The Tri-star State

“Unprecedented” is being used a lot to describe the current time we’re living in, and it’s safe to say that can be used to describe what just happened in the state legislature over the past week. WPLN’s Sergio Martínez-Beltrán has been at the capitol throughout this unusual session, where lawmakers voted last week to pass an emergency budget and recess until at least June. He spoke to WPLN’s Rachel Iaovone about these extraordinary times at the state legislature.

The last two weeks in Tennessee have felt like four months.   Deadly tornadoes ripped through Middle Tennessee on the same day as the Super Tuesday presidential primaries.  Three days later, the state announced its first confirmed case of coronavirus. But all this time, the state legislature has still been conducting business.   WPLN’s Sergio Martínez-Beltrán says it may have been overlooked but lawmakers have been debating important legislation. 

Super Tuesday is around the corner — that’s when 14 states including Tennessee will hold presidential primaries.  So far, about 337,000 Tennesseans have cast their ballots. But campaigns are still hitting the ground and knocking on doors to get people out to vote.  WPLN’s Sergio Martínez-Beltrán has been covering the campaigns and says there is a real split among Democrats. 

The three-month paid family leave for state employees promised by Governor Bill Lee appears to be in limbo.    Now it’s up to the Tennessee General Assembly to decide whether to move forward with it. And WPLN’s Sergio Martínez-Beltrán says they’re not as excited about offering generous paid leave as the governor’s office is.

Democrats in the Tennessee legislature are a superminority. This means that most of their proposals will not become law.  But that hasn’t stopped them from pushing Governor Bill Lee on certain issues such as education.  WPLN’s Sergio Martínez-Beltrán talked to Senate Minority Leader Jeff Yarbro, who says they want to see the governor put a lot more money in schools.

Governor Bill Lee has been talking about plans to reform the criminal justice system in Tennessee since the campaign trail. He studied the issue during his first year in office with the expectation that this would be the year for legislative action. But WPLN’s Sergio Martínez-Beltrán says the proposals are less sweeping than expected and some are a bit tougher on crime.

The capitol bust of Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forrest is, once again, at the center of controversy but the battle lines are a little different.   This time, some Republicans are asking for it to be removed. WPLN’s Sergio Martínez-Beltrán has been talking to lawmakers about their change of heart.

Tennessee House Speaker Cameron Sexton has made clear what his priorities are for the current legislative session. Healthcare, education, and criminal justice reform are on top of that list.  But some of those issues have also put him at odds with members of his party, including the governor.   WPLN's Sergio Martínez-Beltrán sat down with Sexton and has the interview. 

A soon-to-be signed adoption law in Tennessee is stirring fears of an economic backlash. Companies and conventions have threatened to stop doing business with the state because of legislation that allows faith-based adoption agencies to refuse placements based on their religious beliefs. Republican Gov. Bill Lee says he will sign it into law despite some pushback from his own party. WPLN’s Sergio Martínez-Beltrán says Tennessee is joining nearly a dozen states passing nearly identical adoption laws. He’s here to explain.

It’s time to start all over again. After a couple of months recess the Tennessee General Assembly will reconvene this week. But WPLN’s Sergio Martínez-Beltrán says lawmakers have been busy in the “offseason” and have already filed about 100 bills.

Criminal justice reform, school vouchers and refugee resettlement. Those are some of the issues Republican Governor Bill Lee has pushed for during his first 11 months in office. Lee recently sat down with WPLN's Sergio Martínez-Beltrán to talk about his first year. Here's their conversation.

In 2019 Tennesseans saw a lot of “news” from the state Capitol. A new governor, two new speakers of the House of Representatives, and the state’s first ever school voucher law. WPLN’s Sergio Martínez-Beltrán covered the “news” and all the other stories in a very tumultuous year in state politics. Here’s his conversation with Jason Moon Wilkins.

On a recent chilly afternoon last week at Nashville's Centennial Park, Sean Michel was walking his dog with a friend. This was also the first day of impeachment hearings against President Donald Trump. Michel didn't hesitate to share his thoughts on impeachment.

Four months. That’s how much time is left before Super Tuesday — the day in March when Tennesseans and people in 14 other states and two jurisdictions will vote on the next nominees. WPLN’s Sergio Martínez-Beltrán has been covering the Democratic candidates who have visited Tennessee and he says they are focusing more and more on what has been a reliably red state.

What’s happening in Tennessee politics? Nashville Public Radio reporters break down what you need to know at the state capitol and beyond — in just a few minutes.

The impact of the latest nationwide strike by union workers against General Motors is beginning to be quantified. According to multiple reports, the automaker has lost about $1 billion dollar since the strike started three weeks ago. In Tennessee, state officials worry the union strike against General Motors could have negative impacts on the local economy. WPLN's Sergio Martínez-Beltrán talked to leaders in the community around Spring Hill and he said it's not the typical partisan issue.

It’s been over a decade since Tennessee Democrats scored a big win in a state race. What’s the party doing to turn things around? That’s a question many in the state executive committee have asked. And they're not happy with the answers they're getting from the Tennessee Democratic Party chair, Mary Mancini.

The open U.S. Senate race in Tennessee just got interesting. Former Gov. Bill Haslam decided he will not run, opening the door for other Republicans who may have been holding back. And the next day, President Donald Trump tweeted that the U.S. ambassador to Japan, Tennessee's Bill Hagerty, is getting into the race.

A Tennessee initiative to boost literacy rates is in jeopardy. The Read To Be Ready program launched in 2016 and had an ambitious goal of increasing literacy among third graders. But its popular summer camp program has officially run out of funds.

There’s an official date for Rep. Glen Casada to leave his post as speaker but, for some lawmakers Aug. 2 is not soon enough. They want him to resign before then — some legislators fear Casada has ulterior motives for hanging on.