Nashville’s Metro Council has approved $6.5 million to improve radio communications between Metro Nashville Public Schools (MNPS) and police and install shatter-resistant protection on glass across the district. WPLN reports that at a meeting last week, MNPS officials highlighted several ways the council could support the district’s safety goals. An updated radio system will help ensure seamless communication between schools and police in case of an emergency. The glass protection will make it more resistant to breaking if an intruder attempts to force their way in.

Two lawyers who used fake case citations generated by ChatGPT in a court filing were ordered in U.S District Court on Thursday to pay a $5,000 fine, reports Law.com. Judge Kevin Castel of the Southern District of New York also ordered Steven Schwartz of Levidow, Levidow & Oberman and his associate, Peter LoDuca, to send letters to their client, Roberto Mata, and to “the judges whose names were wrongfully invoked.” Schwartz said in a court filing in May he "greatly regrets" his reliance on the technology and was "unaware of the possibility that its contents could be false." Read more about the case in our previous reporting in TBA Today.

The sixth floor of the Cordell Hull legislative building in downtown Nashville was briefly closed Thursday after envelopes containing an unidentified substance addressed to Republican legislature members was discovered, reported the Tennessean. No injuries were reported. An investigation by the FBI is currently underway.

The African American Clergy Collective of Tennessee held coordinated news conferences in Nashville, Knoxville, Chattanooga and Memphis on Wednesday urging that gun violence be considered a "public health crisis," reports the Commercial Appeal. In Memphis, Shelby County Commissioner Erika Sugarmon spoke about the upcoming referendum scheduled for October 5 that will challenge recent state legislation that removed requirements for gun permits and background checks. "This referendum … states that individuals must have a permit to carry firearms," said Sugarmon. A recent survey by the Daily Memphian confirmed that crime is a big concern in Shelby County, noting that 52% of Shelby County respondents say they have considered leaving the area because of crime.

Attorneys for four former Memphis Police Department officers are requesting that a $500 million civil lawsuit filed by the family of Tyre Nichols be halted until the criminal case is finished, the Commercial Appeal reports. Pausing the civil lawsuit, which alleges negligence by Memphis police and fire departments in the death of Nichols, would include a freeze on civil discovery and any mediation efforts while the criminal case is ongoing, the Commercial Appeal says. In their motions, attorneys claimed that the civil case could be prejudicial to the criminal case. On Thursday, two former officers who are facing criminal charges also filed motions to have their cases tried separately, reports the Tennessean.

A press release issued by Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti yesterday announced a fundraising effort for crisis pregnancy centers as a way to mark the one-year anniversary of the Dobbs decision. "Tennesseans have made clear, through their elected representatives, the desire to support mothers and children,” Skrmetti said. “In celebration of the Dobbs decision, I’m proud to highlight the organizations in our state who go above and beyond to provide resources and care for mothers-to-be.” The effort is being held in conjunction with the attorneys general of eight other states, but some are questioning the appropriateness of the effort. Gov. Bill Lee had sought to put $100 million toward pregnancy centers in the state budget, but the legislature cut it to $20 million, Tennessee Lookout reports.

Federal prosecutor Brent Hannafan has joined the Nashville office of Sanford Heisler Sharp, the Nashville Post reports. Hannafan was criminal chief of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Tennessee from 2017 to 2023. He will chair the firm’s trial practice and will represent local governments in lawsuits targeting the opioid industry as well as plaintiffs suing UnitedHealth Group. Hannafan graduated from Vanderbilt University and Washington University School of Law. Sanford Heisler Sharp opened a Nashville office in 2017 with the hiring of former federal Judge Kevin Sharp.

Gov. Bill Lee today encouraged Tennessee schools and local law enforcement agencies to apply for nearly $200 million provided through two grants to strengthen school safety, WREG reports. The Statewide School Resource Officer Grant provides $140 million to place a full-time, armed SRO at every public school. Local law enforcement agencies are eligible to apply for the grant, not to exceed $75,000 per year, per school. The Public & Non-Public School Security Grants provide one-time funding to strengthen security at schools, including $40 million for public schools and $14 million for non-public schools. These funds can be used to support a variety of school security efforts, including improved physical security, emergency operations planning, violence prevention programs, conflict resolution and safety training for staff members. Both grant programs were approved in the recent legislative session.

An administrative law judge has rejected plans by Vanderbilt University Medical Center to establish a new Rutherford County hospital, siding with a trio of inpatient facilities already operating in and around the area, Tennessee Lookout reports. Members of a state health agency panel earlier had approved Vanderbilt’s plans to build a new $144 million hospital but Saint Thomas Rutherford Hospital, TriStar StoneCrest Medical Center and Williamson Medical Center appealed the decision. The judge overturned the decision saying Vanderbilt had failed to show the need for a new facility.

Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) has turned over transgender patient medical records to the Tennessee Attorney General's office, the Tennessean reports. The attorney general’s office confirmed yesterday that it is conducting an investigation into potential medical billing fraud at the hospital. VUMC reportedly informed patients that the information was turned over as a result of an investigation into "billing for transgender care services provided to individuals enrolled in State-sponsored insurance plans." VUMC also told patients it was assured by the AG’s office that records would remain confidential, and offered patients a hotline number to call with questions and concerns. The attorney general's office today issued a statement about the investigation.