House considers additional safety measures, prepares to pass budget Lawmakers have been winding down legislative business for the first session of the 113th General Assembly as the House and Senate chambers prepare to pass a budget and additional safety measures to keep firearms out of the hands of dangerous individuals. Gov. Bill Lee on Tuesday…

Pro-life bill strengthens protections for mothers in emergencies The House chamber on Monday passed legislation ensuring the life of a mother will be protected when a nonviable pregnancy endangers her life. House Bill 883, sponsored by State Rep. Esther Helton-Haynes, R-East Ridge, clarifies that terminating a nonviable pregnancy, such as in the case of an…

 House protects Tennessee workers’ right to private votes House Republicans on Thursday passed legislation ensuring Tennessee workers’ rights are protected by secret ballot in union-organizing elections. House Bill 1342, sponsored by House Speaker Cameron Sexton, R-Crossville, and State Rep. Kevin Vaughan, R-Collierville, prohibits an employer who accepts economic development incentives from Tennessee from disclosing an…

General Assembly confirms new Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Members of the General Assembly confirmed the appointment of Dwight E. Tarwater to the Tennessee Supreme Court in a joint session in the House chamber on Thursday. Tarwater, a Knoxville attorney, brings more than 40 years of legal background to the court, including decades of trial and…

The pace picked up this week on Capitol Hill with lawmakers advancing several bills through committee and on the House floor. The House Finance, Ways and Means Committee continued its work advancing the priorities of Tennesseans for next year by completing its seventh week of budget hearings. The House Education Committee on Wednesday held a…

Republicans advance ban on taxpayer-funded transgender surgeries The House Insurance Subcommittee this week advanced Republican legislation to protect taxpayer money from being used for transgender surgeries in Tennessee. House Bill 1215 would prohibit a managed care organization (MCO) contracted with TennCare from covering any medical procedures performed for the purpose of changing a person’s sex.…