Recapping Tennessee's 2025 legislative session
Here's a recap of some top stories from the session.
🍎 Immigrant education bill stalled
One of the most talked-about pieces of legislation this year was a measure that would have allowed public school districts to refuse to teach undocumented immigrants.
The bill was an explicit attempt to challenge a 1982 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that requires public schools to admit students regardless of their immigration status. The plan faced heavy opposition from immigrant rights advocates, educators and even some Republicans.
The legislation faltered in the waning days of the session, as Republican support splintered and concerns emerged that it could jeopardize federal education funding.
Yes, but: Advocates at the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition said the bill could easily be revived in 2026.
"All of our organizing actually has to scale up over the summer to ensure that if this bill comes back next session we are ready to defeat it," TIRRC executive director Lisa Sherman Luna said.
The big picture: The bill was emblematic of the ways many Tennessee Republicans have embraced President Trump's hardline positions on immigration, diversity and other issues.
🗳️ Felon voting rights
Tennessee law currently requires felons who've lost their voting rights to get their gun rights back before they can restore their voting rights.
A new bill lawmakers sent to Gov. Bill Lee this month would change that so that people could get their voting rights restored first.
But they would still have to convince a judge to restore their voting rights.
⚖️ Innocence claims
The Tennessee Innocence Project praised another bill heading to Lee's desk that would provide a path for people who plead guilty to a crime to later bring new evidence of their innocence to court.
Between the lines: Some people who maintain their innocence choose to plead guilty for a deal or other reasons. Bill sponsor Sen. Todd Gardenhire (R-Chattanooga) said this would create an option for them if significant evidence emerges after their plea, per the Tennessean.
🩺 Fertility treatment protections
Lawmakers passed a bill protecting fertility treatments, like IVF, and contraception.
What we're watching: As the bill awaits Lee's signature, a group of 11 Republican House members are calling on him to veto it.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hill
5 minutes ago
- The Hill
Democrats seek to capitalize on Epstein uproar
PRESIDENT TRUMP is hoping to leave questions about his administration's handling of the Jeffrey Epstein case in the rearview mirror as he begins his weekend trip to Scotland, while Democrats lean into the controversy and seek to leverage it for political gain. Trump will open his third golf course in Scotland this weekend, with the newest to be named after his late mother. The president will also meet with U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer to 'refine' a trade deal with the U.S., while seeking to further negotiations on a trade deal with the the head of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen. But the political frenzy in Washington has shown no signs of abating, driven by Trump's demands that Republicans drop the issue, the Justice Department 's new interest in Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell, subpoenas from Congress, and Democratic efforts to stoke an issue they hope will split Trump's MAGA base. 'The Radical Left Democrats are doing everything in their power to distract and obfuscate from our GREAT six months of service to America, results of which many are saying is the BEST six months in Presidential history,' Trump posted Friday on Truth Social, hitting 'yet another Democrat CON JOB.' Trump has instructed Attorney General Pam Bondi to release grand jury transcripts, but a judge ruled they must remain sealed. Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said in a Thursday interview with CBS News' Major Garrett that the Epstein files are 'not a hoax.' 'They are real victims here, but that's part of a delicate — the balance that's being done here is, I tried to explain in my press conference this week, man, we want full disclosure,' Johnson added. 'If I had — if I had these things in my possession, I would have put them out a long time ago, but I would also have been very careful to protect the innocent,' the Speaker added. Todd Blanche, the No. 2 Department of Justice (DOJ) official, has taken the unusual step of interviewing Maxwell, who is serving a 20-year sentence in federal prison on sex-trafficking charges. Maxwell's attorney said she answered hours of questions on Thursday and thanked the government for trying to 'uncover the truth.' Blanche continued the interview on Friday, and has said he'll share more information 'at the appropriate time.' Trump was asked Friday if he'd consider a pardon for Maxwell if she delivers new information on the case. 'I'm allowed to do it, but it's something I have not thought about,' he said. Maxwell's attorney David Oscar Markus responded outside the federal courthouse where the interview took place: 'We haven't spoken to the president or anybody about a pardon just yet. The president this morning said he had the power to do so and we hope he exercises that power in the right and just way.' The House Oversight Committee subpoenaed testimony from Maxwell and will interview her next month. Trump is eager to move on. 'People should really focus on how well the country is doing,' he told reporters before boarding a plane to Scotland. 'I have nothing to do with this guy,' he added. The media is busy digging up old interactions between Trump and Epstein, who ran in similar social circles until Trump says he cut off contact with the disgraced financier for being a 'creep.' Trump is suing The Wall Street Journal over a story saying he sent a risqué birthday card to Epstein. The Journal now reports that many other high-profile individuals also contributed to a birthday album for Epstein, including former President Clinton, designer Vera Wang, and billionaires Leon Black and Les Wexner. The House approved subpoenas to compel testimony from Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, as well as several other senior Democrats from the Obama and Biden administrations. A separate Journal story said Trump was informed by Bondi earlier this year that his name was one of many in the Epstein files. 'You ought to be speaking to Bill Clinton who went to the island 28 times,' Trump told reporters on Friday. 'I never went to the island.' DEMS SEEK TO CAPITALIZE Democrats have a sudden interest in the Epstein case now that it's become a political headache for Trump. 'It's outraged some of [Trump's] core base, I enjoy the hell out of it,' California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) said on 'The Diary Of A CEO' podcast. The Democratic National Committee is launching digital ads targeting a dozen Republican-held House districts calling for the release of all Epstein files. Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) plans to attack Vice President Vance on the issue in a speech Friday to the Democratic Mayors Association. According to prepared remarks obtained by Politico Playbook, Khanna plans to draw on Vance's past remarks demanding transparency in the case. 'Your silence has been pretty deafening,' Khanna will say at the summit in Vance's home-state of Ohio. Khanna and Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) are cosponsoring a bill seeking to force the release of the Epstein files. Democratic strategist James Carville said Trump could face 'political catastrophe' with his MAGA base, which has long fixated on Epstein as a symbol of elite corruption. Axios reports that the House Democratic messaging arm sent an alert to members this week urging them to 'amplify' the Journal story connecting Trump and Epstein. But not all Democrats think they should be gleefully leaning into the controversy. Some members say they should be spending summer recess focusing on the core issues most important to voters, such as the economy. 'Candidly, this whole thing is just such bulls—,' one Democratic member told Axios. 💡 Perspectives: • Vox: Why didn't Biden release the Epstein files? • The Hill: Gabbard sets Trump's base up for the next disappointment. • Wall Street Journal: How to end the Epstein's follies. • RealClearPolitics: The damage caused by the Russia hoax. • Trump's trip to Scotland: What to know. • Republicans back Graham, Cornyn's call for Obama special counsel. • GOP leaders submarined by Epstein uproar. • Dems pressure Schumer, Senate to hold line on GOP spending bills. • W.H. mulling a rare tool to block spending without Congress. CATCH UP QUICK: Former Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.) reported to prison on Friday, capping a dramatic rise and fall in politics that saw him ascend as a GOP trailblazer before plunging to disgrace. NEWS THIS AFTERNOON Culture wars dominate national politics The culture wars are burning across the country on everything from immigration to education and media. Here's the latest… • The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approved an $8 billion merger agreement between Paramount and Skydance. The approval comes after Paramount agreed to pay $16 million toward President Trump 's future presidential library to settle a lawsuit he brought against CBS News. The president accused '60 Minutes' of editing an interview with former Vice President Kamala Harris to cast her in a better light. In addition, FCC Chair Brendan Carr said Skydance agreed to 'root out the bias that has undermined trust in the national news media.' 'These commitments, if implemented, would enable CBS to operate in the public interest and focus on fair, unbiased, and fact-based coverage,' he said. Democrats and many in the media are furious over the settlement, which they see as capitulation to the government and a bribe to secure the merger. 'Bribery is illegal no matter who the president is,' Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) posted on X. Since then, CBS announced the 'Late Show with Stephen Colbert' would end next year. Colbert is a Trump critic and his show often features interviews with Democrats, provoking further outrage from the left, although CBS says the cancellation was 'strictly financial.' Media reporting indicates the show was losing tens of millions of dollars every year. Paramount was in the headlines again this week after reaching a billion-dollar deal with the creators of 'South Park,' who went on to skewer Trump in a new episode. • Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick warned TikTok would go dark unless China agrees to a deal in which American owners take control of it. 'You can't have Chinese control and have something on a hundred million American phones. That's just not OK,' Lutnick told CNBC's 'Squawk on the Street.' 'If it's in American control, China can have a little piece, or ByteDance, the current owner, can keep a little piece,' he added. 'But basically Americans will have control, Americans will own the technology and Americans will control the algorithm.' The Trump and Biden administrations both declined to enforce a law passed by Congress requiring TikTok's parent company ByteDance to divest from the app or be banned in the U.S. • The Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a lawsuit against New York City challenging its law protecting undocumented migrants. The lawsuit alleges the city 'released thousands of criminals on the streets to commit violent crimes against law-abiding citizens due to sanctuary city policies.' The DOJ is also accusing city leaders, including Mayor Eric Adams (I), of 'efforts to thwart federal immigration enforcement.' 'If New York City won't stand up for the safety of its citizens, we will,' the lawsuit states. • The Department of Education announced the conclusion of investigations into five Northern Virginia school districts, finding district policies accommodating transgender students violate federal law. Meanwhile, The Hill's Lexi Lonas reports: 'Columbia University's settlement with the Trump administration is making waves across higher education as the White House indicates it wants the agreement to be a roadmap for other colleges. Advocates are angry at Columbia's cooperation while President Trump's supporters cheer what they consider much needed reforms after the school agreed to pay a $220 million fine and change multiple policies in exchange for all federal investigations into it to be dropped and a restoration of funding.' 💡 Perspectives: • New York Times: Inside the rise of the multiracial right. • The Liberal Patriot: In praise of code-switching. • USA Today: Columbia deal will reshape higher learning. • Crypto lobbyists mine for influence under Trump 2.0. • Trump signs order on 'pay-for-play' in college sports. • Trump signs order to push cities to curb homeless sleeping on streets. • Ethics panel directs Ocasio-Cortez to make more payments for Met Gala 'Tax the Rich' outfit. IN OTHER NEWS Roundup: Gaza ceasefire talks crumble The Trump administration pulled out of Gaza ceasefire talks in Qatar, blaming Hamas for failing to engage in good faith as the humanitarian crisis worsens. Steve Witkoff, Trump's special envoy to the Middle East, said the U.S. is considering 'alternative options to bring the hostages home and try to create a more stable environment for the people of Gaza.' Meanwhile, top U.S. officials blasted France for becoming the first member of the Group of Seven nations to recognize Palestinian statehood. It's a largely symbolic move that French President Emmanuel Macron described as part of a commitment to 'a just and lasting peace in the Middle East.' Secretary of State Marco Rubio responded on X: 'This reckless decision only serves Hamas propaganda and sets back peace. It is a slap in the face to the victims of October 7th.' The U.S. will skip an upcoming United Nations conference aimed at reaching a two-state solution between Israel and Palestine next week. ELSEWHERE… The U.S. military carried out a raid in Syria on Friday, killing a senior Islamic State (ISIS) leader and two of his adult sons, according to the United States Central Command (CENTCOM). CENTCOM said U.S. forces killed Dhiya' Zawba Muslih al-Hardani, a senior ISIS leader, along with his two sons, Abdallah Dhiya al-Hardani and Abd al-Rahman Dhiya Zawba al-Hardani, who CENTCOM said are affiliated with ISIS. 'These ISIS individuals posed a threat to US and Coalition Forces, as well as the new Syrian Government,' CENTCOM said in a statement. 💡 Perspectives: • The Guardian: Trump's Alice in Wonderland style of justice. • The Atlantic: Why China won't stop the fentanyl trade. • Iran says it's ready for nuclear talks with the US.
Los Angeles Times
5 minutes ago
- Los Angeles Times
In Epstein furor, Trump struggles to shake off a controversy his allies once stoked
WASHINGTON — Despite the sun bearing down on him and the sweat beading across his face, President Trump still lingered with reporters lined up outside the White House on Friday. He was leaving on a trip to Scotland, where he would visit his golf courses, and he wanted to talk about how his administration just finished 'the best six months ever.' But over and over, the journalists kept asking Trump about the Jeffrey Epstein case and whether he would pardon the disgraced financier's imprisoned accomplice, Ghislaine Maxwell. 'People should really focus on how well the country is doing,' Trump insisted. He shut down another question by saying, 'I don't want to talk about that.' It was another example of how the Epstein saga — and his administration's disjointed approach to it — has shadowed Trump when he's otherwise at the height of his influence. He's enacted a vast legislative agenda, reached trade deals with key countries and tightened his grip across the federal government. Yet he's struggled to stamp out the embers of a political crisis that could become a full-on conflagration. The Republican president's supporters want the government to release secret files about Epstein, who authorities say killed himself in his New York jail cell six years ago while awaiting trial for sex trafficking. They believe him to be the nexus of a dark web of powerful people who abused underage girls. Administration officials who once stoked conspiracy theories now insist there's nothing more to disclose, a stance that has stirred skepticism because of Trump's former friendship with Epstein. Trump has repeatedly denied prior knowledge of Epstein's crimes and claimed he cut off their relationship long ago. For a president skilled at manipulating the media and controlling the Republican Party, it has been the most challenging test of his ability to shift the conversation in his second term. 'This is a treadmill to nowhere. How do you get off of it?' said Kevin Madden, a Republican strategist. 'I genuinely don't know the answer to that.' Trump has demanded his supporters drop the matter and urged Republicans to block Democratic requests for documents on Capitol Hill. But he has also directed the Justice Department to divulge some additional information in hopes of satisfying his supporters. A White House official, who insisted on anonymity to discuss internal strategy, said Trump is trying to stay focused on his agenda while also demonstrating some transparency. After facing countless scandals and investigations, the official said, Trump is on guard against the typical playbook of drip-drip disclosures that have plagued him in the past. It's clear Trump sees the Epstein case as a continuation of the 'witch hunts' he's faced over the years, starting with the investigation into Russian interference during his election victory over Democrat Hillary Clinton nearly a decade ago. The sprawling inquiry led to convictions against some top advisors but did not substantiate allegations Trump conspired with Moscow. Trump's opponents, he wrote on social media on Thursday, 'have gone absolutely CRAZY, and are playing another Russia, Russia, Russia Hoax but, this time, under the guise of what we will call the Jeffrey Epstein SCAM.' During the Russia investigation, special counsel Robert Mueller and his team of prosecutors were a straightforward foil for Trump to rail against. Ty Cobb, the lawyer who served as the White House's point person, said the president 'never felt exposed' because 'he thought he had a legitimate gripe.' The situation is different this time now that the Justice Department has been stocked with loyalists. 'The people that he has to get mad at are basically his people as opposed to his inquisitors and adversaries,' Cobb said. In fact, Trump's own officials are the most responsible for bringing the Epstein case back to the forefront. FBI Director Kash Patel and his deputy, Dan Bongino, regularly stoked conspiracy theories about Epstein before assuming their current jobs, floating the idea the government had covered up incriminating and compelling information that needed to be brought to light. 'Put on your big-boy pants and let us know who the pedophiles are,' Patel said in a 2023 podcast. Atty. Gen. Pam Bondi played a key role too. She intimated in a Fox News Channel interview in February that an Epstein 'client list' was sitting on her desk for review — she would later say she was referring to the Epstein files more generally — and greeted far-right influencers with binders of records from the case that consisted largely of information already in the public domain. Tensions spiked earlier this month when the FBI and the Justice Department, in an unsigned two-page letter, said that no client list existed, that the evidence was clear Epstein had killed himself and that no additional records from the case would be released to the public. It was a seeming backtrack on the administration's stated commitment to transparency. Amid a fierce backlash from Trump's base and influential conservative personalities, Bongino and Bondi squabbled openly in a tense White House meeting. Since then, the Trump administration has scrambled to appear transparent, including by seeking the unsealing of grand jury transcripts in the case — though it's hardly clear that courts would grant that request or that those records include any eye-catching details anyway. Deputy Atty. Gen. Todd Blanche has taken the unusual step of interviewing the imprisoned Maxwell over the course of two days at a courthouse in Tallahassee, Fla., where her lawyer said she would 'always testify truthfully.' All the while, Trump and his allies have resurfaced the Russia investigation as a rallying cry for a political base that has otherwise been frustrated by the Epstein saga. Trump's director of national intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, who just weeks ago appeared on the outs with Trump over comments on Iran's nuclear ambitions, seemed to return to the president's good graces this week following the declassification and release of years-old documents she hoped would discredit long-settled conclusions about Russian interference in the 2016 election. The developments allowed Trump to rehash long-standing grievances against President Obama and his Democratic advisors. Trump's talk of investigations into perceived adversaries from years ago let him, in effect, go back in time to deflect attention from a very current crisis. 'Whether it's right or wrong,' Trump said, 'it's time to go after people.' Megerian and Tucker write for the Associated Press.
New York Post
5 minutes ago
- New York Post
Trump says Fed's Powell is ready to start slashing interest rates
President Trump said Friday that he believes Fed Chair Jerome Powell is ready to start slashing interest rates. Trump, who for months has hammered Powell for being slow to cut rates, toured the Fed's controversial $2.5 billion building project with the embattled central banker on Thursday. 'I think we had a very good meeting on interest rates. And [Powell] said to me…very strongly, the country is doing well. He said congratulations,' Trump told reporters Friday. Advertisement 3 President Trump and Jerome Powell at a tour of the Fed's construction site. REUTERS 'I got that to mean that I think he's going to start recommending lower rates because of that conversation.' The Fed declined to comment about Trump's optimism for a rate cut. Advertisement A Fed official released a statement Friday saying the central bank was 'honored' to welcome Trump and other Republican officials. A spokesperson for the Fed said it was 'grateful' for Trump's encouragement to complete the renovation of its Washington HQ and that it 'looked forward' to seeing the project through to completion. Policymakers will hold a two-day meeting next week before deciding whether to slash the rate from its current range between 4.25% and 4.5%. Powell has said the Fed should wait for more data before adjusting rates because of concerns over the impact of Trump's tariffs on inflation Advertisement It seems more likely that the Fed will cut rates after its September meeting, with 62.3% odds, according to CME FedWatch. Trump, who called Powell a 'numbskull' earlier this week for failing to heed the White House's demand for a large reduction in borrowing costs, also said on Thursday he did not intend to fire the Fed chief, as he has frequently suggested he would. Interest rates should be lowered by as much as three percentage points, Trump has said. 3 President Trump and Jerome Powell at one point argued over the total cost of the renovations. REUTERS Advertisement Powell has argued that the economy is strong enough that it can withstand higher rates. White House budget director Russel Vought on Friday continued to blast the Fed's $2.5 billion renovation project and call for a review of the central bank. 'There's a whole host of issues with regard to the Fed, and we want to make sure that those questions get answered over time,' Vought told CNBC's 'Squawk Box.' 3 President Trump speaks with reporters on Friday. AP 'This is not a pressure campaign on the Fed chairman,' he added. Vought also said the White House still plans to follow through on what Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has said is the need for a review of 'the entire' Federal Reserve. Trump visited the Fed's headquarters decked-out in a hardhat for a tour of the construction site. Advertisement At one point, Trump and Powell argued over the costs of the renovation, which the president said had gone over-budget at $3.1 billion. Powell said the figure remained $2.5 billion and that Trump was including the costs of a separate, previously-completed building.
