⚡ Who did NES give special treatment to now?

⚡ More NES Special Treatment

In addition to giving special treatment to Sen. Marsha Blackburn, internal emails reveal Nashville Electric Service CEO Teresa Broyles-Aplin also prioritized power restoration for NES board members in the aftermath of Winter Storm Fern. [NewsChannel 5]

• The utility failed to follow its “NES Storm Response Comms Process,” which requires NES to provide customers with a power restoration timeline within 24 hours of a mass outage. [Axios Nashville]

🧑‍⚖️ Eviction Court’s Storm Docket

Confusion reigned at Tuesday’s eviction court, the second week of eligibility for the Winter Storm Housing Relief Docket for folks unable to pay rent due to January’s ice storm. “We’ve been ironing out the kinks with the docket,” Presiding Judge Robin Kimbrough Hayes said. “With anything new, there’s a learning curve.” [Nashville Banner]

🚗 Nashville Speaks Against Choice Lanes

Nashvillians who showed up to three public meetings to give feedback on TDOT’s Choice Lanes were clear: “No one wants this.” The South Nashville toll road would demolish 51 businesses and homes, including Antioch’s new Chinatown development. Construction on the project is slated to begin next year. [🔐 The Tennessean]

• TODT is accepting public input on the plan until March 26. [Tennessee Department of Transportation]

🏛️ The State Bills Advancing & Failing

The contentious “Human Life Protection Act” that would allow homicide charges to apply to people who have an abortion failed in a state House subcommittee this week. Another proposed bill that would prevent maternal health care providers from discriminating against their patients also failed. [Nashville Scene]

• The bill requiring public schools to collect and report student immigration status has advanced, as has legislation that would double the number of private school vouchers. [Tennessee Lookout; Chalkbeat Tennessee]
• School vouchers have been criticized for failing to track student data. [🎧 City Cast Nashville]
• Sen. Heidi Campbell and Rep. Aftyn Behn have reintroduced their “Pot for Potholes Act” that would legalize marijuana and use taxes from it for transportation projects. [NewsChannel 5]