NASHVILLE — Republican state Sen. Jim Tracy’s congressional campaign says the Shelbyville lawmaker raised nearly $436,485 during the first quarter in his bid to oust “scandal-ridden” U.S. Rep. Scott DesJarlais, R-Tenn., in the 2014 primary.

NASHVILLE — As he leaves office Monday, Chattanooga Mayor Ron Littlefield faces a final defeat, his effort to persuade the state Legislature to toughen Tennessee's anti-gang laws.

Rep. Richard Floyd is willing to do most anything to sink a pending bill in the Legislature that expands a 2009 whisky distillery law to Chattanooga as well as other places excluded under the original statute.

NASHVILLE — A bill allowing Hamilton County to cremate instead of bury local residents who die penniless is on its way to Gov. Bill Haslam after finally passing the Senate.

NASHVILLE — A bill placing restrictions on Tennessee police agencies’ use of drones passed the House and Senate today.

NASHVILLE — Republican Gov. Bill Haslam’s workers’ compensation overhaul passed the House today following a sometimes emotional debate with proponents saying the measure will benefit workers and lower employer costs while Democratic opponents charged that injured and “maimed” workers will suffer.

NASHVILLE — With state lawmakers hoping to adjourn next week or soon after, House Speaker Beth Harwell said Wednesday that House members may not have time to take action regarding 10th Judicial District Attorney Steve Bebb if they decide it's needed.

NASHVILLE — Senators today approved a bill shutting off wholesale public access to the state’s handgun-carry permit records, which mostly would make confidential the names of nearly 400,000 Tennesseans authorized to carry loaded firearms in public.

NASHVILLE — A controversial anti-annexation measure was delayed this morning until Monday.

NASHVILLE — Senate Judiciary Committee members on Thursday directed the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation to let them view files of the agency's probe into allegations involving 10th District Attorney Steve Bebb of Cleveland.

NASHVILLE — The Senate Judiciary Committee this afternoon approved a resolution directing the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation to give panel members access to files of the agency’s probe of 10th District Attorney Steve Bebb of Cleveland.

A resolution directing state investigators turn over their files of their probe into allegations against 10th District Attorney Steve Bebb was blocked this afternoon in the House Late Bills Committee.

NASHVILLE — A Haslam administration initiative that could result in annual rate increases for local customers of for-profit utilities like Tennessee American Water and Chattanooga Gas is on its way to the governor.

NASHVILLE — The head of the state Democratic Party on Monday attacked a Republican lawmaker's bill that seeks to cut cash benefits for parents on welfare whose children don't attend or do poorly in school.

NASHVILLE — Tennesseans in 2014 will decide whether to ban a state income tax after the House gave final approval to a proposed amendment to the Tennessee Constitution prohibiting the levy.

The head of the state Democratic Party today attacked a Republican lawmaker’s bill that seeks to cut cash benefits for parents on welfare whose children don’t attend or do poorly in school.

NASHVILLE — The grueling pace set by GOP leaders to complete this year's legislative session early has sparked bipartisan criticisms for weeks that proposed laws are sometimes not getting properly vetted while debates on others are short-circuited.

NASHVILLE — Senate Speaker Ron Ramsey on Thursday blamed the failure of Republican Gov. Bill Haslam's school voucher bill on a fellow GOP senator he says was "bound and determined" to expand the measure over the governor's objections.

NASHVILLE — Run to your bunkers, Georgia lawmakers: Incoming fire's heading across the border from your Tennessee counterparts.

NASHVILLE — The Chattanooga Housing Authority could charge late fees of up to 10 percent to tenants who are behind on their rent under a bill that passed the House Thursday on a 69-24 vote.

Senate Speaker Ron Ramsey today blamed the failure of Gov. Bill Haslam’s school voucher bill on a fellow senator he says was “bound and determined” to expand the measure over the governor’s objections.

NASHVILLE — Run to your bunkers, Georgia lawmakers: Incoming fire’s heading across the border, courtesy of your Tennessee counterparts.

NASHVILLE — Senate Republicans’ hopes of finding another bill to create a school voucher program in light of Republican Gov. Bill Haslam’s withdrawal of his plan aren’t sitting well with GOP House Speaker Beth Harwell.

NASHVILLE — The Chattanooga Housing Authority could charge late fees of up to 10 percent to tenants behind on their rent under a bill that passed the House on a 69-24 vote today.

NASHVILLE — Gov. Bill Haslam pulled the plug on his limited school-voucher proposal Wednesday as fellow Republicans on the Senate Education Committee prepared to spring their plan expand the program by amendment despite the governor's warnings.

Local state legislators say they back Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Brian Kelsey's move to obtain documents from a Tennessee Bureau of Investigation probe of allegations against 10th District Attorney General Steve Bebb.

NASHVILLE — Senate Majority Leader Mark Norris, R-Collierville, said today he has pulled Republican Gov. Bill Haslam’s school voucher bill from consideration today because GOP members of the Senate Education Committee were determined to expand it.

NASHVILLE — Senators today approved changes in the state’s 2009 whiskey distillery law that puts Hamilton County into its provisions and would allow distilleries in Chattanooga or other cities that have passed both liquor-by-the-drink and retail package store sales.

NASHVILLE – The Senate took final action today on a one-year extension of 4.52 percent “assessment” on hospitals, sending the bill to Gov. Bill Haslam, who is expected to sign the measure.

NASHVILLE — The Senate Judiciary Committee next week will consider a resolution directing the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation to hand over all documents pertaining to the agency’s probe of allegations against 10th District Attorney General Steve Bebb.

NASHVILLE — Republican Gov. Bill Haslam said Tuesday he is not rushing off on a "fool's errand" in pushing his Tennessee Plan for extending Medicaid to an estimated 181,000 low-income people under the federal health care law.

NASHVILLE — Faced with total defeat of the measure, two Hamilton County legislators Tuesday agreed to amend their anti-annexation bill with the measure now imposing a statewide moratorium on all annexations until June 30, 2015.

A bill putting the selection of U.S. Senate primary nominees into the hands of the 132 members of the Tennessee General Assembly appears dead for the year.

A bill that among other things would allow Chattanooga to permit whiskey distilleries rolled through the House Finance Committee today over the objections of Rep. Richard Floyd, R-Chattanooga.

After encountering stiff opposition, two Hamilton County legislators today agreed to amend their anti-annexation bill with the measure now imposing a statewide moratorium on all annexations until June 30, 2015, giving state officials a “time out” to do a comprehensive study of the issue.

NASHVILLE — More than 575,000 Tennesseans will be eligible for premium tax credits to participate in the federal health exchange projected to crank up next January, according to a Washington-based health consumer advocacy group.

NASHVILLE — Gov. Bill Haslam said today he is not running off on a “fool’s errand” with his “Tennessee Plan” for extending Medicaid to an estimated 181,000 low-income people under the federal health care law.

NASHVILLE — Georgia officials say they want access to Tennessee River water. Badly want it. Desperately want it.

NASHVILLE — Republicans raised alarms on the state Senate floor Monday night about a GOP colleague's bill aimed at stripping Tennessee primary voters' ability to determine who their respective party nominees are for U.S. Senate and put it in the hands of just 132 state lawmakers.

NASHVILLE — State senators on Monday paid homage to local World War II Navy veteran Lewis H. Erwin, who served on the USS Indianapolis in a top-secret mission that helped end the war and then survived days of exposure, dehyd

NASHVILLE — Watch out, Georgia, because Tennessee now has a ready-to-use military defense plan designed to keep your peach-picking hands out of the Volunteer State's Tennessee River water.

NASHVILLE — State senators on Monday paid homage to local World War II Navy veteran Lewis H. Erwin, who served on the USS Indianapolis in a top-secret mission that helped end the war and then survived days of exposure, dehydration and shark attacks after a Japanese submarine sank the ship.

The head of the state Democratic Party said today that Democrats want to be left out of a state Senate bill that would strip Tennessee primary voters’ ability to determine who their party’s U.S. Senate nominees are and give it over to 132 state lawmakers.

Watch out Georgia because Tennessee now has a ready-to-use military defense plan designed to keep your peach-picking hands out of the Volunteer State’s Tennessee River water.

NASHVILLE — Gov. Bill Haslam is prepared to withdraw his limited school voucher proposal from the Legislature if Senate Republicans carry out current plans to expand it, its sponsor says.

NASHVILLE — Republican Gov. Bill Haslam has gotten some of the "clarity" he wants from the Obama administration on his plan to use federal Medicaid dollars to provide insurance for an estimated 181,000 low-income Tennesseans.

NASHVILLE — A bill taking away Tennesseans' ability to select U.S. Senate party nominees in primaries and hand the decision-making over to 132 state lawmakers has an even chance or better of passage, Republican state Senate Speaker Ron Ramey says.

NASHVILLE — A bill stripping Tennesseans of their ability to choose U.S. Senate nominees in party primaries and instead hand it over to state lawmakers has an even chance or better of passing, Republican state Senate Speaker Ron Ramsey says.

NASHVILLE — A bill banning Tennessee-licensed insurers from participating in a federally operated health care exchange failed this week in the Senate Commerce Committee after getting just one vote.

NASHVILLE — Senate Speaker Ron Ramsey and House Speaker Beth Harwell acknowledged Thursday that some Tennessee hospitals may face closure as fellow Republican Gov. Bill Haslam delays a decision on whether to expand the state's Medicaid program under the federal health care overhaul.