A Hawkins County Commission meeting on Dec. 21 will decide who will complete the final year of Rep. Mike Harrison's term. Harrison, R-Rogersville, announced his resignation in October. Hawkins County Commissioner Gary Hicks resigned from the commission earlier this month in anticipation of being appointed to succeed Harrison. Hicks has served as Budget Committee chair for the past six years. A new chair will be appointed to his position in February 2016. Read more from the Kingsport Times-News.

Sen. Brian Kelsey, R-Germantown, introduced on Monday legislation to increase the amount of time served for those convicted of especially aggravated burglary. Those convicted of the crime would be ineligible for parole to ensure no less than 85 percent of the sentence is served. “This is when someone breaks into your home and beats you," Kelsey said. "The idea that these violent offenders could be eligible for release after a few years for a crime that will affect his or her victims for the rest of their lives is astounding." Read more from The Chattanoogan.

House Majority Whip Jeremy Durham, R-Franklin, asked a federal judge for a lenient sentence for a former youth pastor convicted of possessing child porn. The Associated Press reports that Joseph Todd Neill, who previously worked at North Fork Baptist Church in Shelbyville, was sentenced to more than three years in prison. A grand jury last week declined to indict Durham on prescription fraud charges.

Sen. Brian Kelsey, R-Germantown, is questioning the constitutionality of a recent decision by the Nashville Metropolitan Fair Commissioners Board to ban gun shows from publicly owned fairgrounds. Kelsey, who said the ban also violates Tennessee and Metro laws, requested an opinion on Thursday from Attorney General Herbert Slatery. Read more from The Collierville Independent. 

A Williamson County grand jury declined to pursue an investigation of state House Majority Whip Jeremy Durham, R-Franklin, on prescription fraud charges, The Tennessean reports. A drug task force recommended last year indicting Durham after a 2013 incident in which agents alleged Durham tried to fill an outdated prescription. “This situation is from two and a half years ago and was fully vetted by 12 Williamson County citizens who quickly agreed that nothing illegal occurred,” Durham said Wednesday in a statement.

On Jan. 1, 2016, a new batch of laws will take effect. Here is a list of all of the Public Chapters in Tennessee that take effect starting in the New Year.

Two House Republicans are asking Tennessee candidates to demonstrate their budgeting abilites through a new piece of legislation that would require all candidates to publicly release their credit scores. The "Voter Accountability and Transparency Act," sponsored by Rep. Cameron Sexton, R-Crossville, and Sen. Paul Bailey, R-Sparta, would change state law to require financial statements filed by candidates to include credit scores. "Before an election, candidates constantly say how they are going to balance the budget and make sure government lives within its means," Sexton said. "How do voters verify whether the candidate means what they say? The only accurate answer is to know the person’s credit score." Read more from The Tennesean.

Tennessee’s “fetal assault law”, which charges pregnant mothers with assault for babies exposed to drugs, is set to expire next year. WCYB reports Sullivan County District Attorney Barry Staubus is working to keep the law. "It is the incentive (mothers) need that otherwise they would not have gotten into a program, except for the fact if you don't get into a program, you could be charged,” he said. State Rep. Jon Lundberg, R-Bristol, said he expects lawmakers to renew the law.

Somerville lawyer and Republican state Rep. Leigh Wilburn said today that she will leave the Tennessee General Assembly on Dec. 31. Wilburn, a freshman who replaced Rep. Barrett Rich after he retired in 2014, said she is stepping down "due to unforeseen circumstances involving my immediate and extended family and my business." Humphrey on the Hill has the news.

Sen. Brian Kelsey, R-Germantown, plans to file a bill to increase prison time for carjackers in Tennessee, The Commercial Appeal reports. The proposal will require those convicted of carjacking to serve at least 85 percent of their sentence behind bars before being released on parole. District Attorney Gen. Amy Weirich supports the legislation. “This office would support any effort to enhance carjacking punishment by making it a no-parole offense," she said. "Those who would commit such a dangerous crime should be required to serve every day of their sentence upon conviction."