Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Brian Kelsey today wrapped up his town hall-style meetings with a packed room of civil law practitioners. Issues raised by the Germantown Republican and by those lawyers present ranged from estate planning to family law. TBAImpact is a useful tool for legislative engagement and advocacy and will be updated with legislation in February. If you have questions about policy or the Tennessee General Assembly, reach out to TBA Public Policy Coordinator Brenda Gadd.

Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Brian Kelsey today held a town hall-style meeting for criminal lawyers practicing in Shelby County. The Germantown Republican asked attending attorneys if bills passed last year -- such as legislation regarding “certificates of employability” and the 2016 Public Safety Act -- were working. Issues expected to come up this year, such as expanding expungement laws and changing procedures so that death penalty cases go directly to the Tennessee Supreme Court, also were discussed. Kelsey will hold a similar style meeting for civil lawyers on Friday at 1:30 p.m. CST in room 230 at the Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law.

Details have been finalized for two town hall meetings for lawyers hosted in Memphis by Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Brian Kelsey, R-Germantown. Sen. Kelsey will host criminal law practitioners on Jan. 26 from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. CST and civil law practitioners on Jan. 27 from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. CST. Both meetings will take place at the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law, 1 N Front Street, in Room 230. Please contact TBA Public Policy Coordinator Brenda Gadd if you are interested in attending.

Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Brian Kelsey, R-Germantown, is hosting a pair of town hall meeting for lawyers next week in Memphis. Sen. Kelsey will host criminal law practitioners on Jan. 26 from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. CST, and civil law practitioners on Jan. 27 from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. CST. Please contact TBA Public Policy Coordinator Brenda Gadd if you are interested in attending. She will provide location information once it is determined.

Lt. Gov. Randy McNally, R-Oak Ridge, appointed Rick Nicholson as Senate Chief of Staff on Friday. A 26-year veteran of the General Assembly, Nicholson started in the chief clerk’s office, later being appointed assistant chief clerk. In 2001, he went to work for McNally as a committee research analyst and in 2012, he was appointed Senate budget director by then Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey. Nicholson replaces Lance Frizzell, whose appointment expired in January. Humphrey on the Hill has the news from McNally’s office.

The Tennessee House has created a committtee to focus on complaints of sexual harassment. The Workplace Discrimination and Harassment Subcommittee will have authority to conduct investigations and “subpoena and compel the attendance of witnesses, administer oaths, take testimony and require and compel the production of any documents or other items of evidence relative to any matter under investigation.” Any recommendations for corrective action will be reported to the speaker. Unlike the full Ethics Committee, the work of the subcommittee will be private. Knoxnews has more from USA Today

Rep. Micah Van Huss, R-Jonesborough, has introduced legislation to eliminate the requirement that gun owners obtain a permit to openly carry handguns in Tennessee. Those wanting to carry a handgun in a concealed manner would still be required to obtain a permit, according to the legislation. Van Huss has introduced similar bills in the past but his colleagues have rejected those efforts, the Tennessean reports. Van Huss argues that 29 states, including Missouri, West Virginia and Louisiana, have some form of permitless carry.