A Middle Tennessee state senator and her husband are suing the publisher of the Macon County Chronicle, alleging the publisher has not repaid all of a $50,000 loan the lawmaker made to her.

Occupy Nashville protesters wants an apology from House Judiciary Committee Chairman Eric Watson of Cleveland.

Dozens of special interests ranging from AT&T to Chattanooga-based BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee have given $2.93 million so far to the campaigns of Tennessee lawmakers and legislative candidates during the 2012 election cycle, state filings show.

Gov. Bill Haslam on Thursday acknowledged his plan to give local schools flexibility to increase average class sizes is getting pushback from educators and lawmakers, but he remained optimistic a workable agreement can be reached.

Gov. Bill Haslam today acknowledged his plan to give local schools flexibility to increase average class sizes is getting pushback from educators and lawmakers, but he remained optimistic a workable agreement can be reached.

NASHVILLE — Legislators need to “back up” and do a better job of explaining a proposal by Gov. Bill Haslam to increase average classroom sizes in Tennessee, according to Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey.

Dairy executive Scottie Mayfield hired an experienced political consultant and started a campaign Facebook page in recent days, signaling early signs of life in his congressional bid.

NASHVILLE — A bill requiring Amazon.com to begin collecting Tennessee sales taxes on items sold to Tennesseeans starting in 2014 has been delayed for a week.

A bill requiring Amazon.com to begin collecting Tennessee state and local sales taxes on goods sold in Tennessee starting in 2014 was delayed for a week in the Senate Tax Subcommittee this morning.

NASHVILLE -- House Republican Leader Gerald McCormick's plan to let employees of cities and counties use local government-issued ID to satisfy Tennessee's new photo-ID requirement for voters isn't sitting well with a fellow top GOP leader who sponsored the law.

After easily outpacing legislative Democrats and the state Democratic Party in fundraising throughout 2011, Tennessee Republicans are sitting atop a huge, 3-to-1 cash advantage over their rivals, filings show.

Republican Gov. Bill Haslam’s plan to relax state mandates on local schools’ classroom size isn’t getting a passing grade from many of the people who run them — school superintendents and directors.

NASHVILLE — A former top state Senate Democrat is joining the list of Democratic lawmakers who won’t seek re-election following Republican redistricting.

Tennessee issued 12,571 photo IDs for voters between July 1 and Jan. 30, the state Safety Department announced Thursday.

Two Planned Parenthood affiliates are suing Tennessee Health Department Commissioner John Dreyzehner in federal court.

Tennessee issued 12,571 photo IDs for voters between July 1 and Jan. 30, the state Safety Department announced today.

NASHVILLE — Republican Gov. Bill Haslam's call for providing the most efficient services at the lowest cost ran into a wall of criticism Wednesday from members of his own party over his plans to shut down Taft Youth Development Center.

NASHVILLE — State Sen. Andy Berke raised a little more than $100,000 in campaign contributions last year that he can use to run for re-election to the 11th District seat or possibly shift to a 2013 race for Chattanooga mayor.

NASHVILLE — Legislation requiring Amazon.com to begin collecting state and local sales taxes on goods the Internet retailer sells to Tennesseans starting in 2014 easily cleared its first hurdle Wednesday in the House Budget Subcommittee.

NASHVILLE — State Children’s Services Commission Kathryn O’Day found herself on an hour-long hot seat today in the House Government Operations Committee as regional lawmakers tore into Gov. Bill Haslam’s plans to shut down Taft Youth Development Center in Pikeville.

NASHVILLE — Legislation requiring Amazon.com to begin collecting state and local sales taxes on goods the Internet retailer sells to Tennesseans starting in 2014 easily cleared its first hurdle in the House Budget Subcommittee today.

NASHVILLE — Occupy Nashville protesters are warning Gov. Bill Haslam, state lawmakers and the highway patrol that, if evicted from Legislative Plaza, their members will occupy the state Capitol, other public areas and even restrooms at the Haslam family-owned chain of travel centers.

Occupy Nashville protesters are putting Gov. Bill Haslam, state lawmakers and the highway patrol on notice that, if they are if evicted from Legislative Plaza, they will seek to occupy the state Capitol, vacant housing and restrooms at the Haslam family-owned chain of truck stops.

NASHVILLE -- Regional lawmakers from both parties are objecting a provision in Gov. Bill Haslam's $30.08 billion spending plan that closes Taft Youth Center in Pikeville.

NASHVILLE -- While Tennessee is doing "great" in many respects, Gov. Bill Haslam said Monday in his annual State of the State address that the state needs to do even better when it comes to efficiency and serving citizens' needs.

NASHVILLE — Gov. Bill Haslam today proposed a $30.08 billion state budget for 2012-13 that includes new funding in areas like economic development and education.

NASHVILLE — Gov. Bill Haslam plans to outline his vision tonight of a Tennessee in which state government and citizens are “aspiring to be more” and “believing in better.”

Chattanooga Mayor Ron Littlefield's proposed anti-street gang legislation could be in for a rumble in the halls of the state Capitol, lawmakers say.

State tax revenues are on the mend, but Gov. Bill Haslam and GOP legislative leaders are trying to throw a wet blanket on any would-be celebrations in advance of Haslam's release today of his proposed 2012-13 budget.

Republican Senate Speaker Ron Ramsey says he’ll have to sell his own caucus first on a constitutional amendment to validate the state’s current method of naming appellate and Supreme Court justices.

A state Senate Democrat announced Thursday he won’t seek re-election in the wake of Republican-drawn redistricting maps that already have prompted a House Democrat to throw in the towel.

NASHVILLE — Republican Gov. Bill Haslam today signed into law a GOP-drawn legislative redistricting map that already has caused two veteran Democrats to throw in the towel.

NASHVILLE — The father of a gay college student, whose brutal 1998 murder in Wyoming triggered a national debate over hate crimes, warned Wednesday that Tennessee lawmakers' legislation and comments targeting gays encourages harassment.

NASHVILLE — The father of a young gay college student, whose 1998 murder in Wyoming spurred national discussion about hate crimes, said today that Tennessee and several other states have “become a bully pulpit in more ways than one.”

NASHVILLE — Gov. Bill Haslam and the House and Senate speakers announced a proposal today to amend the Tennessee Constitution regarding how appellate judges are selected.

NASHVILLE — Tennessee lawmakers plan to trip up manufacturers and retailers who have until now sidestepped efforts to outlaw "designer" drugs mimicking the effects of stimulants and other substances.

Two socially conservative Tennessee lawmakers are promoting what they think is a legally defensible way for local governments to display the Ten Commandments in county courthouses or on public grounds.

When state Republican lawmakers made major changes to Tennessee’s 4th Congressional District during redistricting, it was widely assumed that it was done at the insistence of state Senate Republican Caucus Chairman Bill Ketron of Murfreesboro.

When it comes to human types wanting to know what to call Hamilton County's best-known romancing avians -- two bald eagles at Harrison Bay State Park's Bear Trace golf course -- course superintendent Paul Carter has the answer.

NASHVILLE — A bald eagle at work in its nest at Harrison Bay State Park in Chattanooga temporarily stole the show Wednesday at a legislative oversight hearing Wednesday.

NASHVILLE — Tennessee Education Association officials called on Gov. Bill Haslam and state lawmakers Wednesday to correct what they call multiple "flaws" in the state's new teacher evaluation system.

NASHVILLE _ Tennessee Education Association officials today called on Gov. Bill Haslam and state lawmakers to correct what they call multiple “flaws” in the state’s new teacher evaluation system.

NASHVILLE — Some drivers' practice of ignoring Tennessee's mandatory liability-insurance law would come to a screeching halt under a proposed bill to create a state electronic compliance system.

After passing their first redistricting plan in Tennessee history last week, state Republican leaders are having to recall the measure because of “technical” glitches, according to lawmakers and aides.

They’ve worked together for years, sometimes sat side-by-side at the state Capitol and often stuck together despite party on economic development and other issues affecting Southeast Tennessee.

Tennessee lawmakers gave final approval Friday to Republican-drawn political boundaries for all 99 state House districts, 33 state Senate districts and nine congressional districts.

The Senate this afternoon approved a Republican redistricting plan containing last-minute changes expected to give Sen. Andy Berke, D-Chattanooga, more of a fighting chance should he decide to run for reelection to his Senate District 10 seat.

Sen. Andy Berke, D-Chattanooga, said he plans to vote for a Republican-drawn redistricting plan after Republicans agreed to shift back a number of precincts that would have gone into Republican Sen. Bo Watson’s district in Hamilton County back to the 10th Senatorial District represented by Berke.

Senate Republicans this afternoon approved state House and congressional redistricting plans, sending the redrawn districts to Republican Gov. Bill Haslam.

Sen. Bo Watson, R-Hixson, on Thursday withdrew the Senate version of a controversial House measure requiring transgender people to use public bathrooms and dressing rooms that match their birth gender.