General Assembly celebrates agriculture in Tennessee Tennessee’s annual Ag Day on the Hill was held at the State Capitol in Nashville on March 19 and featured a variety of events, exhibits, activities and livestock along with producers and exhibitors from across the state. The event coincided with National Agriculture Week. In Tennessee, agriculture-related industries employ…

General Assembly confirms new Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Members of the General Assembly confirmed the appointment of Mary L. Wagner to the Tennessee Supreme Court in a joint session in the House chamber on Monday. Wagner is currently the circuit court judge for the 30th Judicial District, which covers Shelby County. She previously served as…

The General Assembly this week approved legislation that updates the Veterinarian Medical Practice Act to allow veterinarians in the state to report suspected animal abuse.  House Bill 2079, sponsored by State Rep. Bryan Terry, R-Murfreesboro, will authorize veterinarians, while acting in a professional capacity and in a current veterinarian-client-patient relationship, to file a report to…

General Assembly passes ELVIS Act Tennessee first in the nation to protect ‘voice’ from AI misuse The General Assembly this week unanimously passed first-of-its-kind legislation protecting artists’ identity and work from misuse of artificial intelligence (AI). The Ensuring Likeness Voice and Image Security (ELVIS) Act, sponsored by House Majority Leader William Lamberth, R-Portland, now heads…

House advances school choice, bolsters public education Plan gives families the power to use their tax dollars to choose the best school that meets the needs of their child House Republicans this week unveiled a sweeping proposal to improve education in Tennessee by expanding school choice opportunities for families and strengthening existing public schools statewide.…

House approves Duty to Warn Act to enhance public safety The Tennessee House of Representatives this week approved Republican legislation to increase protections for those targeted by threats of violence. House Bill 1625, also known as the Duty to Warn Act, requires mental health professionals and behavior analysts in Tennessee to inform local law enforcement…

House advances Debbie and Marie Domestic Violence Protection Act The House Criminal Justice Subcommittee this week advanced legislation that would significantly increase protections for victims of aggravated domestic assault in Tennessee. House Bill 2692, also known as The Debbie and Marie Domestic Violence Protection Act, would require aggravated assault suspects in certain domestic violence cases…

Gov. Lee unveils legislative priorities, budget in State of the State address Tennessee is ‘strong, resilient and ready for the future’ Gov. Bill Lee on Monday delivered his sixth State of the State address during a joint session of the General Assembly. During his speech in the House chamber, Lee highlighted his legislative priorities for…

At close of business on Jan. 31 this week was the bill filling deadline for the Tennessee House of Representatives. This meant that any bills that legislators wanted to be considered this session had to be submitted to the clerk’s office before the deadline or they would have to wait until next session. We worked…