A proposal that would help organized residential entities keep repeat offenders out of their communities is headed to the governor for his consideration. SB638/HB843 allows such entities to petition a judge for a restraining order against repeat criminals that target the inside of its boundaries. The offender must have been convicted of three or more offenses that occurred inside the residential area. Knoxblogs has more. 

Two abortion measures are now headed to the governor's desk. The Tennessee House voted 79-18 in favor of a bill requiring a 48-hour waiting period for women seeking an abortion after in-person counseling by a physician, and it voted  79-17 for new regulations of abortion clinics. A spokesman for Gov. Bill Haslam said he anticipates the governor will sign both bills into law, the Tennessean reports.

Legislators approved and sent to Gov. Bill Haslam a bill that would create a protocol for the collection of sexual assault evidence kits. Sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Mark Norris, R-Collierville, and Rep. Larry Miller, D-Memphis, the bill should go a long way in alleviating the kind of situation that resulted in a backlog of untested rape kits in Memphis and other parts of the state, the Citizen Tribune reports. Lawmakers also approved a bill allowing a person to possess cannabis oil under certain conditions. If it becomes law, certain amounts of cannabis oil can be used for the treatment of intractable seizures, especially in the case of children.

With more than a half a dozen school districts suing the state over a lack of funding for education, lawmakers want to ban them from using state funds for their legal crusade. Legislators reportedly are adding a provision to one of several budget bills that would ban local school districts from using state money for attorney’s fees, court costs or other expenses to sue the state, the Nashville Scene reports.

The Tennessee House has approved $33.3 billion for the state's annual budget after rejecting Democrat attempts to add an authorization for Republican Gov. Bill Haslam to strike a deal with the federal government over Medicaid expansion. Passing a balanced budget is one of the few constitutional requirements for Tennessee lawmakers, Memphis Daily News reports.

State Rep. Bill Beck, D-Nashville, is facing charges of drunken driving and violation of the implied consent law, Knoxnews reports from the Associated Press. Media reports indicate that Nashville police pulled over the first-term legislator on Friday morning and arrested him after he declined to submit to a sobriety test. Beck represents portions of downtown Nashville, East Nashville, Old Hickory and Germantown. He is scheduled to appear in court on Monday.

A vote on a 48-hour waiting period for women seeking abortions and new regulations for abortion providers in Tennessee has been postponed until Monday, the Tennessean reports. The House is expected to approve the two measures, which then go to Gov. Bill Haslam. The state Senate approved the measures yesterday.

The Bible will not become the official book of Tennessee this year. Bolstered by opposition from Republican leadership, the Senate voted 22-9 to kill the Bible bill a day after it passed the House, The Tennessean reports.

The Tennessee House has voted to create a $500 lifetime handgun carry permit, The Associated Press reports. The chamber voted 90-3 on Monday to approve the measure sponsored by Rep. John Holsclaw Jr., R-Elizabethton. Current handgun carry permits are valid for five years. Under the bill, people with lifetime permits would still have to undergo background checks every five years and the Safety Department would still be able to suspend permits for people who are charged with crimes. The Memphis Daily News has the story.

The Tennessee House of Representatives today voted to make the Bible the official book of Tennessee, the Tennessean reports. Although a GOP-led effort, House Speaker Beth Harwell, R-Nashville, was one of 20 Republicans to vote against the measure. Attorney General Herbert Slatery earlier this week released an opinion saying that the measure would violate state and federal constitutions.