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.

With Gov. Bill Lee declaring a state of emergency, Republican legislative leaders are calling for limited visits to the Capitol complex in an effort to stem to spread of the coronavirus, though Democrats say more extensive steps should be taken.

The Tennessee Registry of Election Finance cut state Rep. Joe Towns some slack Wednesday, March 11, even though he was 166 penalty days late on mid-year supplemental filing for 2019.

Lawmakers made a move Tuesday toward pay for student-athletes, an effort designed to avert situations like the James Wiseman case at the University of Memphis.

With Democrats criticizing the state’s response to the coronavirus, Republican Gov. Bill Lee is considering declaring a state of emergency after Tennessee confirmed its fourth case, Health Commissioner Lisa Piercey said Monday.

A bill filed Monday authorized the governor to start negotiating immediately with the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and President Donald Trump to provide primary care “relative to the prevention and treatment of coronavirus” to all Tennesseans.

Medical cannabis legislation could reach a House floor vote this year for the first time, leaders say. But running a gauntlet in the Senate is likely to prove more difficult.

The Shelby County mayor contends the proposed rule changes will stop “onerous” permitting requirements while still protecting the Memphis Sand Aquifer, a move he believes will stop legislation designed to undermine county rules.

Democrats say Tennessee’s controlling Republicans took care of Gov. Bill Lee’s permitless carry and anti-abortion initiatives even though a terrible tornado killed people across the state and left a path of destruction.

Hours after Tennessee officials confirmed the state's first case of the coronavirus, one Memphis lawmaker said the state is “absolutely not” prepared to deal with a potential health crisis stemming from COVID-19.

Legislation designed to reduce Shelby County’s control over landowners’ drilling of water wells – a move some believe could threaten the Memphis Sands Aquifer – is being put off for at least a year.

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.

A Senate committee recommended passage of legislation enabling people to carry handguns without a state permit, despite hearing from police officers and the parent of a woman whose son was gunned down at an Antioch Waffle House.

With the backing of state Rep. Kevin Vaughan, medical cannabis legislation passed a House subcommittee Tuesday. The measure would set up a state system for clinical treatment and research, according to the bill's sponsor.

Responding to Cyntoia Brown's case, legislation by state Rep. London Lamar of Memphis has passed in the House enabling victims of human trafficking to use it as a self-defense in criminal cases.

Bartlett Republican state Rep. Jim Coley and East Memphis Republican Mark White are two Shelby County GOP lawmakers likely to oppose Gov. Bill Lee's "constitutional carry" legislation, which could put them in the minority among the Legislature's supermajority party.

In a 3-2 decision, the court upheld a 2011 state law capping damages juries can award in personal injury lawsuits, reversing rulings in two lower courts and drawing criticism from a Democratic Memphis lawmaker.

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

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

House Education Committee Chairman Mark White is taking a "slow walk" on Gov. Bill Lee's proposed early childhood literacy legislation, a $68 million proposal to tackle poor reading skills among students.

A bill sponsored to stop schools from “shaming” students with heavy meal debt narrowly cleared a major hurdle Wednesday.

James Wiseman played only three games for the Memphis Tigers, but Shelby County lawmakers are still targeting the NCAA and trying to protect student-athletes from exploitation.

House Education Committee Chairman Mark White postponed votes on the confirmation of two of the governor’s appointees to the Tennessee Public Charter Schools Commission after running into opposition on the House floor.

State Rep. London Lamar is gaining momentum to pass legislation enabling students who become pregnant to keep their HOPE Scholarship funds.

The governor’s main initiatives on K-12 education, abortion and family leave are running into obstacles – legislative and legal – in his second year in office.