The Tennessee House of Representatives Tuesday passed a bill that would significantly increase the penalty for making violent threats against schools.
HB 2198 “increases the penalty for the offense of threatening to commit an act of mass violence on school property or at a school-related activity from a Class A misdemeanor to a Class E felony.”
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Tennessee U.S. Representative Andy Ogles (R-TN-05) recently picked up endorsements from four of his colleagues serving the Volunteer State in the U.S. House of Representatives.
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As crime continues to plague the cities of Nashville and Memphis, Tennessee’s U.S. Attorneys have deemphasized prosecuting those who violate our criminal laws. In the first year of office for President Biden’s U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, criminal case filings declined by over 25 percent compared to the previous year.
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After recent wins, the United Auto Workers (UAW) looks poised to take on the non-unionized automakers and, if successful, could disrupt the whole industry.
The UAW recently filed a petition with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to hold a vote at a Volkswagen plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee, which employs around 4,000 autoworkers, as it looks to expand its reach to other automakers. A successful union vote in Chattanooga could be a key stepping stone in the UAW’s effort to break into the currently non-unionized auto plants, especially in the south, which has historically been less receptive to unions, all the while the UAW is being emboldened by labor-friendly regulators from the Biden administration, experts told the Daily Caller News Foundation.
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Tennessee U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) is calling on Senate leadership to take “immediate action” on a bill that would force ByteDance, the Chinese parent company of TikTok, to divest within six months or face being banned in the U.S.
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Tennessee U.S. Representative Tim Burchett (R-TN-02) said the Department of Justice’s new National Extreme Risk Protection Order (ERPO) Resource Center in an “unauthorized attack” on the Second Amendment.
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The U.S. Senate failed to pass an amendment introduced by U.S. Senator Bill Hagerty (R-TN) on Saturday that would stop taxpayer dollars from funding charter flights being used to secretly fly illegal aliens from other nations directly into states across the country for resettlement.
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U.S. Representative Andy Ogles (R-TN-05) slammed the passage of a “minibus” $1.2 trillion spending bill on Friday that would fund six of the 12 appropriations divisions for Fiscal Year 2024.
Moments before the House passed the bill by a 286-134 vote, Ogles, along with other members of the Freedom Caucus, held a press conference where he said the American people had been “sold out.”
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Tennessee has joined a multi-state antitrust lawsuit against Apple, which claims that the Silicon Valley company is monopolizing the smartphone market.
“Apple, the most valuable company in the world, stifled competition in the smartphone market at the expense of consumers,” said Tennessee Attorney General Skrmetti in a press release. “When companies win by innovating, consumers benefit. When companies win by kneecapping their competition, consumers suffer.”
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The Tennessee Comptroller’s Office announced on Thursday that it resolved a number of “mistakes” made by Shelby County Clerk Wanda Halbert just three weeks after beginning an audit.
In February, Tennessee Comptroller Jason Mumpower announced a “deep concern and lack of confidence” in Halbert’s office after she failed to submit regular revenue reports for the county, and said auditors with his office would seek to remedy the failures allegedly caused by “incompetence and willful neglect” by Halbert.
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Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti has joined a coalition of 22 state attorneys general in filing an amicus brief at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit in support of Texas’s illegal alien removal law, SB4, being challenged in the case United States v. Texas.
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Sheila Matthews, co-founder of the national non-profit parent organization AbleChild, and activist Amy Miller with the Reform Pharma initiative of Children’s Health Defense, detailed the progress a bill that would help determine the link between Big Pharma drugs and mass shooters has made in the Tennessee General Assembly since its introduction.
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An infamous Tennessee doctor who exchanged prescription opiates for sex and money will serve 20 years in federal prison, according to a release by the Department of Justice (DOJ).
Jeffrey Young Jr. of Jackson, who was known as the “Rock Doc,” will begin serving his time immediately.
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A bill in the Tennessee House of Representatives would trigger harsher penalties for violent crimes if the person convicted of those crimes is an illegal alien.
HB 1872 “authorizes the enhancement of criminal penalties up to life in prison without parole upon conviction of violent crimes by illegal aliens; conviction of possession of a firearm or deadly weapon by an illegal alien; or conviction of a violent crime on the property of a school by any person.”
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Tennessee lawmakers are poised to pass legislation instituting harsher penalties for those caught providing transportation to illegal immigrants in the state, but first plan to introduce amendments protecting “good Samaritans” and professional drivers from unknowingly violating the law.
The Senate Judiciary Committee considered SB 2802, which would impose a $5,000 fine for individuals caught transporting illegal immigrants in the state on Wednesday, when Senator Joey Hensley (R-Hohenwald) introduced an amendment to his bill he said closed existing loopholes within the law.
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Virginia State Senator L. Louise Lucas acknowledged in a Tuesday interview that Governor Glenn Youngkin could veto the budget proposed by lawmakers, but nonetheless insisted any compromise that would fund the creation of the Potomac Yards arena for the Washington Wizards and Capitals is a “non-starter.”
In her Tuesday interview with WTOP News, she acknowledged Youngkin’s remarks indicating “he may have to veto the budget,” calling it “his prerogative.” Still, she pledged, “at no point will I ever be in a position to say I am going to commit state tax dollars for an arena that’s going to benefit billionaires,” calling it “a non-starter for me.”
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Tennessee’s Department of Economic and Community Development has handed out more than $8.8 million in incentives since it last posted FastTrack incentives for February.
Those include $3.4 million to Schneider Electric in Mount Juliet and Smyrna, $2.5 million to Shoals Technologies Group in Portland, $1.6 million to Nokian Tyres in Dayton and $1.3 million to an unnamed project.
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Tom Pappert, lead reporter for The Tennessee Star, said members of the Tennessee congressional delegation have not shown an interest in taking up J6 prisoner Ronald Colton McAbee’s case due to the level of “fear” surrounding the overall defense of J6 defendants.
Last month, McAbee was sentenced to almost six years in prison, three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $32,165 in restitution after being convicted and pleading guilty to six felony charges and one misdemeanor charge for being present at the U.S. Capitol on January 6.
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The Tennessee General Assembly on Monday passed legislation that would see families of juvenile offenders fined for repeated criminal acts and teenage thieves charged as adults, with the bills now headed to Governor Bill Lee for final approval.
The Juvenile Organized Retail Theft Act, SB 2573, mandates that punishments for organized retail theft and car break-ins resulting in the theft of more than $1,000 worth of goods must be considered a Class E felony, which carries a sentence of at least one year in prison. The bill would additionally apply to juvenile defendants who are at least 15.
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Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti led a coalition of 23 other state attorneys general in submitting a public comment letter in opposition to a new proposed rule by the Department of Labor.
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More than 30 school districts in East Tennessee have joined a lawsuit first filed by Clarksville-Montgomery County School System (CMCSS) against social media companies, claiming that those companies are harming children.
According to WBIR, Knox, Anderson, Blount, Claiborne, Fentress, Grainger, Greene, Hamblen, Lenoir City, Loudon, Maryville, Oak Ridge, Oneida, and Sevier counties have joined the suit, which names eta, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, Google, YouTube and WhatsApp as defendants.
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Sarah McAbee, the wife of J6 defendant Ronald Colton McAbee, said her husband has undergone unfair treatment both while incarcerated awaiting trial and during his jury trial for being present at the U.S. Capitol on January 6.
D.C. U.S. District Judge Rudolph Contreras sentenced Ronald McAbee last month to almost six years in prison, three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $32,165 in restitution after being convicted and pleading guilty to six felony charges and one misdemeanor charge.
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After a short reprieve gas prices in Tennessee are once again on the rise, defying traditional patterns.
Monday’s average gas price per gallon in the Volunteer State was $3.09 per gallon, up from $3.07 a week ago, according to the American Automobile Association (AAA).
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A new bill that originated in the Tennessee Senate would require drug dealers who contribute to the overdose of drug users to be charged with murder.
SB 1754 was introduced in January and is now making its way through Tennessee Senate committees.
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After a short debate, a bill requiring law enforcement to follow standard procedure and notify relevant federal law enforcement entities of illegal alien arrests has passed the Tennessee House.
HB 2124 “requires, rather than authorizes, law enforcement agencies to communicate with the appropriate federal official regarding the immigration status of any individual, including reporting knowledge that a particular alien is not lawfully present in the United States or otherwise cooperate with the appropriate federal official in the identification, apprehension, detention, or removal of aliens not lawfully present in the United States.”
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The Republican Liberty Caucus endorsed U.S. Representative Andy Ogles’ (R-TN-05) reelection bid for Tennessee’s 5th Congressional District.
“The Republican Liberty Caucus proudly endorses Andrew Ogles in TN-5,” the political organization wrote in an X post on Thursday. “[Ogles] has become one of the top defenders of liberty in the House. An unwavering voice for freedom and smaller government, he scored a 95 on our Liberty Index during his first year in Congress.”
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Sources tell The Tennessee Star that 89 prisoners currently incarcerated in the Tennessee Dept of Corrections are receiving gender hormone therapy.
The program apparently began as an unpublicized policy under the Haslam administration. The policy was not available on any public website nor did it follow the normal course of action to become a regulation, which would have required public hearings.
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A Tennessee Senate committee on Wednesday voted down a bill that would have required the state to provide a form of driver’s license to illegal immigrants which would have conferred the same rights and privileges as official licenses issued to United States citizens.
State Senator Heidi Campbell (D-Nashville) called the identification documents “driver privilege cards” during Wednesday’s Senate Transportation and Safety Committee meeting, arguing her bill would have made roads safer in Tennessee.
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Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti joined a coalition of 25 other state attorneys general in sending a letter to leaders in the U.S. Senate urging the immediate passage of the Laken Riley Act.
Laken Riley, the 22-year-old Georgia nursing student, was allegedly killed at the hands of an illegal Venezuelan immigrant while on a jog near campus.
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Tennessee U.S. Senators Bill Hagerty (R-TN) and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) were among a group of Republican U.S. senators that introduced the Laken Riley Act on Wednesday.
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The U.S. House of Representatives on recently legislation filed by Representatives Steve Cohen (D-TN-09) and Tim Burchett (R-TN-02) that would require the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) to publish the salaries of its top executives, Cohen announced in a Monday press release.
Titled the TVA Salary Transparency Act, text of the two-page bill reveals new requirements would be posed for the TVA to provide annually “a report of the total number of employees at the management level or above, to include all executives and board members, that shall include the names, salaries, and duties” of employees “that are receiving compensation” higher than that allotted to the highest paid government employees.
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Tennessee State Senator Mark Pody (R-Lebanon) said the East Bank development in Nashville should be a “private act” that does not fall on the backs of Tennessee taxpayers.
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The Tennessee General Assembly voted to confirm Governor Bill Lee’s appointment of Shelby County circuit court judge Mary Wagner to the Supreme Court on Monday.
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The Tennessee General Assembly is considering legislation that would enshrine the legal right of members of the public to carry a variety of non lethal weapons on college campuses.
Already passed in the Tennessee House of Representatives on last Monday, HB 1909 by Representative Gino Bulso (R-Brentwood) would specify “that it is not a criminal offense for an adult person to carry or possess pepper spray, a taser, or another similar device for purposes of self-defense” when on any college or university.
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Tennessee collected nearly $7 million in taxes on more than $380 million worth of sports wagers placed in the state in February.
That compares to nearly $6.4 million in taxes on $327 million in wagers in February 2023, which included one less day than February 2024, and $3 million in February 2022.
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According to a summary of refugee arrivals for the first portion of fiscal year 2024, the Democratic Republic of Congo tops the list of refugees resettled in Tennessee in terms of national origin.
The report says that the total number of Congolese refugees resettled in the Volunteer State from October 1 through February 29 is 264.
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Tennessee State Representative Justin Jones (D-Nashville) traveled to a migrant camp in Mexico on Friday where he claimed that there is “no invasion” of migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border.
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The U.S. Senate failed to pass an amendment introduced by U.S. Senator Bill Hagerty (R-TN) that would bar illegal immigrants from being factored into the count for congressional districts and the Electoral College map that determines presidential elections on Friday.
A total of 47 Democrats, three Independents, and one Republican senator voted against the amendment, which failed to pass by a 45-51 vote.
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The Tennessee State Senate advanced a new version of a bill aimed at addressing drunk driving laws, but the version advanced by lawmakers on Thursday was amended to omit any plans to ban the sale of cold beer.
After lawmakers greeted “The Tennessee Prevention of Drunk Driving Act” with a lukewarm reception over language that banned stores from selling cold beer to the public in a bid to lower the number of drunk drivers throughout the state, its sponsor announced plans to change the contents of the legislation through an amendment.
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The Tennessee General Assembly is advancing a bill that would bar the state’s Department of Child Services (DCS) from forcing ideology about gender and sexuality on prospective foster and adoptive parents.
SB 1738/HB 2169 passed through the House Children and Family Subcommittee on Wednesday after testimony and discussion.
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A bill being debated in the Tennessee General Assembly would require law enforcement agencies to follow the proper protocol of reporting illegal alien arrestees to federal authorities.
HB 2124 “requires, rather than authorizes, law enforcement agencies to communicate with the appropriate federal official regarding the immigration status of any individual, including reporting knowledge that a particular alien is not lawfully present in the United States or otherwise cooperate with the appropriate federal official in the identification, apprehension, detention, or removal of aliens not lawfully present in the United States.”
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Just when it seemed impossible for things to get tougher for small businesses, the federal government decided to make things worse.
Small businesses have had a tough run for the last few years. Record inflation, high interest rates, and workforce shortages have led to widespread pessimism among small businesses. The last thing they need is more government interference, but that is exactly what is happening.
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Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, as chair of the Republican Governors Association (RGA), responded to President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address on Thursday by saying conservative-led states are a “steady reminder that America’s best days are still ahead.”
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Tennessee State Senator Joey Hensley (R-Hohenwald) said he voted present on the State Senate’s version of Governor Bill Lee’s universal school choice bill this week in the education committee because he said he believed there needed to be “more discussion” on the bill before it advanced out of committee.
“I was present, not voting, because I felt like we needed more discussion in the education committee,” Hensley said on Thursday’s episode of The Michael Patrick Leahy Show.
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Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti has joined a coalition of 26 other state attorneys general in sending a letter to Meta, the parent company of social media giants Facebook and Instagram, demanding that Instagram stop monetizing child exploitation content.
Citing reporting from The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times, the coalition of attorneys general expressed concern over news that Instagram has “actively promoted” to “likely pedophiles” content created by “adults seeking to profit from exploiting their own children.”
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Tennessee U.S. Representatives John Rose (R-TN-06) and Tim Burchett (R-TN-02) have announced which guests will accompany them to President Joe Biden’s 2024 State of the Union Address on Thursday.
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The Department of Justice (DOJ) announced on Wednesday the conviction of a former electronics technician for the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in Tennessee who federal officials said abused his position to “prey” on a 14-year-old girl.
A press release from the DOJ reveals a jury in Middle Tennessee former FBI employee Justin Carroll “guilty of sexual exploitation of a minor, coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in unlawful sexual activity, receipt of child pornography, and transfer of obscene material to an individual under the age of sixteen.”
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Six Tennessee U.S. representatives voted against a “minibus” spending bill on Thursday that would fund six of the 12 appropriations divisions for Fiscal Year 2024.
The 1,050-page spending package passed the House of Representatives by a 339-85 vote.
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U.S. Representative Andy Ogles (R–TN-05) and U.S. Senator Bill Hagerty (R-TN) have announced which guests will accompany them to President Joe Biden’s 2024 State of the Union Address on Thursday.
Hagerty’s guest will be Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, according to a report by The Tennessean.
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Conservative commentator Steven Crowder released an Officer Safety Bulletin issued by the Tennessee Office of Homeland Security in response to a bomb threat targeting supporters of former President Donald Trump.
The document was issued in response to a Guardian Incident Report received by the Memphis Office of the FBI on February 29, regarding a threat made by a man named Benjamin Matthew Dayton via text message to his mother.
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