Tennessee’s House Democrats urged Gov. Bill Lee’s Administration to reverse policy and provide people with unemployment benefits even if they're scared to go back to work as the state opens businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Tennessee Coalition for Open Government joined news organizations and journalists in filing an open meetings lawsuit Wednesday, April 29, against the Tennessee Registry of Election Finance in connection with a settlement for state Rep. Joe Towns of Memphis.

With the COVID-19 pandemic expected to linger, Senate Democrats are asking the governor and Secretary of State's Office to come up with a plan to protect voters from getting sick at the ballot box.

Gov. Bill Lee refused Monday to rule out a renewal of his “safer at home” order in case COVID-19 cases surge again as people return to restaurants, stores and jobs this week.

Facing a possible $5 billion loss in gross domestic product from the COVID-19 crisis, Tennessee will open restaurants Monday, April 27, in 89 counties, even before lifting a “safer at home” order. Shelby County is not included in the re-opening.

Gov. Bill Lee announced plans Thursday, April 23, for restaurants and retail establishments in rural and suburban counties to start opening next week on a limited basis using social distancing guidelines. A “safer at home” order in Memphis remains in effect at least until May 5.

A House Democratic leader's call for the governor to waive weekly unemployment certification for hundreds of thousands of Tennesseans is drawing skepticism from the state's Labor and Workforce Development commissioner.

Instead of staying at home during the COVID-19 crisis, state Sen. Katrina Robinson went to work — inside a New York hospital. 

Tennessee leaders are trying to figure out how to spend $3.6 billion in federal COVID-19 funds, about half of which has arrived in the state as officials remain worried about tax revenue shortfalls and their impact on state and local budgets. 

Gov. Bill Lee is pledging to work with Shelby County and urban mayors statewide as they develop independent plans for reopening economies separately from the state’s more rural and suburban areas, which can kick in as early as April 27.

The House Democratic Caucus is questioning Gov. Bill Lee’s decision to reopen the state’s economy, saying he is putting people’s lives at risk by acting too soon.

Gov. Bill Lee announced Monday, April 20, 2020, businesses in 89 counties will be able to resume work when a “safer at home” order ends April 30, but Shelby and other large counties will set their own reopening strategies.

COVID-related protests in Tennessee and nationally are drawing mixed reviews from lawmakers with some calling them "troublesome" and "irresponsible" while others saying they are encouraging.

Tennessee’s Republican leaders are gung ho about Gov. Bill Lee’s plans to reboot the economy in May, but Democrats say they're worried about a COVID-19 surge that could set back the state's efforts and hurt the economy even more.

As a Tennessee labor leader says Gov. Bill Lee’s Economic Recovery Group leaves out labor and working people, a push is on for Congress to approve tens of billions more to help small businesses survive the COVID-19 crisis.

Tennessee’s gradual reopening of the economy could mirror President Donald Trump’s plan, Gov. Bill Lee said Thursday, April 16.

The Memphis area’s COVID-19 transmission rate is starting to slow down matching a statewide trend, according to a Vanderbilt University report, but researchers warn the progress is “fragile."

The Tennessee Democratic Party Executive Committee rejected state Rep. John DeBerry’s challenge Wednesday, April 15, keeping him off the House District 90 Democratic ballot in the August primary.

Gov. Bill Lee is admitting Tennessee runs the risk of a COVID-19 surge when the state starts to reopen the economy in May, but he argued an economic shutdown can’t continue for months, and he hopes to quell a surge with more testing and hospital capacity.

House Education Committee Chairman Mark White is skeptical about the safety of reopening schools this year because of the need to maintain social distancing.

State Rep. John DeBerry is facing a tax bill of nearly $100,000 on his late father's church building, according to the Shelby County Trustee's Office, as he prepares to challenge removal from the Democratic ticket in the August election.

State Rep. John DeBerry said Monday he has no other choice but to challenge a decision by the Tennessee Democratic Party Executive Committee to remove him from the August primary.

Leading Democrats and Republicans in the General Assembly are knocking the Tennessee Democratic Party’s decision to take veteran state Rep. John DeBerry of Memphis off the August primary ballot.

A Vanderbilt University COVID-19 model projects the disease will peak in Tennessee by mid-June under the state’s status quo but could start winding down by mid-May if the state gets more aggressive with testing and contact tracing.

Tennessee’s request for Medicaid funding to treat COVID-19 patients appears to be on life support as the federal government looks to the CARES Act to distribute billions of crisis dollars to state governments.