State Rep. Rick Womick of Rockvale announced yesterday that he is running for speaker of the Tennessee House of Representatives, the Daily News Journal reports. Womick will challenge incumbent Speaker Beth Harwell of Nashville to lead the House in the 109th General Assembly. The chamber is set to vote on new leaders Dec. 10.

State Sen. Brian Kelsey, R-Germantown, has filed legislation to implement a new system of appointment of the judges by the governor for full eight-year terms upon confirmation by the state legislature. Tennesseans would only get a vote on the judges if they choose to seek new eight-year terms, at which time they would face statewide “retain” or “reject” votes under the provisions of constitutional Amendment 2, which won voter support Tuesday. The Commercial Appeal has more.

Outgoing state Sen. Jim Summerville, R-Dickson, was arrested on one count of public intoxication last Friday, the Tennessean reports. Officers responded after witnesses said an intoxicated male was walking down the street with a lawn chair. Summerville was booked at the Dickson County jail and released on $2,000 bond. He also was cited for carrying an open container. Summerville was first elected to the state legislature as a Republican in 2010 and lost his primary re-election bid in August. His term is scheduled to end in January.

Legislators and law enforcement officials are talking about criminal justice reform this week, WRCB reports. The Senate Judiciary Study Committee met today at the Legislative Plaza in Nashville to start the work. Presenters were to include Tennessee Correction Commissioner Derrick Schofield, Safety Commissioner Bill Gibbons, as well as city and police officials, district attorneys and criminal justice advocates. 

The Hamilton County Commission on Wednesday voted 9-0 to appoint Marc Gravitt as the interim District 30 representative to the Tennessee House, the Chattanoogan reports. The seat became vacant after Vince Dean resigned to assume duties as the newly elected Hamilton County Criminal Court clerk. While the appointment is effective today, Gravitt will officially be sworn into office at 11 a.m. Sept. 30 in Nashville.

Republican Dan Howell of Cleveland was sworn in early as the new state representative for House District 22 in a ceremony yesterday, the Chattanooga Times Free Press reports. Tennessee Supreme Court Chief Justice Sharon Lee administered the oath of office in the House chamber. Howell will fill the two months remaining in the term of former Rep. Eric Watson, R-Cleveland, who was elected Bradley County sheriff and took office earlier this month. Howell won the GOP primary and faces no opposition in the Nov. 4 general election.

Dan Howell will be sworn in during an official ceremony on Monday as the new state representative for House District 22, filling the remaining term of Republican Rep. Eric Watson, the Chattanoogan reports. The ceremony will be at 1 p.m. in the House chamber in Nashville. Howell won the Republican primary for the seat in May and will not face a Democrat challenger in November.

State Sen. Brian Kelsey today released the names of 26 witnesses scheduled to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee Sept. 15-16 regarding proposed state criminal justice reforms. The witnesses include Attorney General Robert Cooper, Court of Criminal Appeals Judge John Everett Williams, TBI Director Mark Gwyn, Department of Safety Commissioner Bill Gibbons, Parole Board Chair Richard Montgomery, and several academics, mayors, district attorneys, public defenders, attorneys and law enforcement officers. See the full list on Chattanoogan.com.

Local Democratic leaders began taking applications Monday for the state Senate seat that will become vacant when Jim Kyle begins an eight-year term as chancellor on Sept. 1. Those interested in seeking the Democratic nomination should submit their name by noon Friday. The party will hold its caucus on Aug. 28 to choose a candidate. Republicans said they also would hold a caucus but did not release details. The winner of the special election will serve to the end of 2016, the Memphis Daily News reports. Among those rumored to be interested on the Democratic side are Beverly Marrero, who held the seat for six years until Kyle defeated her in the 2012 primary; Sara Kyle, a former Tennessee Regulatory Authority member and wife of Kyle; District 98 Rep. Antonio Parkinson; and District 93 Rep. G.A. Hardaway, the Commercial Appeal reports.

Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Brian Kelsey, R-Germantown, says he will hold three hearings on criminal justice issues during its study session Sept. 15-16 in Nashville. The hearings will look at the current state of criminal justice in Tennessee, what other states are doing to reform their systems, and suggested changes to Tennessee law. Issues to be addressed include truth in sentencing, pretrial release, reentry programs, probation and parole reform, community-based corrections and reduction in recidivism rates, Chattanoogan.com reports. In announcing the hearings, Kelsey noted that Tennessee has not comprehensively evaluated its criminal justice system in over 20 years and could “learn from other states that have successfully used data to reduce costs and increase safety.”