NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – The Republican-led Tennessee Senate has passed a bill that calls for a monument to unborn children to be placed on the state Capitol grounds.

The Senate's 23-3 vote Monday sends the legislation back to the House, which has already passed the bill once. Lawmakers need to agree on an amendment to send the legislation to Republican Gov. Bill Haslam.

2. House Passes Bill for Monument to Unborn - Monday, April 23, 2018

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The Tennessee House has passed a bill that calls for a monument to unborn children to be placed on the state capitol grounds.

If passed by the Senate and signed into law, private funds would be raised for a monument to victims of abortion.

3. Sunday Wine, Liquor Sales Passes in Tenn. Senate - Wednesday, April 11, 2018

NASHVILLE – Buoyed by Bible verses and compromise giving liquor stores a head start on Sunday sales, legislation allowing grocery stores to sell wine on Sundays passed the Senate Wednesday on a 17-11 vote.

4. Davy Crockett’s Fine, But Let’s Not Get Carried Away - Thursday, March 29, 2018

The Tennessee General Assembly is making some monumental decisions these days – literally.

Not only is the Legislature prepared to put a statue of Tennessee folk hero Davy Crockett in front of the State Capitol, replacing obscure Nashville politician Edward Carmack, it’s also likely to erect a monument, or memorial, to unborn children in the ongoing battle against abortion.

5. Lawmakers Seek to Ease Jack Daniel’s Tax Burden - Tuesday, March 27, 2018

NASHVILLE – Jack Daniel’s is over a barrel – literally – regarding a tax assessment, an attorney general’s opinion and the potential impact of President Donald Trump’s trade tariff.

6. Last Word: Bredesen's Return, Ford's Exit and Otis Redding 50 Years On - Friday, December 8, 2017

Former Tennessee Gov. and Nashville mayor Phil Bredesen formally entered the 2018 race for the U.S. Senate Thursday via a YouTube video. AP on Bredesen’s entry and his background. Republican partisans are already assuming Bredesen is the Democratic nominee and Democratic partisans are already assuming U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn is the Republican nominee. And the expectation of such a match up automatically went on the list of midterm races that those on both sides and pundits inbetween will be watching to get a read on national trends.

7. View From the Hill: Gas Tax Rancor Lingers as Session Coasts to Close - Thursday, May 11, 2017

Remnants of rancor over Republican leadership roiled the House, a reminder of outrage over roguish behavior as representatives reached the finish line.

Alliteration is probably better suited for poetry. But in a case of what could be considered poetic justice, at least for some, this literary device – goofiness maybe – is suitable for legislative action requiring a score card to keep up with the characters and a bit of history to put it all together.

8. View From the Hill: IMPROVE Act an Insight Into Testy Election Ahead - Thursday, April 27, 2017

In case anyone’s keeping stats, Senate leadership soundly defeated House leadership this session in the gas tax/tax cut battle.

Whether this is a forerunner to a Republican gubernatorial primary remains to be seen as Senate Majority Leader Mark Norris and House Speaker Beth Harwell weigh decisions. It’s not as if they’d be facing off against each other, though, since businessman Bill Lee and former Economic and Community Development Commissioner Randy Boyd are definitely in the race and not hurting for money.

9. University of Memphis, UTHSC May Soon Face Outsourcing Decisions - Friday, April 21, 2017

Forty-one state lawmakers signed a letter requesting the state put a hold on its outsourcing plans until the General Assembly can scrutinize its effect on state workers and services.

The state is set to sign a contract April 28 with Chicago-based JLL for facilities management work that could be used by universities and departments statewide. Even local government jobs could be doled out to the contractor.

10. House, Senate Approve IMPROVE Act - Thursday, April 20, 2017

The House and Senate are nearly ready to send the IMPROVE Act to Gov. Bill Haslam, passing it with relatively wide voting margins after months of debate.

Only one adjustment is needed in a measure providing property tax relief for veterans, the disabled and elderly before the measure can be sent to Haslam.

11. Tennessee Speaker to GOP: Show Civility in Gas Tax Debate - Wednesday, April 19, 2017

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Speaker Beth Harwell is calling on her Republican colleagues to show civility as the Tennessee House prepares for a contentious vote Wednesday on Gov. Bill Haslam's transportation funding proposal.

12. Mistreated GOP Legislators Only Want to Be Heard - Thursday, April 13, 2017

Word has it extra tissue will be placed on the desks of some House members in the coming weeks so they can dry their tears of pain.

It seems a faction of the Republican supermajority just hasn’t gotten a fair hearing – from their own party – on opposition to Gov. Bill Haslam’s IMPROVE Act, which contains a dreaded gas and diesel tax increase to rebuild the state’s roads and bridges. It’s the gas tax versus the surplus, which is pretty big at $1 billion in one-time money and another billion in extra recurring money.

13. Conservative State Republicans Want ‘Restart’ on Gas Tax - Wednesday, April 5, 2017

Claiming they’re not getting fair treatment by House leadership, a group of irritated Republicans demanded the governor’s gas-tax increase package go back to the starting line.

Rep. Jerry Sexton, a Republican from Bean Station in East Tennessee, said in a press conference Monday, April 3, he had spoken with House Speaker Beth Harwell and was told “we would get a restart.” He said the details haven’t been worked out.

14. Tempers Flare in Tennessee House Over Gas Tax Proposal - Friday, March 31, 2017

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Tempers are flaring in the Tennessee House over Gov. Bill Haslam's proposal to boost transportation funding through the state's first fuel tax hike in decades.

An emotional debate erupted over an unrelated bill on the House floor on Thursday that would redirect sales taxes collected at a proposed Major League Soccer stadium in Nashville to be directed to city's sports authority.

15. Two Memphis Democrats Help Move Amended Fuel-Tax Bill Along - Thursday, March 23, 2017

NASHVILLE – Two Memphis legislators helped move the governor’s IMPROVE Act and fuel-tax increases out of the House Transportation Committee Tuesday, March 21, saying they support a section allowing local governments to raise funds separately for mass transit.

16. House Committee Delays Haslam's Transportation Bill - Thursday, March 9, 2017

NASHVILLE – A split House Transportation Committee slammed the brakes Tuesday on Gov. Bill Haslam’s IMPROVE Act, even though it contains a measure to use the sales tax for transportation funding instead of raising fuel taxes.

17. Did ‘People Back Home’ Really Sway No Votes on Bible? - Thursday, April 28, 2016

I thought about skipping church Sunday and playing golf. After listening to the House of Representatives’ debate on the Bible bill, I could probably skip church for a month and still be in good standing.

18. Bid to Override Veto Of Bible Bill Fails - Saturday, April 23, 2016

A bid to override Gov. Bill Haslam’s veto of a bill to make Tennessee the first state to designate the Bible as its official book failed in the state House on Wednesday.

Forty-three members voted to re-pass the bill, falling well short of the 50-vote threshold to turn back to the veto.

19. Veto Of Bible As Official Tenn. Book Survives Challenge - Wednesday, April 20, 2016

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Tennessee has a state reptile, a state rock and a state song in the moonshine-themed "Rocky Top." For now, though, the Bible will not be its official state book.

20. Bid to Override Haslam Veto on Bible Bill Announced in House - Wednesday, April 20, 2016

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – The sponsor of bill seeking to designate the Bible as the official book of Tennessee has formally announced his bid to override Republican Gov. Bill Haslam's veto of the measure.

21. Biblical Lessons Lost in Lack of Health Care Debate - Thursday, April 23, 2015

Tennessee’s legislators spent hours this session arguing over guns and whether to pass a law making the Bible the state book of Tennessee.

In fact, the Bible bill took two days of debate in the House, where it passed, and thorough discussion in the Senate, before it died – at least until next year.

22. Tennessee House Votes to Name Bible as Official Book - Wednesday, April 15, 2015