Home | Entries [Previous |Next]
0 Comments
Daily Dose for October 22, 2007
Dems Hold Unity Dinner
Dems Hold Unity Dinner -- TN Dem Chairman Gray Sasser told Knox Co. Democrats that Republican red herrings can be overcome by Democratic successes. Sasser defended Mike McWherter's testing the waters entry into a race against Sen. Lamar Alexander and defended Dems outreach efforts in East Tennessee. Local Democrats also vetted hopes to regain a majority on the Knox Co. Commission.
Metro May Have Problem Banning Smoking in Parks -- A state law prohibiting local governments from banning smoking may prevent Nashville from banning smoking in its public parks. The preemption law prohibits local governments from banning smoking except in public buildings controlled by the local government. State Sen. Paul Stanley has been trying to get the preemption ban removed so local governments could ban smoking under certain circumstances and has asked for an Attorney General's opinion on the matter. The Metro Parks Board will take up the issue again at their next regular meeting Nov. 6.
Biz Go 21+ To Keep Smokers -- An exemption in state law allowing age-restricted establishments to continue to allow smoking has proven most attractive for a number of businesses across the state who wish to continue to get smoking clients. The Tennessean has a profile on these restaurants. Ronnie Hart, president and chief executive officer of the Tennessee Restaurant Association, which supported the smoking ban, said restaurants that many restaurants which have experienced a drop in business shouldn't worry, because other states have enacted similar bans saw business drop off initially, but their customers came back.
State Looks at Open Meeting Laws After Knox Co. -- An open-meetings subcommittee of the Joint Study Committee on Open Government will hear proposals from both sides about the Open Meetings Act. Local governments are advocating changes that would make it easier to conduct business outside public view, including the right to more closed executive sessions and to require that a quorum of any public body would have to be present for the sunshine law to apply. Frank Gibson, Tennessee Coalition for Open Government Executive Director, says the proposal would gut the law. Earlier this month a jury in Knox Co. ruled that the Knox Co. Commission had violated the Open Meetings Law.
