Tennessee state Rep. Justin Jones, who was expelled from the GOP-dominated House of Representatives last week, is shocked at reports of legislators threatening local officials with funding cuts if he is reappointed. Rep. Gloria Johnson, who also participated in the protest, survived the vote and was not expelled. The Metro Council is meeting Monday to consider reappointing Rep. Jones, and the outcome of the meeting will show whether they stand up to the threats made by the state legislature.
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Nashville's Metro Council and Shelby County Commission are set to hold special meetings this week to decide whether to reinstate former Tennessee Rep. Justin Jones and Memphis Rep. Justin Pearson, respectively, to their seats after they were expelled from the Republican-led Tennessee House last week for joining a protest demanding stricter gun control. If reinstated, Jones and Pearson intend to run in the special elections for the vacated seats, and the outcome of the meetings will have a significant impact on the state's political landscape.
On Thursday, the Tennessee House of Representatives voted to expel two Democratic representatives, Justin Jones and Justin Pearson, in response to their participation in a peaceful gun protest. This decision has been met with criticism from both sides of the aisle, sparking a national debate on the issue of gun control and the power of the Republican party to silence dissenting voices. President Joe Biden released a statement condemning the decision, calling it "shocking, undemocratic, and without precedent".
Tennessee Republicans have proposed a resolution to expel three Democratic state representatives from the House of Representatives for their role in a gun control protest at the Capitol last Thursday. The resolution has been met with strong opposition from Democrats and gun control advocates, and if passed, would be the first time in the state’s history that a lawmaker has been expelled from the House. The resolution is expected to be taken up by the House Rules Committee on Tuesday, where it will be debated and voted on.
A federal judge in Tennessee has temporarily blocked a law that would have placed strict limits on drag shows in the state, noting that the state has failed to provide a "compelling government interest" for why it should regulate drag performances so severely. The law was met with criticism from LGBTQ+ activists and allies, and the temporary restraining order issued by Judge Parker will remain in effect until April 15, when the court will hear arguments from both sides.
A federal judge in Tennessee has granted a temporary injunction against a first-of-its-kind law that would have placed strict limits on drag shows, citing that it "missed the mark" when it came to protecting free speech. The law was signed into effect by Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, a Republican, on March 2 and has been met with strong opposition from the LGBTQ+ community. The case is ongoing and a hearing is scheduled for April 13 to determine if the law will be allowed to take effect or if it will be permanently blocked by the court.
The Tennessee Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Commission has recommended the decertification of three former Memphis police officers involved in the death of Tyre Nichols. This means that they will not be able to work as law enforcement officers in Tennessee again. The commission voted to decertify the officers during a meeting on Friday, and they have 30 days to appeal the decision. The fifth former officer, Eric Kelly, was not included in the request for decertification.
NBA guard Ja Morant has been suspended for eight games without pay for "conduct detrimental to the league" following an incident where he was seen holding a gun at a nightclub. The league's investigation did not conclude that the gun belonged to Morant, and he will forfeit about $669,000 in salary. The NBA has taken a hard stance on gun-related incidents and is committed to player safety.