LeTonia Armstrong, wife of state Rep. Joe Armstrong, is one of the top candidates being considered to replace the Democratic lawmaker following his conviction for filing a false tax return, according to Knoxnews. The other two are Knoxville councilman and former city mayor Daniel Brown and Rick Staples, a community advocate who has run several recent unsuccessful bids for local office. The Knox County Democratic Party’s Executive Committee will meet Thursday to choose a successor.

Legislation approved in 2016 sets up a task force to study the feasibility of creating a Tennessee Department of Juvenile Justice, the Columbia Daily Herald reports. The task force will include legislators and members of the public who have experience or interest in children’s issues, as well as ex-officio members from different state departments. The law also calls on existing children’s services agencies to report on probation programs, recidivism rates, custodial data and system-wide information to guide the task force’s work.

State Rep. Jimmy Matlock today told House Republican Caucus members that he will seek election as speaker for the 110th General Assembly. The move by the Lenoir City Republican sets up a contest with House Speaker Beth Harwell, who is expected to seek another term but has faced criticism recently from conservative members, Knoxnews reports.

Three potential candidates have emerged to replace Rep. Joe Armstrong as the Democratic party’s House District 18 nominee, Humphrey on the Hill reports. Party members reportedly are looking to outgoing County Commissioner Sam McKenzie, City Councilman Dan Brown and community advocate Rick Staples as top candidates to replace Armstrong on the ballot. The party has called an Aug. 18 meeting to select a candidate. Armstrong, who had run unopposed in his primary race last week, was convicted Monday on a felony charge of filing a false income tax return, disqualifying him from seeking re-election.

Federal jurors found state Rep. Joe Armstrong, D-Knoxville, guilty of one felony count of filing a false income tax return today, while acquitting him of two other charges: conspiring to defraud the Internal Revenue Service and tax evasion. Jurors began deliberating Friday and resumed discussions today, the Tennessean reports. A felony conviction disqualifies individuals from seeking office, so the local Democratic party has until Sept. 29 to nominate a new candidate, according to the Tennessee Secretary of State. Armstrong was unopposed in Thursday’s primary.

The idea of calling a special session of the legislature to consider the ouster of state Rep. Jeremy Durham, R-Franklin, and possibly Rep. Joe Armstrong, D-Knoxville, appears to be losing steam, Humphrey on the Hill reports. As of Friday, only nine of the necessary 66 state House members had signed either of two submitted petitions. One petition would call for a special session to consider the expulsion of Durham. The second petition targets both Durham and Armstrong. House leaders have set a deadline of Aug. 5 for members to sign one or both of the resolutions.

Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam is renewing his call for state Rep. Jeremy Durham, R-Franklin, to resign, but says he will not interfere in the process for convening a special legislative session to oust him. Haslam told reporters today that he will leave it to lawmakers to decide when to call the special session, Humphrey on the Hill reports. The effort to expel Durham gained ground when reports surfaced that he would qualify for a state pension if not ousted. The Tennessean reports today that even if he is removed, he still will qualify for a lifetime of state health care benefits.

State House Speaker Beth Harwell, R-Nashville, and two other state lawmakers have been honored for their support of open government in Tennessee. The Tennessee Press Association awarded Harwell and Reps. Bob Ramsey, R-Maryville, and Bill Sanderson, R-Kenton, its 2016 Open Government Award on Friday, Knoxnews reports. Harwell was honored for her “unprecedented policy of requiring committee chairs to give notice of unscheduled meetings” and for insisting the attorney general's report of Rep. Jeremy Durham, R-Franklin, be made public. Ramsey and Sanderson were recognized for using their committees to give open-government bills a full hearing.

House Republican leaders are proposing that a special session to consider the expulsion of Rep. Rep. Jeremy Durham, R-Franklin be held on Aug.15, Humphrey on the Hill reports. Two-thirds of the members of both chambers — 66 in the House and 22 in the Senate — are needed to convene a special session. Late today, Republican Caucus Chairman Glen Casada, R-Franklin, circulated his own petition for a special session that includes Durham and Rep. Joe Armstrong, D-Knoxville, who is under federal indictment on fraud and tax evasion charges. The petition being circulated by Speaker Harwell only names Durham. The Tennessean has more on Casada's move.

Tennessee House Speaker Beth Harwell, Majority Leader Gerald McCormick and Republican Caucus Chair Glen Casada began circulating a formal petition today that would authorize the House to convene a special session and consider a resolution to expel Rep. Jeremy Durham, R-Franklin, from his seat. Harwell announced yesterday that while she originally opposed a special session, she had changed her mind. Democratic leaders had called for a special session after a report from the Attorney General was released. The Tennessean reports that the session may also consider the removal of Rep. Joe Armstrong, D-Knoxville, who was indicted last year on federal felony fraud and tax evasion charges.