Alternet: “As Gov. Bill Lee’s immigration enforcement plan moves swiftly through the Tennessee Legislature, one component of the bill — aimed at arresting local officials who support sanctuary policies for immigrants — drew scrutiny Tuesday. Included in the governor’s wide-ranging proposal to coordinate with the Trump Administration on mass immigrant detentions and deportations is a provision that…

AR Times: “A bill that would limit the amount of damages a plaintiff could receive from insurance companies for medical expenses in personal injury cases passed the Arkansas House of Representatives on Wednesday.  The proposal, House Bill 1204, resembles “tort reform” bills passed or proposed in other conservative states in recent years, such as neighboring Texas,…

AL Political Reporter: “The Justice Department announced Tuesday that a federal grand jury in Montgomery, Alabama, returned an indictment charging former Crenshaw County Jail Administrator Christian Alexander Porter, 33, with assaulting a handcuffed and compliant inmate at Crenshaw County Jail. Porter was also charged with falsifying a report and making false statements to state and…

LA Voice: “The Sundance Film Festival kicked off last Thursday in Park City, Utah, and will run through Sunday. Why is this of interest to LouisianaVoice? Well because this year there is a documentary that features Livingston Parish school librarian Amanda Jones and her ongoing fight with those who would censor reading material available from public…

Political Wire: ““A key witness in the contentious Senate confirmation of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was assured by Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) that her sworn statement would carry weight in last week’s vote and could convince Republican senators to oppose the nominee,“ the Wall Street Journal reports. “Tillis personally assured Danielle Hegseth in a call on Jan….

Political Wire: “Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms (D) told the Atlanta Journal Constitution she is considering a run to succeed Gov. Brian Kemp, who cannot seek a third term in office.”

Politico: “Gov. Ron DeSantis suffered a stunning defeat courtesy of his own party Monday as the Legislature refused to hold a special session dealing with immigration and ballot initiatives that he forced on their chambers, instead quickly gaveling out. But the lawmakers didn’t head home. Instead, they pivoted to hold their own special session —…

Houston Public Media: “Democrats in the Texas House will no longer be allowed to hold influential committee chair positions under new rules passed by the chamber on Thursday. The change, which brings to an end the Texas House’s long-standing tradition of having members of the minority party hold these important leadership roles, comes after years…

WKYT: “It’s now been more than a month since Kentucky State Police say Doug Harless was shot and killed at his home by a London Police Officer. Kentucky State Police says on December 23, London Police were attempting to serve a search warrant when an LPD officer shot and killed Harless. Troopers say the shooting happened…

Yahoo! News: “Ecclesiastical lines have been drawn over the fate of Texas death row inmate Steven Nelson, with one church saying his sentence for killing its pastor is justified and another clergyman saying the state violates a foundational principle of Christianity. Nelson, 37, was convicted for the 2011 murder of the Rev. Clint Dobson at NorthPointe…