After a sudden and brief illness, 21st District Attorney General Kim Helper died Monday surrounded by family. She was 63. Helper and her family moved to Franklin 25 years ago and she was appointed district attorney general in 2008 after serving in the attorney general's office and as an assistant district attorney. She was re-elected three times, most recently in August 2022.

Helper has served as the District Attorney General's Conference designee on the TBA Board of Governors for several years and held a number of leadership positions in community and professional organizations, including My Friend's House, the Davis House Child Advocacy Center and Williamson County CASA, among others. She was a graduate of Stetson University College of Law. Arrangements are pending at this time. The Tennessean has more on her passing.

TBA's Director of Public Policy & Government Affairs Berkley Schwarz and Adams and Reese attorney and TBA lobbyist, Brad Lampley provide the Legislative Updates podcast every week. On the March 10 episode, they discussed HB1162/SB775, the Tennessee Revised Uniform Arbitration Act; TBA's two adoption law bills,HB854/SB919 and HB855/SB921;HB647/SB1313, TBA's medical records bill; HB40/SB122, legislation prohibiting foreign ownership of real property by nonresident aliens; HB795/SB283 the "Guns in the Courthouse" bill; and HB1177/SB710, the Tennessee Domestic Relations Arbitration Act. The program airs each week during the session on TBA’s Facebook page. It is also released as a podcast on the same day and can be found on the TBA’s website or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Memphis Police Department Lt. Dewayne Smith, a 25-year veteran, has been identified as the officer who retired before an administrative hearing into his involvement in the death of Tyre Nichols, reports the Daily Memphian. Smith served as a supervisor on the disbanded SCORPION unit that was responsible for the traffic stop of Nichols. The retirement before possible termination will allow Smith to retain his pension. Smith had been charged with neglect of duty, making unauthorized public statements and violating policy on the use of body cameras.

The Tennessean reports that just days before he was set to be sentenced in federal court, former Tennessee state Sen. Brian Kelsey has filed a motion to withdraw his guilty plea in what prosecutors describe as a campaign finance conspiracy to benefit a failed U.S. Congress bid. Kelsey pleaded guilty to two federal corruption charges in November, but the former lawmaker now says through court filings that personal stress compounded with a 48-hour deadline to accept a plea agreement led him to take the deal with an "unsure heart and confused mind." Kelsey is also seeking court permission to file a motion to dismiss the charges he previously pleaded guilty to "because he pleaded guilty to something that is not a crime," his legal team argues in court documents.

A new Legislative Updates podcast was released today with TBA Director of Public Policy & Government Affairs Berkley Schwarz and Adams and Reese attorneys and TBA lobbyists Brad Lampley and Ashley Harbin. This week they discuss HB854/SB919 and HB855/SB921, TBA's adoption bills; HB647/SB1313, medical records legislation; HB1162/SB775, the Tennessee Revised Uniform Arbitration Act; and HB1177/SB710, the Tennessee Domestic Relations Arbitration Act. Legislative Updates airs each week the legislature is in session on TBA’s Facebook page. It is also released as a podcast on the same day and can be found on the TBA’s website or wherever you listen to podcasts.

The Energy, Environment and Land Use Program (EELU) at Vanderbilt Law School invites the public to attend the inaugural State of the Environment Conference, March 27 from 12:30 to 6:30 p.m. CDT. The conference will bring together faculty, policy makers and other experts in the Nashville community and surrounding areas for a lunch-time roundtable discussion on the state of the environment, followed by four additional panels, each one led by different EELU faculty members. The panelists will have an opportunity to discuss current work and research, but will also be open to audience questions. The conference will conclude with a cocktail hour that will allow students, faculty and attendees to have further conversation with each other and with the participating panelists. Click here for more information and to register for this free event.

The Tennessee Lookout reports that the RAND Corporation has released a 600-page report on America’s response to the national opioid crisis. The report states that lawmakers should view the crisis through an “ecosystems” approach, meaning that they should examine the gaps and interconnections among emergency response, data collection, education, treatment, housing and law enforcement. The report encourages federal, state and local lawmakers to think “beyond traditional silos” and innovate ways to stem adverse effects of addiction and increasing drug overdose deaths among Americans.

An amendment added to HB1029/SB1159 is making its way through the state legislature that would send 17-year-olds to adult criminal court first, rather than juvenile court. The bill’s primary sponsors are Lt. Gov. Randy McNally, R-Oak Ridge, and House Speaker Cameron Sexton, R-Crossville. The proposed amendment requires juvenile petitions to be filed in the appropriate criminal court for all children who are 17 at the time of the alleged conduct. It requires the same for children ages 14 to 16 at the time of the alleged conduct who are charged with specific offenses. 10News in Knoxville has the story.

Mayors of Shelby County, Nashville, Knoxville and Chattanooga are calling on the legislature to pass a bill (HB1233/SB1029) that would impose penalties on gun owners who leave firearms in cars irresponsibly. It also would require owners to report the theft — which has resulted in a decrease in illegal gun movement in other states that require it. The bill makes it a misdemeanor criminal penalty for failing to safely store a gun or for failing to report a stolen gun to law enforcement.

The American Bar Association (ABA) announced today that it has begun a nationwide search for a new executive director. The ABA executive director oversees a staff of more than 1,000 and a consolidated budget of approximately $220 million. The executive director is responsible for membership and non-dues revenues programs, directs implementation of the ABA’s strategic goals and has responsibility for programs and activities adopted by the ABA’s governing and policymaking bodies, the Board of Governors and the House of Delegates. The ABA Executive Director Search Committee is seeking candidates with at least 10 to 15 years of relevant executive leadership experience and a successful track record of effective organizational leadership for a large, complex organization. An advanced degree (J.D., MBA or other relevant degree) is preferred. The ABA is headquartered in Chicago, with another office in Washington, D.C., and significant operations in Texas and California.