GOP Bill to ‘Fast Track’ Death Penalty Convictions Moves to Finance Committee
A bill to “fast track” death penalty convictions will be considered on March 6 in a Tennessee House subcommittee. House Bill 0258, sponsored by Rep. Mary Littleton, R-Dickson, District 78, passed the House Judiciary Committee on Feb. 27. The legislation would remove an appeal to the Court of Criminal Appeals in death penalty cases, which…
Read MoreSen. Dickerson Ignores Effort to Expand On-Site Voting for Senior Citizens, Disabled
A measure to expand on-site voting access to elderly and disabled Tennesseans living in certain institutional homes failed Feb. 26 in a Senate committee. Senate Bill 0192, sponsored by Sen. Katrina Robinson, D-Memphis, District 33, would have expanded a popular voting program that facilitates on-site voting at licensed nursing homes to include “institutions designated for…
Read MoreGOP kills DMV automatic voter registration bill
The House Subcommittee on Elections & Campaign Finance rejected a measure that would create an automatic voter registration option when qualified citizens apply for a drivers license or photo identification. Sponsored by Rep. Bo Mitchell, D-Nashville, District 50, House Bill 1210 was straightforward; citizens applying for driver license or photo identification card in Tennessee would…
Read MoreFor-profit, online school — with dismal student results — headed toward extension
The Tennessee Virtual Public Schools Act, which authorized the creation of of the state’s largest online school serving kindergarten through 8th grade, is set to expire in June. The school, Tennessee Virtual Academy, is operated by K12, Inc., a for-profit company that has contract with Union County. Union County receives about $8,600 for each of…
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