Tennessee announced on Thursday that it received settlement money from a rent-pricing manipulation lawsuit.
The Volunteer State got $7 million from the settlement with LivCor, a Chicago-based real estate investing company, over allegations that the company used rent-pricing software, including RealPage products, and competitors’ confidential data to raise apartment rents.
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Wilson County may be the next county in Tennessee to establish zoning regulations for data centers.
On Monday, at its county commission meeting, Commissioner Lauren Breeze said that she was working on introducing an amendment to regulate data centers in Wilson County.
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Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell signed an executive order allowing Metro departments to review the impact of large-scale data centers on the city.
“We don’t want the potential negative impacts of large-scale data centers in our neighborhoods, so in partnership with the Metro Council, we’re taking action to ensure we put proper regulations in place before any more of these things are proposed,” said O’Connell on Monday.
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The Metropolitan Planning Commission decided to put off a decision on regulating data centers in Davidson County.
The planning commission will consider a proposed ordinance on June 25th that will provide a “comprehensive regulatory framework for data centers.”
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The Coffee County Commission unanimously passed a resolution on Tuesday imposing a one-year moratorium on data centers.
According to the resolution, the one-year ban will allow the county’s planning commission to propose zoning regulations regarding data centers.
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The Nashville Zoo is pushing back against a proposed data center planned for a site next to the zoo.
Nashville Zoo launched an online petition this week urging people to sign and resist the proposed data center.
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Knoxville Mayor Indya Kincannon sent a letter to the Knoxville-Knox County Planning Committee on Monday, saying she will introduce an ordinance seeking a one-year moratorium on large data centers in Knoxville.
Kincannon is pursuing “recommendations” about “guardrails for the site selection and operational requirements of data centers within the city.”
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A new U.S. congressional bill seeks to compel states to share their voter roll data with the federal government.
The Election Security Partnership Act would provide additional grant funding to states that submit their voter roll information to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for use in checking for ineligible voters and non-citizens.
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A Tennessee nurse practitioner is facing a lengthy prison sentence after being found guilty of drug-related offenses.
A jury found Heather Marks, a 43-year-old, guilty of conspiracy to illegally distribute controlled substances and eight counts of illegally distributing controlled substances. She will be sentenced on September 1st and faces up to 20 years in prison for each count of conviction.
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The coalition seeking to end state property taxes announced its leadership team for all 95 counties in Tennessee.
Ninety-five percent of these county leadership positions for the “Yes on 2” campaign, the ballot initiative seeking to amend the state Constitution to ban state property taxes, are held by elected officials.
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Tennessee will become the first state in America to establish regulations for nuclear fusion machines.
The Volunteer State will unveil the regulations on June 9th.
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Tennessee submitted an amicus brief opposing Colorado local governments that are attempting to use Colorado state law to control nationwide energy policy.
The Volunteer State filed the brief this week in the Supreme Court case Suncor Energy (U.S.A.) Inc. v. County Commissioners of Boulder County.
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Former Democratic Metro Council Member Jerry Maynard Jr. and other family members are being accused by Eli Lilly, a drug company, of attempting to steal more than $200 million.
Eli Lilly, which generated over $65 billion in profit last year, alleges that Jerry Maynard Jr., his father Jerry Maynard Sr., his sister Misha Maynard, and others allegedly tried to defraud the company by buying large quantities of a diabetes medication called Trulicity and fraudulently selling it.
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Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti and other attorneys general have joined forces to oppose a U.S. House bill proposal seeking to protect kids from online harm.
Skrmetti and 43 other attorneys general, including 41 states, Washington, D.C., and the Northern Mariana Islands, sent a letter on Tuesday to congressional leadership expressing concern about the House’s Kids Internet and Digital Safety (KIDS) Act.
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Williamson County School District is facing backlash after holding high school graduation ceremonies in heavy rain.
Online videos surfaced last week showing Centennial High School and Franklin High School graduates sitting through heavy rainstorms and receiving their diplomas in the rain.
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The state’s jobless rate was 3.6 percent, unchanged since February. America’s average unemployment rate is 4.3 percent.
Tennessee is tied with Idaho for the 15th-lowest unemployment rate in America. The states with the lowest jobless rates in America are South Dakota, North Dakota, and Hawaii.
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A left-wing immigration group in Tennessee filed a lawsuit this week against the state highway patrol, accusing the law enforcement agency of conducting traffic stops to look for civil immigration violations.
Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition (TIRRC) said in its lawsuit that the Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP) has been working “in tandem” with federal law enforcement “with the shared goal of detaining motorists to investigate their immigration status.”
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The Knox County Commission unanimously passed a resolution on Monday stating data centers will not be able to connect to the electric grid.
If data centers want to use on-site power generation sources such as solar, wind, fossil fuels, or nuclear power, they will need to obtain separate zoning approval.
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Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell appointed the wife of a Democratic state legislator to be the city’s new director of the Department of Law.
Tyler Yarbro, the wife of State Senator Jeff Yarbro (D-Nashville), is set to replace Wally Dietz, who is retiring in July.
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The sheriff of Tennessee’s second-biggest county by population is claiming that a new potential state immigration law does not apply to him.
Nashville-Davidson County Sheriff Daron Hall told Tennessee Outlook that the county does not need to follow House Bill (HB) 2219, which requires county sheriffs to enter into a 287(g) program agreement with the federal government, because he lacks the required certification.
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Defendants with alleged ties to Tren de Aragua (TdA) are facing serious time behind bars.
Maikel Jesus Albornoz-Jimenez, Eduard Jesus Velasquez-Matute, Faren Aldahir Marquez-Cruz, Jose Luis Baza-Rodriguez, and Luis Manuel Tovar-Virguz are being charged with numerous federal crimes ranging from drug trafficking to firearms trafficking.
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A new bipartisan congressional bill aims to speed up the timeline for the Veterans Affairs (VA) construction project.
The Faster VA Construction Act, introduced by Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and her colleagues, would allow VA construction projects to use commercial building codes and standards whenever possible.
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A Tennessee state Democrat is calling for the City of Memphis to secede from Tennessee after the state passed a new congressional map.
The Tennessee General Assembly approved a new map that turns the state’s 9th Congressional District into a district where Republicans are now favored. Previously, the district had been the state’s only majority-black district and a Democratic stronghold.
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Shelby County Commissioner Mickell Lowery won the Democratic primary for Shelby County Mayor.
According to unofficial election results, Lowery defeated seven other candidates in the primary, earning 32.03 percent of the vote. Memphis City Council Member JB Smiley, Jr. came in second with 23.80 percent of the vote.
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House Speaker Cameron Sexton (R-Crossville) introduced five bills on the first day of Tennessee’s special session to consider redrawing its congressional map.
Governor Bill Lee called a special session last week after the Supreme Court’s decision in Louisiana v. Callais, ruling the Voting Rights Act did not require states to create additional majority-minority congressional districts.
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State Representative Justin Pearson (D-Memphis) criticized Tennessee’s efforts to redraw its congressional map.
The Supreme Court ruled in the case of Louisiana v. Callais that the Voting Rights Act does not mandate states to create extra majority-minority congressional districts.
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Two manufacturing companies announcing expansion plans in Tennessee anticipate creating more than 500 jobs.
The companies, Stella-Jones and Light Electric Vehicles (LEV) Manufacturing, will invest more than $50 million to complete their expansion project.
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A new congressional bill seeks to help small business owners save taxes by lowering the small tax deduction rate.
Representative. David Kustoff (R-TN-08) introduced the Small Business Tax Cut Act, which would increase the small business deduction rate from 20 percent to 23 percent. The current deduction lets qualified businesses reduced 20% of their income from federal income taxes.
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A Democratic Super PAC will be spending a large sum of money to help unseat Rep. Andy Ogles (R-TN-05) in November.
The House Majority PAC (HMP) announced last week that it will spend nearly $1.6 million in television and digital advertising for the Nashville market.
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The Tennessee General Assembly adjourned the 2026 legislative session this week, concluding Governor Bill Lee’s final session.
“Over eight legislative sessions, we’ve passed strategic measures to invest in education, strengthen our workforce, improve infrastructure, and secure our state’s position as a leader in next-generation nuclear energy,” Lee said.
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A new report shows Oracle has not lived up to its promise to bring thousands of jobs to Tennessee.
According to LayoffHedge, Oracle has created a net gain of seven jobs from 2022 to January 2026.
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Starbucks will be investing $100 million in Tennessee as it opens a new corporate office in Nashville.
The coffee company said on Tuesday its expansion into the Volunteer State will create up to 2,000 jobs to support coffeehouse growth and customer demand, while working with its global headquarters in Seattle.
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Nashville Pride announced its gay pride festival will take place on June 27th.
The festival date comes after questions about whether Nashville Pride could put on another parade in 2026, following a budget shortfall last year.
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A congressional bill wants to increase penalties for assaulting a Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) correctional officer.
Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and Tom Cotton (R-AK) introduced the Safer Prisons Act, which will double the maximum term of imprisonment for assaulting one of these correctional officers.
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A bill proposal seeking to clarify Tennessee’s “intent to go armed” provision is dead this session.
The House Judiciary Committee did not take any action on House Bill (HB) 2064 on Tuesday, which attempted to rewrite Tennessee gun laws.
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A candidate for the Rutherford County School Board was arrested on a charge of theft of property under $1,000.
Charles Isbell, who is running against Tammy Sharp for School Board Zone 1, was arrested on Monday for allegedly removing campaign signs, according to Sharp.
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The Tennessee General Assembly is imposing limits on local governments’ ability to relocate homeless people.
The State House and State Senate passed Senate Bill (SB) 1788 last week, which prevents local governments from relocating homeless people unless they have written consent from the receiving jurisdiction and the relocation is carried out through a formal reunification program.
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Data centers in Tennessee may soon need to pay for infrastructure costs they create.
This week, the Senate Commerce and Labor Committee passed Senate Bill (SB) 2128, which prevents data center companies from passing on the costs of facility and utility upgrades to customers.
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The Tennessee Senate Commerce and Labor Committee passed a bill this week that would require TennCare and public employee group insurance plans to cover a medical test used to assist with diagnosing diseases.
State senators approved Senate Bill (SB) 0435 by a vote of 8 to 1, requiring these entities to cover biomarker testing when ordered by a healthcare provider. The bill proposal now goes to the Senate floor for deliberation.
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Illegal immigrants in Tennessee who fail to leave the state after being issued a final federal deportation order may be charged with a crime for not leaving the state.
The Tennessee Senate passed Senate Bill (SB) 1779, which would create a misdemeanor crime for illegal immigrants who stay in the state after a final federal deportation order is issued against them.
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Tennessee seeks to advance America’s nuclear capabilities after submitting an application to host a Nuclear Lifecycle Innovation Campus.
The Volunteer State submitted its proposal last week to have its Oak Ridge nuclear site become part of the federal-state partnership.
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The Tennessee State House will vote on a bill next week that would help local law enforcement agencies combat illegal immigration.
State representatives will debate House Bill (HB) 2018, which was introduced by State Representative Mark Cochran (R-Englewood).
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The Tennessee Legislature passed a bill targeting people or groups that hire protesters.
Senate President Randy McNally (R-Oak Ridge) and House Speaker Cameron Sexton (R-Crossville) signed off on the bill this week after both chambers passed Senate Bill (SB) 2222.
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Davidson County saw its population increase the most of any county in Tennessee last year, according to the University of Tennessee-Knoxville (UTK)’s Boyd Center for Business and Economic Research. Tennessee’s second most populous county gained 9,281 residents from 2024 to 2025, going from 736,623 to 745,904. The county experienced a 1.3 percent increase in population growth. Rutherford County gained the second-largest number of residents from 2024 to 2025. The Middle Tennessee county increased its population from 380,086 to 386,352, a gain of 6,266 residents. This generated a 1.6 percent increase in Rutherford County’s population. In addition to these two counties, Wilson County saw its population increase from 170,340 to 175,033, a gain of 4,693 residents. This led to its population increasing by 2.8 percent from 2024 to 2025. UTK also examined the state’s fastest-growing counties by percentage. Trousdale County experienced the highest percentage growth among counties in the state, rising 3.6 percent from 2024 to 2025. However, Trousdale County has a small population, which increased by only 434 people, from 12,189 to 12,623. Maury County saw the second-highest population growth, rising from 114,456 in 2024 to 118,131 in 2025. The third-fastest-growing population in a Tennessee county, based on percentage, was…
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The Tennessee House will debate a bill on Thursday that regulates children’s involvement in online content creation.
The State House will deliberate on Senate Bill (SB) 1469, which allows children to receive money they generate from their own online content creation or from appearing in someone else’s content.
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Tennessee gender clinics may soon be required to offer detransition procedures for transgender people.
The State House passed House Bill (HB) 0754 this week, which mandates gender clinics that accept state funds to offer detransition procedures to patients.
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The Tennessee House Finance, Ways and Means Subcommittee will hear a bill on Wednesday that helps the state respond to disasters quickly and efficiently.
House Bill (HB) 2543, which was introduced by State Representative William Lamberth (R-Portland), would have the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency manage disaster funding decisions rather than the state Department of Finance & Administration.
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Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) introduced a bill that would expand access to mental health care for veterans.
Under the Recognizing Community Organizations for Veteran Engagement and Recovery (RECOVER) Act, a three-year pilot program would be created at the Veterans Affairs (VA) for mental health.
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Representative Andy Ogles (R-TN-05) wrote a public letter to American Muslim leaders on Friday, asking them to condemn the recent violent attacks that have been allegedly perpetrated by Muslims.
“In the last three weeks, our nation has faced a series of violent attacks by Muslims citing religious justifications for their bloodshed,” Ogles wrote.
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Tennessee joined 20 other states in petitioning the Supreme Court to take up a lower court case about a Pennsylvania mail-in ballot law.
The state attorneys general requested this week that the Court review and overturn a federal appellate court’s decision striking down Pennsylvania’s law requiring voters to handwrite the date on their mail-in ballots.
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