Forrest Bedford Smith Jr. died on May 5. He was 87. Smith grew up in Shelbyville and was a longtime Nashville area resident before moving to Florida upon retirement. He began his career as an engineer with the Arnold Engineering Development Complex (AEDC), where he was employed when he graduated from the Nashville School of Law and passed the bar exam in 1975. While at AEDC he was responsible for developing the center’s strategic planning process that set a national standard for government organizations. Celebration of life services will be held July 9 at 10 a.m. CDT at First United Methodist Church, 122 Public Square N., Shelbyville. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to First United Methodist Church of Shelbyville or a charity of your choice.

The 6th Circuit Court of Appeals has vacated an injunction that blocked Tennessee’s “fetal heartbeat” law. That law bans abortions as early as six weeks into pregnancy, the Tennessean reports. The Attorney General’s office filed an emergency motion on Friday after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, arguing it had “a valid interest in protecting the lives of unborn Tennesseans" and asking for a rapid ruling. The SCOTUS ruling also triggered legislation passed by state lawmakers in 2019 that will enforce a near-total abortion ban in 30-days. According to Nashville’s NewsChannel 5, that law will focus on doctors who perform abortions and could potentially prosecute women who have abortions.

Tennessee House Republican leadership yesterday asked Gov. Bill Lee to block the Department of Health from "distributing, promoting or recommending" the COVID-19 vaccine for children under 5, the Tennessean reports. Rep. Jason Zachary, R-Knoxville, authored the letter to Lee, which was co-signed by House Speaker Cameron Sexton, R-Crossville, Majority Leader William Lamberth, R-Portland, and Republican Caucus Chairman Jeremy Faison, R-Cosby. In the letter, the group asks Lee to block distribution of the vaccine until "more clinical evidence is available." Zachary said parents who want the vaccine could seek it out from a private doctor but called on Lee to block local health departments from administering the shot to children under 5. Lee’s office acknowledged it had received the letter, but offered no further comment.

Gov. Bill Lee has appointed Knoxville attorney Meredith B. Weaver as judge on the Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board for the Tennessee Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (BWC). Weaver is an attorney with Peterson White and has practiced in workers’ compensation and employment law for 18 years. She will replace retiring Judge David Hensely on the Appeals Board. Weaver is a TBA member, a member of the East Tennessee Legal Association of Women and has served on the board of CASA of East Tennessee. She will be sworn in tomorrow. Read more from the BWC. 

The U.S. Supreme Court today struck down New York’s requirement that “proper cause” must be shown to obtain a concealed-carry gun license, ABA Journal reports. The 6-3 decision ruled that New York’s law violated Second Amendment protections of a person’s right to carry a handgun for self-defense outside the home. The New York law at issue required proper cause for concealed-carry licenses but banned the open carry of firearms entirely. In his dissent, Justice Stephen Breyer noted that the decision “severely burdens states’ efforts” to address violence with gun laws. Attorney General Herbert Slatery today commended the high court for its decision. Tennessee previously joined 25 states in an amicus brief supporting the New York State Rifle & Pistol Association.

Attorney General Herbert H. Slatery today announced that Tennessee, alongside 45 attorneys general, has joined a $1.25 million multistate settlement with Carnival Cruise Line following a 2019 data breach. About 180,000 Carnival employees were impacted by the breach, which included included names, addresses, passport numbers, driver’s license numbers, payment card information, health information and some Social Security numbers. The state will receive $19,855.20 from the settlement. Read more on the story from the AG’s office.

The Trial Court Vacancy Commission is now accepting applications for a vacancy on the 6th Judicial District Criminal Court, which covers Knox County. The vacancy was created after the appointment of Judge Kyle A. Hixson to the Court of Criminal Appeals – Eastern Section. Attorneys 30 years of age or older, who have been residents of the state for five years and are currently residents of the 6th Judicial District, can submit the Trial Court Vacancy Commission Application by noon CDT on July 7. Candidates will be publicly interviewed on Aug. 2. Read the vacancy notice.

Gov. Bill Lee has announced he will reappoint David Rausch to serve a second term as director of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI), the Tennessee Journal reports. Rausch’s new six-year term will begin on July 1 and will expire on June 30, 2028. A U.S. Army veteran, Rausch has been TBI director since 2018. Before that he spent 25 years with the Knoxville Police Department, serving on the SWAT Team and as chief of police for seven years.

The Tennessee Historical Commission last week ruled that Confederate memorabilia inside a Giles County jury deliberation room could be moved to a Maury County museum, the Tennessean reports. The room came into the spotlight in 2020 when a Black man argued in court filings that his conviction by an all-white jury that deliberated in the room violated his right to a fair trial. He was granted a new trial in December. The Confederate items have long been on loan to Giles County from the United Daughters of the Confederacy (UDC), causing the UDC to take the question of their removal to the Historical Commission. The UDC and Giles County filed a joint petition to move the items to the National Confederate Museum in the Elm Springs mansion outside of Columbia. The petition was approved by the commission on Friday.

Davidson County Election Commission Chair Jim DeLanis yesterday filed a federal civil complaint against Metro Nashville and his former employer, Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz, the Nashville Post reports. DeLanis claims two Baker clients, Metro and Metro Nashville Public Schools, threatened to drop the firm if they did not get DeLanis to drop his push via the election commission for an anti-tax ballot referendum. DeLanis says he was fired from Baker Donelson last year, but the firm said he retired. The complaint names Metro Councilmember Bob Mendes as a defendant, claiming Mendes “berated” and “threatened” the commission during public debate on the referendum proceedings. Though the complaint is civil, DeLanis accues Metro and Baker of potential criminal violations, including extortion and conspiracy. He is asking for $1 million in damages.