A bill sponsored by Sen. Jeff Yarbro, D-Nashville, passed the full state Senate last week, according to the Nashville Post, but has not been passed by the House Children and Family Affairs Subcommittee yet. The bill, SB1048/HB1032 would set new caseload requirements for the Department of Children’s Services (DCS) and require the department to employ special response team personnel to help maintain standard caseloads. DCS also would have to notify the governor, members of the General Assembly and the Tennessee Commission on Children and Youth if requirements are not met.

A bill making its way through the Tennessee legislature would require some domestic violence offenders to wear GPS monitoring devices so survivors can tell if they are nearby. If enacted, the bill would allow courts to require offenders to avoid contact with survivors and wear GPS tracking devices before allowing release on bond. The bill would apply to people arrested for stalking, aggravated stalking or especially aggravated stalking, as well as any kind of offense specifically against another person, such as assault, kidnapping or rape. Survivors also would have the opportunity to pay for an app that notifies them if offenders are near their location. SB1972/HB2692 has passed committees in both the Senate and House and has been placed behind the budget since it contains a $65,800 fiscal note. WBIR has the story.

A bill blocking local governments from passing police reform on traffic stop policies is heading to Gov. Bill Lee's desk after it passed the Senate. The Commercial Appeal reports that the bill passed with 26 "yes" votes and six "no" votes along party lines, with all Memphis and Nashville Democrats voting against it. The bill would directly nullify an ordinance passed by the Memphis City Council in the wake of Tyre Nichols being fatally beaten by now-former Memphis Police Department officers. The ordinance prevents police from conducting low-level traffic stops, often called "pretextual traffic stops." Nichols' parents have objected to the bill throughout the legislative process. According to the Daily Memphian, they now have requested a meeting with Lee and asked him to veto the bill.

A new episode of the Legislative Updates podcast is live! Join attorney and TBA lobbyist Berkley Schwarz and Adams and Reese attorney and TBA lobbyist Brad Lampley as they discuss committees closing for this legislative session, as well as TBA's upcoming Day on the Hill and Big Shrimp Legislative Reception, which will be held in Nashville on March 20. These events give Tennessee lawyers an opportunity to meet with their legislators and talk to them about issues important to the profession, including funding for indigent representation. Registration for the events will close on Monday. Legislative Updates airs each week on the TBA’s Facebook page. It is also released as a podcast on the same day and can be found on the TBA’s website or wherever you listen to podcasts.

A special committee of House and Senate members has unanimously recommended removing Shelby County Criminal Court Judge Melissa Boyd from the bench, the Commercial Appeal reports. The move comes after the state Board of Judicial Conduct issued a public reprimand to Boyd for refusing to undergo counseling after admitting to using marijuana and cocaine. The board referred the case to the General Assembly, which has the sole authority to remove judges from office. Representatives of the board were at the hearing to answer questions. In related news, Boyd has separately pleaded not guilty to charges of witness coercion and harassment.

The state Senate Education Committee approved a bill yesterday that would vacate the board of trustees of the historically Black Tennessee State University (TSU) by June 30 and authorize Gov. Bill Lee to appoint eight of the board’s 10 members. The other two positions would be filled by a student and faculty representative. The move comes after the Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury recommended a change in leadership, the president stepped down and other reviews found the school was underfunded by more than $2.1 billion over the past 30 years. The board, to no avail, had asked state lawmakers for more time to address outstanding issues and find a new president. The Nashville Scene reports on developments.

A bill that would have prevented state courts from hearing challenges to legislative rules failed to pass the Senate Judiciary Committee, effectively shelving the measure this year, the Tennessee Journal reports. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Gino Bulso, R-Brentwood, and Sen. Adam Lowe, R-Calhoun, was filed in response to Davidson County Chancellor Anne Martin‘s injunction blocking a House rule that would have banned members of the public from holding signs during a special session last August.

TBA's Day on the Hill and Big Shrimp Legislative Reception will be held next week in Nashville on March 20. The events give Tennessee lawyers an opportunity to meet with their legislators and talk to them about issues important to the profession, including funding for indigent representation. The TBA Day on the Hill will include a luncheon and meetings with legislators in the afternoon, followed by the annual Big Shrimp reception that night. Sign up today to take part!

A bill that would change the way the Tennessee Legislature handles sexual harassment claims against members failed Tuesday when the House Public Service Subcommittee could not muster the votes necessary to consider the proposal. The legislation, sponsored by Todd Warner, R-Chapel Hill, and Aftyn Behn, D-Nashville, would have moved claims from legislative leaders to the state attorney general. Former Rep. Scotty Campbell, who left the legislature last year after lawmakers determined he violated workplace discrimination and harassment policies, was on hand to testify for the measure but was not given the opportunity. The Tennessean has more on the story.

A bill mandating that police record interviews with juveniles is headed to Gov. Bill Lee’s desk for his signature. Introduced by Rep. Jesse Chism, D-Memphis, and co-sponsored by Sen. London Lamar, D-Memphis, HB1602/SB1577 passed the Senate on March 4 and the House on March 5 with bipartisan support. Chism told the Tri-State Defender that the measure offers protection for both the officer and the minor. “Making sure the interview is recorded will prevent any false claims from being made against our law enforcement officers while at the same time protecting any juveniles from being coerced into a false confession,” Chism said in a statement.