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Protesters at the state Capitol in 2020Photo: Stephen Elliott
The Tennessee House of Representatives has followed the state Senate’s lead and overwhelmingly passed a series of changes to Tennessee’s police use-of-force policies. The changes, which were crafted in partnership with law enforcement representatives, would ban chokeholds unless an officer believes deadly force is authorized, require the teaching of chokeholds during police training, require law enforcement agencies to develop deescalation policies, require officers to intervene when witnessing excessive force by other officers, prohibit firing weapons at moving vehicles unless an officer believes deadly force is authorized and prohibit the issuance of no-knock warrants.
The Daily Herald
The annual State Eggs & Issues breakfast is a time when state leaders discuss the major projects and bills currently being decided within the state legislature.
This year s event, presented by the Maury Chamber & Economic Alliance, along with Columbia Breakfast Rotary, was no different.
Friday s panel consisted of Sen. Joey Hensley, R-Hohenwald, and Reps. Scott Cepicky, R-Culleoka, and Michael Curcio, R-Dickson, returning to address the Columbia crowd.
Topics ranged from the legislature s stance on COVID-related mandates, education and judicial reform, as well as ways Republicans and Democrats can work better together.
COVID-19, masks and mandates
Now that Tennessee is more than a year out from the initial outbreak of COVID-19, the first topic addressed was where are we now?
A proposal to decriminalize medical marijuana that had gained momentum in recent weeks was narrowly defeated in the Tennessee House on Tuesday, though the bill s sponsor says the effort isn t dead for the year.
In its final meeting scheduled this session, the House criminal justice committee voted down Rep. Bryan Terry s bill 9-8, following two hours of debate and appearances by the chamber s top parliamentary and legal officials.
Terry, R-Murfreesboro, said afterward his fight to push the medical cannabis issue forward hasn t ended for the year. The General Assembly is expected to conclude its business for the year next week, though last-minute negotiating plays a role in the final days of session.
Tennessee medical marijuana bill dies in House committee for year commercialappeal.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from commercialappeal.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.