NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tennessee lawmakers once again showed their displeasure with Gov. Bill Lee's decision to keep accepting refugees by advancing a resolution Tuesday that criticized the Republican's actions as violating the separation of powers.

The GOP-dominant Statehouse is currently leading a lawsuit claiming the federal refugee resettlement program improperly forces the state to spend money on additional services for the newcomers, including health care and education.

  NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — U.S. Attorney General William Barr is speaking at the National Religious Broadcasters convention in Tennesseeon Wednesday.

U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos is also on the schedule. So is Jay Sekulow, one of the attorneys who defended President Donald Trump during his impeachment trial.

According to the convention schedule, Barr's presentation is part of a forum exploring the First Amendment and religious liberty. DeVos and Sekulow are on a panel discussing public policy.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — A Tennessee panel is pausing consideration of a push to remove or add context to a Confederate bust in the state Capitol until a vacancy on the board is filled.

Finance Commissioner Stuart McWhorter is the chairman of the Capitol Commission considering options for the bust of Nathan Bedford Forrest.

He said after a meeting Thursday that it's unclear when the recently vacated slot on the commission will be filled.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Five Republican-led states are seeking to block an effort by three Democratic-led states to see the Equal Rights Amendment adopted into the U.S. Constitution.

Tennessee Attorney General Herbert Slatery said the five GOP-led states rescinded their approvals of the ERA amendment before a congressionally mandated ratification deadline more than 40 years ago.

The Democratic-led state attorneys general argue that the 1982 deadline set by Congress was non-binding.  

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Former national security adviser John Bolton says the House's impeachment proceedings against President Donald Trump were “grossly partisan” and said his testimony would not have changed Trump's acquittal in the Senate.

At a Vanderbilt University speaking engagement Wednesday, Bolton also continued to stay quiet on the details of a yet-to-be-released book, as he did during a Monday event.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Mike Osborne) -- One of the committee’s Nashville Vice Mayor Jim Shulman convened last year to look at the city’s most pressing problems has released its findings.

It comes as no surprise that the committee asked to take a look at city worker pay is recommending significant salary increases. The panel consists of five council members and six citizens.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — A lawsuit has been settled between a Tennessee school district and a former student who was kidnapped by a teacher when she was 15.

Tad Cummins sparked a weeks-long nationwide manhunt when he fled the state with the former Culleoka Unit School student in 2017. They were later found in a remote area of northern California.

The girl and her father sued the Maury County School district in 2018, accusing teachers and the school's principal of ignoring several red flags regarding Cummins.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Gov. Bill Lee is defending the rollout of his much-debated school voucher program and downplayed recent anger from lawmakers upset with how the state has prepared to give parents tax dollars to pay for private tuition.

Lee told reporters Thursday that he cared more about kids than “detractors” trying to hamper the voucher implementation.

The program would allow a family to use up to $7,400 in public tax dollars from an education savings account on private school tuition and other approved expenses.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tennessee attorneys say two teenagers accused of fatally shooting a musician during an attempted robbery will be charged as adults.

Attorneys confirmed Thursday that 17-year-old Decorrius Wright and 16-year-old Diamond Lewis will have their felony charges transferred to adult court.

The two teens and three young girls were charged with criminal homicide in the February 2019 death of 24-year-old Kyle Yorlets.

Court documents say several factors were considered in the move including prior records and the aggressive nature of the offense.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Spirit Airlines and Tennessee officials say the low-cost carrier is moving its operations control center from Florida to the Nashville area.

Officials said Thursday that the project to move the operations center from Miramar, Florida, to Williamson County, Tennessee, represents an investment of $11.3 million and will bring 345 jobs to Tennessee over the next five years.