Tom Humphrey

• Tom Humphrey: End of civil service could open door for patronage's return Published 01/29/2012 at 8:58 a.m.

  Back when Democrat Ray Blanton took over as governor of Tennessee from Republican Winfield Dunn, there were mass firings of state employees with mass hiring under a brand-new system.

• Tom Humphrey: PACs are like people, too Published 01/22/2012 at 4 a.m.

  While the national media has reported at some length on the powers of the new "Super PACs" in presidential politics, state Sen. Bill Ketron may have illustrated that Tennessee leadership PACs have some super powers, too. Maybe previously unappreciated.

• Tom Humphrey: Secrecy institutionalized in Legislatorland Published 01/15/2012 at 4 a.m.

  Closed-door meetings and private discourse are institutionalized in Legislatorland, perhaps fundamentally because of a provision in Article II, Section 22 of our state constitution that says: "The doors of each House and of committees of the whole shall be kept ...

• Tom Humphrey: On paper, Republican redistricting a partisan triumph Published 01/08/2012 at 4 a.m.

  The Republican redistricting mantra, recited repeatedly before and during the unveiling of the official state House and Senate maps last week, was declaring the result of the party's first-ever Tennessee reapportionment would be "fair and legal."

• Tom Humphrey: Agreement near on drug testing of legislators? Published 01/01/2012 at 4 a.m.

  Rep. G.A. Hardaway, a Memphis Democrat who is one of the more outspoken and energetic of the remnant liberal members of the state House, has declared plans to file a bill in the coming session of the General Assembly that ...

• Tom Humphrey: Haslam kinda, sorta taking stands Published 12/18/2011 at 4 a.m.

  As Bill Haslam might say, frankly, I'm not convinced that our governor is ready to apply the brakes to fellow Republicans who are pushing an incredibly aggressive conservative agenda in the Legislature.

• Tom Humphrey: Overseeing out-of-control local governments Published 12/10/2011 at 9:56 p.m.

  Through much of Tennessee's history, state legislators have asserted strong control over what city and county government officials can do, though the trend until recently has been toward granting more local control.

• Tom Humphrey: Haslam remains coy about presidential endorsement Published 11/27/2011 at 4 a.m.

  Some observations on the lay of Tennessee's political landscape with the year 2011 winding down:

• Tom Humphrey: Protester arrests broke a tradition Published 11/06/2011 at 3 a.m.

  Protesting at the Legislative Plaza and the adjoining state capitol complex has a long history, and governors have traditionally dealt with the demonstrators through an attitude of benign neglect.

• Tom Humphrey: Some Tennesseans cue-less and clueless on state issues Published 10/30/2011 at 4 a.m.

  Ken Blake says one of the probable reasons Tennesseans seem to know a lot less about their state government and politics than about national issues is the shortage of heuristic cues. Another, of course, is the media.

• Leaving 'No Child' law: Tennessee gets waiver Published 02/09/2012 at 6:48 p.m.

  WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama exempted Tennessee and nine other states Thursday from some of the rigorous requirements of the No Child Left Behind school-reform law and gave them the flexibility they have long sought in teaching and evaluating students.

• Some Knox commissioners hope state censures Campfield Published 02/09/2012 at 4 a.m.

  Knox County Commissioner Sam McKenzie wants Stacey Campfield's state Senate colleagues to censure him over recent controversial remarks the Knoxville Republican made about gays and the origin of the AIDS epidemic.

• Legislative Notebook: Officeholder crimes, term limits, military service fraud Published 02/07/2012 at 6:52 p.m.

  NASHVILLE — The Senate has approved and sent to the House a bill that prohibits public officials from receiving pretrial diversion for crimes committed while in office.

• Bill to evict Occupy protesters advances Updated 02/07/2012 at 7:44 p.m.

  NASHVILLE — Unauthorized camping on state property would be subject to a $2,500 fine and up to a year in jail under legislation inspired by Occupy Nashville protesters.

• Political notebook: Wine, another senator stepping down, judicial discipline Published 02/06/2012 at 4 a.m.

  NASHVILLE — The latest effort to legalize the sale of wine in Tennessee grocery stores appears stalled at the starting gate, but the sponsor insists that it's only a matter of time until the effort is successful.

• Tom Humphrey: Study touting tourism-related spending invites skepticism Published 02/06/2012 at midnight

  According to Longwoods International, $42 million in state and local government tax revenue was produced from state-sponsored advertising that promotes Tennessee as a great place to visit. The department’s budget is $20 million

• Haslam seeks more control over Tennessee's agencies Published 02/05/2012 at 4 a.m.

  NASHVILLE — Having completed a "top-to-bottom review" of more than 200 arms of state government, Gov. Bill Haslam is moving to assert more direct control over their operations and reduce their numbers.

• Political Notebook: Bill would penalize teachers, lobbyists for defaulting on student loans Published 02/02/2012 at 5:40 p.m.

  NASHVILLE — Teachers and lobbyists who default on student loans could lose the right to practice their professions under legislation winning final approval in the state House on Thursday.

• Political Notebook: Amazon price tag, end of a Knoxville office Published 02/01/2012 at 4 a.m.

  NASHVILLE — Legislation that will cement Gov. Bill Haslam's deal with Amazon.com will cost the state $22.8 million per year in "forgone revenue" while in effect, but it will bring in a like amount afterward, according to a legislative staff ...

• Gov. Bill Haslam's $31 billion budget abolishes government jobs, raises pay Published 01/30/2012 at 7:12 p.m.

  NASHVILLE — Under the theme "believe in better," Gov. Bill Haslam proposed Monday a $31 billion state budget for the coming year that provides a 2.5 percent pay raise for state employees while abolishing 1,166 government jobs.

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