The Tennessee Department of Finance and Administration will host Gov. Bill Lee’s public budget hearings for Fiscal Year 2026 on Nov. 5, 6, 12 and 13. The hearings will be live streamed. Check the department's website for the schedule of dates and times for individual state agency hearings.

TBA staff and leadership are continuing to develop and update educational and advocacy resources on issues relevant to the practice of law in our state and we want your help! We know TBA members have incredible knowledge and insight about the policy issues we are focused on, including resources for indigent representation. Through our Grassroots Advocacy Initiative, we are building a network of lawyers who are informed and engaged. There are a few ways to connect with the TBA's Government Affairs team if you are interested in learning more and getting involved with our advocacy work, especially as related to indigent representation. Sign up for TBA Grassroots Advocacy Updates, which will highlight related policy content across all of TBA's communication platforms. For attorneys with experience working with clients who are indigent or vulnerable, there is a longer survey that includes questions about court appointed representation as well as options for getting involved with TBA’s efforts in this area. We want to hear directly from you on these issues. More information is available on our main Indigent Representation Resource Page.

The TBA is adding to its grassroots advocacy resources with a new primer on indigent representation, which will provide updated information on the role and importance of appointed counsel in our justice system. Topics will explore basics and real-world questions about Tennessee's system, as well as examples and innovations from other jurisdictions. These resources and more can be accessed on the TBA's Indigent Representation Resources page and will be shared across TBA's communications platforms. Those who would like to receive policy and advocacy updates by email, can sign up here.

Mark your calendar for TBA's 2025 Day on the Hill and Big Shrimp Legislative Reception, which will be held March 19 in Nashville. The events give Tennessee lawyers an opportunity to meet with legislators and talk to them about issues important to the profession, including funding for indigent representation. Read more about the 2024 events and sign up to connect with TBA's Grassroots Advocacy Initiative and upcoming events.

Tennessee Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson, R-Franklin, this week stated that he will file a new universal school voucher proposal on Nov. 6, and expects House Majority Leader William Lamberth, R-Portland, to do the same in the House. Chalkbeat reports that Johnson plans to have the new bill be the first filed for Tennessee’s upcoming legislative session. Gov. Bill Lee has continued to promote the plan after it did not pass in the last session. The 114th Tennessee General Assembly convenes on Jan. 14, 2025.

One of the most important responsibilities of the TBA is to advocate for the legal profession and our system of justice with Tennessee policymakers. TBA’s Government Affairs team is committed to affecting positive change on behalf of Tennessee attorneys and we want your help! Through our Grassroots Advocacy Initiative, the TBA is building a network of lawyers who are informed and engaged about issues relevant to the practice of law in our state. Please complete this form if you are interested in learning more, including opportunities to advocate. Learn more about TBA's ongoing advocacy efforts related to indigent representation.

The TBA’s 36th Annual Health Law Forum kicked off yesterday in Franklin with a welcome from TBA President Ed Lanquist Jr. The two-day event is the premier health law program in the state, providing essential insights from health law providers, practitioners and regulators. Watch for a full report from the forum in Monday's issue of TBA Today. Lanquist spoke to the group about the opportunity to engage around policy issues that are important to the practice of law in Tennessee. He encouraged those in attendance to connect with TBA's Grassroots Advocacy efforts. One of the primary government affairs issues TBA remains committed to is improving delivery of legal services for indigent clients. The TBA is focused both on securing adequate resources to compensate the lawyers who do this important work and investing in new approaches to improve the indigent representation system in a way that benefits attorneys, the larger justice system and the public.

Tennessee Corrections Commissioner Frank Strada told a legislative panel this week that the state expects to unveil a new process for executing inmates by the end of the year. "We should have our protocols in place by the end of this calendar year or at the first week or two of January," Strada said. "We've been working with the attorney general's office on writing those protocols to make sure that they're sound." He did not reveal any details about the new process, only that effort had taken a long time because of the many lawyers working on the issue to ensure it was "within the law," the Associated Press reports. The state stopped executions in May 2022 following concerns about the proper testing of lethal injection drugs. A report issued later that month found that the state had not followed its own lethal injections policies in the four years that executions had been reinstated.

Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti filed a response brief with the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday defending a state law banning gender transition procedures for juveniles. Skrmetti emphasized in a press release that the legislation aims to protect children from "irreversible, unproven medical procedures" and aligns Tennessee with 23 other states that have implemented similar restrictions. The brief argued that states have the authority to regulate medical practices and rejected the federal government's position, asserting that those opposing restrictions can advocate for change through state elections.

Jillian's Law — a Tennessee law enacted in response to the death of Jillian Ludwig, which requires mentally incompetent defendants to be committed for treatment — is raising concerns about the availability of hospital beds in state treatment centers. According to Fox Chattanooga, critics worry about potential waiting lists, especially at the Harold Jordan Center, the state's sole facility for intellectual disabilities. State officials, citing privacy laws, have not disclosed the number of patients awaiting treatment. They say they have taken steps to implement the law but challenges remain in ensuring adequate resources and capacity. Ludwig, a first-year Belmont University student was fatally shot in a park near campus. The alleged offender had been released  just six months earlier after a judge ruled he functioned at a kindergarten level, and was unable to stand trial on shooting charges.