Lee said Tuesday a stronger supply of personal protective equipment could allow him to change a decision requiring the state Department of Health to share information about COVID-positive patients with law enforcement to help first responders.

Gov. Bill Lee and state Election Coordinator Mark Goins say fear of catching COVID-19 does not qualify as a reason to vote by mail as the state faces two legal challenges of its absentee ballot rules.

Memphis voters and a voter advocacy organization are suing the state for a court order allowing any voter worried about the COVID-19 pandemic to vote via absentee ballot.

The Tennessee Caucus of Black State Legislators is asking Gov. Bill Lee’s Administration to stop giving names and addresses of COVID-19-positive people to law enforcement, contending it will cause people who don't trust the government to avoid testing.

U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander of Tennessee appeared on "Meet the Press" hours before the test results were announced Sunday by his chief of staff. Alexander is in self quarantine where he will chair by videoconference a Monday Senate committee meeting featuring health expert Dr. Anthony Fauci. 

With a $700 million budget shortfall looming, House Minority Leader Karen Camper said the state needs make the Education Savings Account program its first cut.

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee says the goals of preserving lives and livelihoods has been a difficult balance at times. And Tennessee Health Commissioner Dr. Lisa Piercey says testing statewide is moving toward focusing on clusters and outbreaks of the virus just as local health officials are making the same shift.

The Davidson County chancellor who ruled the state’s voucher law is unconstitutional is allowing the state to expedite a challenge before the Court of Appeals. And the Governor's Office and state Sen. Brian Kelsey are ready to go to the state Supreme Court if necessary.

Davidson County Chancellor Anne C. Martin has struck down the state’s private school voucher law, known as the Education Savings Account (ESA) Pilot Program.

Gov. Bill Lee’s Economic Recovery Group, stacked with state commissioners and business lobbyists, leaned heavily toward business demands to restart the economy, mainly because it was afraid many would go under without a reboot

House and Senate leaders could run into disagreement on whether to concentrate only on the state’s budget in a COVID-19 economic disaster or take up hot social items such as abortion restrictions, constitutional carry and even the Bible bill when the Legislature returns June 1.

Gov. Bill Lee heard from barber shop and salon operators and decided to expedite the reopening of those businesses in most of the state, allowing them to reopen May 6, three weeks earlier than expected.