A bipartisan bill co-authored by Republican Sen. Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee and Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut has passed the Senate with overwhelming support. The Associated Press reports that the bill, which passed 91-3, is designed to protect children from dangerous online content and has been pushed by parents of children who died by suicide after online bullying or otherwise have been harmed by content found online. The legislation would force companies to take reasonable steps to prevent harm on online platforms frequently used by minors, requiring them to exercise “duty of care” and ensure that they generally default to the safest settings possible. This is the first major effort in decades by Congress to hold tech companies accountable for content on their platforms.

Good Times Restaurants Inc., which owns Bad Daddy’s Burger Bar in Murfreesboro, has reached an agreement to resolve allegations that it violated the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Good Times is alleged to have denied service to a group of children who use wheelchairs and their parents who were in Murfreesboro to attend a youth wheelchair basketball tournament. Staff of Bad Daddy's reportedly refused to seat the group, claiming they were a fire hazard. As part of the settlement, Good Times has agreed to pay eight families a sum of $34,000 each, and a civil penalty of $80,000, for a total settlement payment of $352,000. In addition to monetary relief, Good Times agreed to adopt new ADA compliance measures, including new policies and compliance training for its employees. Read more in a press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Tennessee.

Anderson County Law Director Nicholas “Jay” Yeager died July 26 at age 65. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in criminal justice from East Carolina University and then worked in law enforcement for many years as a police officer, sergeant and member of the Gwinnett County Bomb Squad and SWAT teams in Georgia. Later, he attended the University of Georgia School of Law, graduating in 2001. Yeager served as assistant county attorney of Anderson County from 2001-2006 and as law director from 2006 until his death. He was recognized as the Tennessee County Attorney of the Year in 2024. His family will receive friends on Aug. 1 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. EDT with the service immediately following at Unicoi Funeral Home, 4428 Unicoi Dr., Unicoi 37692. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Boys and Girls Club of Anderson County, Anderson County Volunteer Fire Department, South Clinton Inclusive Playground and Unicoi Methodist Church.

The American Bar Association (ABA) House of Delegates (HOD) will meet in Chicago next week as part of the ABA’s 2024 Annual Meeting. The body consider more than three dozen policy matters, including experiential opportunities for law students, flexible work arrangements for lawyers and law firm policies requiring lawyers to take off one week a year with no expectation of checking in with the office. Other resolutions will focus on issues such as heightened judicial security, criminal justice, involuntary civil commitment, homelessness and global human rights. In addition, the HOD will hold a naturalization ceremony, feature a special panel discussion on how the legal profession is changing, and hear from Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker.

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) on Friday asked a federal appeals court to uphold a law requiring Chinese-based ByteDance to sell TikTok's U.S. operations by Jan. 19, 2025, or face a ban. The DOJ argues TikTok's Chinese ownership threatens national security due to potential data access and manipulation by China. TikTok denies these claims, stating repeatedly that "it would ever share U.S. user data with China or that it manipulates video results." The law, signed in April by President Joe Biden, aims to prevent Chinese influence on U.S. platforms. The court will hear arguments in September, impacting TikTok's future amid ongoing security concerns. Reuters has the story.

The American Bar Association (ABA) released its first ethics guidance on lawyers using artificial intelligence (AI) tools. Formal Opinion 512 emphasizes that lawyers must prioritize existing ethical rules like client competency, confidentiality, communication and reasonable fees even when using AI. Lawyers must understand the limitations and benefits of AI tools, protecting client information, keeping clients informed and charging fairly for the time spent using AI alongside a lawyer's own expertise. Last year, the TBA formed an AI Task Force to educate lawyers about the benefits and risks of using AI in legal practice and to provide guidance on its proper use.

President Joe Biden on Monday proposed significant changes to the U.S. Supreme Court, including a binding code of conduct and term limits for the nine justices, Reuters reports. The president called on Congress to pass binding and enforceable rules that would require justices to disclose gifts, refrain from public political activity and recuse themselves from cases in which they or their spouses have financial or other conflicts of interest. He also urged lawmakers to adopt an 18-year term limit for justices and proposed a constitutional amendment to eliminate the broad presidential immunity recognized in a July 1 Supreme Court ruling involving former President Donald Trump. The president laid out his arguments for these changes in an opinion piece in the Washington Post and at a speech at the presidential library of former President Lyndon B. Johnson. In April 2021, Biden convened a commission to study changes to the court. The commission released its final report in December 2021.

Daniel Waldo Cook, a veteran and community leader from Ashland City, died July 23 at the age of 74. A graduate of the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law, he served in the military as a lieutenant colonel and as an assistant district attorney before establishing a private law practice. Cook also was a dedicated Boy Scout leader, founding Troop 987. Services were held this past Saturday. Memorial donations may be made to Cheatham County Veterans Memorial Park by calling 615-945-1851.

The Upper Cumberland Young Lawyers Association and Upper Cumberland Lawyers Association for Women will hold a school supply and backpack drive on Aug. 8 from 5-7 p.m. CDT at Red Silo Brewing Company, 118 W. 1st St., Cookeville 38501. All donated items will be given to the Department of Children’s Services to help children in the foster care system. Red Silo will provide a complimentary beverage to anyone who donates. Learn more about Packs for Pints on the event webpage or email Amber Vargas at avargas@las.org. View an event flyer.

The Tennessee Supreme Court on July 23 approved a motion from the Board of Professional Responsibility to file a petition for temporary suspension and transfer to disability inactive status under seal in the case of Greene County attorney Francis Xavier Santore Jr. The court also found that Santore should be given an opportunity to file a response to the board’s petitions.