Sen. Katrina Robinson, D-Memphis, is facing another round of federal charges for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering, the Associated Press reports. The new charges come six-months after Robinson was indicted on federal charges that she stole more than $600,000 in grant money from the health care school she directed to pay for her wedding and honeymoon, a Jeep Renegade for her daughter, her children’s snow cone business and more. She has pleaded not guilty to the original case, which is scheduled for trial on Sept. 13. If convicted, Robinson faces a possible sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison in each case. Robinson would be up for reelection in 2022.

Gov. Bill Lee has released the package of bills to be taken up by lawmakers in a special session scheduled to begin on Tuesday. In a release yesterday, Lee identified three bills to be considered in the special session, which is dedicated to “addressing K-12 student learning loss and the adverse effects on Tennessee students’ proficiency in reading and math after extended time away from the classroom due to COVID-19.” The bills are SB 7002 “Intervening to Stop Learning Loss,” SB 7003 “Building Better Readers with Phonics” and SB 7001 “Accountability to Inform.”

The Tennessee Senate yesterday approved a modified block grant Medicaid program by a vote of 25-6, Tennessee Lookout reports. Supporters of the block grant argued that the state will be able to use “shared savings” in TennCare to increase services to some 1.5 million recipients, mainly pregnant women with children and the state’s neediest elderly and disabled residents. Opponents argued that Medicaid block grants are illegal and can be approved only by congressional action, not by federal regulators. The legislative action comes after federal officials approved the state’s plan. Today, the House passed the plan. The Nashville Post reports on that action. In related news, Tennessee Lookout reports that U.S. Rep. Jim Cooper, D-Nashville, has urged the Biden administration to rescind approval for the plan.

Tennessee lawmakers officially started the new legislative session Tuesday, with members of the state Senate and House of Representatives re-electing Senate Speaker Randy McNally and House Speaker Cameron Sexton, respectively, WPLN reports. Today, lawmakers elected three constitutional officers: the secretary of state, treasurer and comptroller. Democratic leaders from both chambers called for a no-confidence vote on Secretary of State Tre Hargett during the proceedings but he was reappointed, according to the Nashville Post. David Lillard was re-elected treasurer without opposition. The comptroller election was the only position seeing a change with retiring Comptroller Justin Wilson being replaced by his top deputy Jason Mumpower.

Senate Speaker McNally, R-Oak Ridge, also named new chairs of two committees. Sen. Brian Kelsey, R-Germantown, will take over as chair of the Education Committee following the retirement of Dolores Gresham. Sen. Richard Briggs, R-Knoxville, will take over as chair of the State and Local Government Committee following the electoral defeat of Steve Dickerson. Committee assignments have yet to be made in the House, but draft rules signal a change in the overall makeup of the committees, the Tennessee Journal reports. Speaker Sexton is expected to once again split the Judiciary Committee into two standing panels: Civil Justice and Criminal Justice. He also reportedly plans to turn the Education panel into separate Education Administration and Education Instruction committees. Finally, he is expected to sunset the Consumer and Human Resources Committee.

Three Tennessee lawmakers at the center of an FBI investigation have collectively spent $182,794 in campaign money with three little-known companies in recent months, the Tennessean reports. The FBI raided the homes and offices of former House Speaker Glen Casada, R-Franklin, Rep. Robin Smith, R-Hixson and Rep. Todd Warner, R-Chapel Hill last week, but have not released further details on the probe. Two of the companies the lawmakers hired — Bullet Proof Research and Dixieland Strategies — have no online presence and are not registered with the Secretary of State. An array of Republican lawmakers have paid a third company, Phoenix Solutions, for mail services. In several of those instances, lawmakers said it was Smith who coordinated with the company after they had hired her to help with their campaigns. An anonymous source told the Tennessean that Casada’s former aid, Cade Cothren, is the owner of Phoenix Solutions. Cothren’s home was also raided by FBI agents last week. Cothren resigned from his position in 2019 after admitting to cocaine use in his legislative office, sending racist text messages, harassing interns and more.

The Tennessee Senate will continue to bar public access to committee meetings during the upcoming legislative session, the Tennessee Journal reports. According to guidelines shared with members, the restrictions will mirror the COVID-19 mitigation steps taken by the upper chamber last summer. Testimony in committee meetings by non-members will be conducted remotely. Reporters may attend hearings but only one pool reporter will be allowed on the Senate floor. By contrast, the House is expected to continue to allow access to committee meetings for lobbyists and other members of the public.

With just a few days left in the Trump administration, federal officials have approved a plan to convert TennCare funding to a block grant, potentially overhauling the Medicaid program providing health coverage to about one in five Tennesseans. The approval may be short lived, however, the Commercial Appeal reports. Block grants do not align with health care proposals of President-elect Joe Biden, who could reverse the approval after taking office. The block grant would still need to be approved by state lawmakers. Gov. Bill Lee said he intends to present a joint resolution on the plan to the General Assembly for its "immediate consideration.”

Rep. David Byrd is unable to talk and continues to receive physical therapy after being on a ventilator for nearly a month, a family member posted on Facebook this week. The Republican state lawmaker from Waynesboro was hospitalized in December and went on a ventilator that month. He has stopped giving public updates on social media, but WPLN News obtained an update written by his sister: “His body [is] so weak…he can’t do anything without assistance,” she wrote. “As I’ve said before … David has a long and tough road ahead of him. He isn’t even aware that several of his friends, family and constituents are going through the same thing he is.”

Federal agents descended on multiple Tennessee Republican House members' homes and state offices this morning, executing search warrants and collecting evidence. The Tennessean reports that at least 10 FBI agents entered the Cordell Hull legislative office building just before 8 a.m. CST, fanning out to multiple offices carrying empty boxes with them. The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Tennessee confirmed that agents also visited the homes of former House Speaker Glen Casada, R-Franklin; Rep. Robin Smith, R-Hixson; Rep. Todd Warner, R-Chapel Hill; and former Casada aide Cade Cothren. Agents also searched the office of Rep. Kent Calfee, R-Kingston, though House Speaker Cameron Sexton said he understood that Calfee "is not part of the investigation." In addition, key staff for these members have been placed on administrative leave in connection with the case. They are: Calfee's legislative assistant Nadine Korby, Casada's longtime assistant Carol Simpson, and Sexton’s interim chief of staff Holt Whitt and two other staff members from his office. Agents reportedly also visited Whitt’s home.

Tennessee House Minority Leader Karen Camper is asking Gov. Bill Lee to order the legislature to hold its sessions online when the 112th General Assembly convenes, Tennessee Lookout reports. She also called on the governor to give his State of the State address virtually. Camper, one of several lawmakers who has tested positive for COVID-19, noted in her letter to the governor that Tennessee is the “epicenter” for COVID-19 infections, leading the world in cases per capita. The governor did not respond to questions about Camper’s requests. The General Assembly is set to convene Jan. 12 for the new session, but then will recess until Jan. 19 for a special session called by Gov. Lee to deal with education issues caused by the pandemic.