The state registry of election finance board voted to audit and investigate the finances of state Rep. Jeremy Durham, The Tennessean reports. Attorney General Herbert Slatery, who is already investigating the Franklin Republican for alleged inappropriate conduct, believes Durham moved money between the title company he owns and his campaign committee. The board will also ask for subpoenas to be issued for Durham, his campaign, his business and various bank accounts.

The Tennessee Department of Revenue has posted brief summaries of 2016 legislation on its website. Legislation is summarized by categories.

House Speaker Beth Harwell's 3-Star Legislative Task Force is weeks away from showing federal Medicaid officials some of its plan for improving insurance access for Tennesseans. According to WPLN, the group is favoring giving more support to clinics, over offering residents insurance through Medicaid. As many as 300,000 Tennesseans cannot afford insurance through the Affordable Care Act, but still do not qualify for Medicaid.

State Rep. Andy Holt posted a video to his Facebook page yesterday that shows the Dresden Republican burning a traffic camera ticket. Holt, who unsuccessfully attempted to outlaw all speed and red light cameras in Tennessee during the 2015 legislative session, argues cities and traffic camera dealers are violating state law. He encourages others on his website to throw their traffic camera tickets in the trash or – like him – light them on fire. 

Gov. Bill Haslam today returned the Refugee Resolution unsigned, a measure (SJR 0467) that directs the Attorney General to initiate legal action regarding refugee placements in Tennessee. Haslam has asked the Attorney General to clarify if the General Assembly has the authority to hire outside counsel if the Attorney General fails to pursue action. According to a news release from the governor’s office, Haslam also announced a bill (HB 2248) that will redirect administrative funding for the University of Tennessee’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion will become a law without his signature. The Tennessean reports Haslam signed into law today a bill (SB 0047) that reduces the state’s Hall income tax on some dividend and interest this year and eliminates the tax in 2022.

A Breitbart News post claims “the scope and legal authority of an ongoing investigation by Tennessee Attorney General Herbert Slatery into the conduct of State Rep. Jeremy Durham is being questioned by a number of Tennessee political insiders, attorneys and individuals.” House Speaker Beth Harwell asked Attorney General Herbert Slatery to investigate Durham, R-Franklin, following allegations that Durham had an affair with a former representative. 

Republican lawmakers are considering holding a special session in an effort to direct Attorney General Herbert Slatery to sue the federal government over the recently announced federal directive to public schools over transgender restrooms, The Tennessean reports. More than two dozen state lawmakers have contacted Slatery and Gov. Bill Haslam to express concern about the directive, according to another report from The Tennessean. 

Gov. Bill Haslam signed yesterday into law the “Campbell Falk Act” that establishes a ward’s right to visit and communicate with family and close friends. Previously, state law allowed a conservator to restrict visitation and communication with the ward without going to court, even when it involved communication or visits by a family member. Under the Republican-sponsored measure, a conservator cannot restrict communication unless specifically authorized by the court. The law is named in recognition of country artist Glen Campbell and actor Peter Falk, according to a news release from Senate Republican Caucus.

The Tennessean takes a look at what it calls the General Assembly’s “lax” system for handling ethics complaints, noting that the state House and Senate’s respective ethics committees have not met in years. The article outlines the complicated system in Tennessee for filing a complaint, pointing out that the system is unlike many others. 

The health care task force, created by House Speaker Beth Harwell in April, held its third meeting yesterday in Memphis. The Commercial Appeal reports task force chairman Rep. Cameron Sexton, R-Crossville, said the group will re-evaluate which parts of Gov. Bill Haslam’s Insure Tennessee Plan can be supported by the General Assembly after the full plan failed to win legislative approval. Sexton added the group, dubbed the “3-Star Healthy Project,” could attempt to ease restrictions on faith-based health care organizations.