The Tennessee General Assembly passed House Bill 1446, known as the Recognizing Judea and Samaria Act, sending the measure to the governor’s desk as part of an effort to standardize terminology in state government communications, the National Association of Christian Lawmakers (NACL) said.

The legislation requires state agencies to use the term “Judea and Samaria” in official materials. Supporters argue the terminology reflects ancient Jewish historical ties to the land, while “West Bank,” widely used internationally, dates to Jordan’s control of the territory after 1948 and is viewed by backers of the bill as a later political label.

The measure, which goes into effect July 1, 2026, was advanced by Chris Todd, who also serves as NACL Tennessee State Chair. The organization said the directive is intended to create consistency across government entities and align language with what it describes as established historical references.

NACL Founder and President Jason Rapert framed the bill as part of a broader national effort. He said Todd had shown “principled leadership” by promoting legislation rooted in what he described as historical accuracy. Rapert added that the group has backed similar initiatives across the country and views the measure as part of a growing push for government language to reflect “reality, not political convenience.”

Todd, who chairs the House Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee, framed the legislation as a matter of how public institutions present information, arguing that “accuracy and integrity must be the standard in official government communications.”

He said requiring agencies to use what he described as “historically grounded terms” would create consistency across state entities and avoid taxpayer-funded messaging that reflects politically driven language.

Todd also pointed to broader disputes over historical narratives, saying official terminology influences how information is conveyed to the public and taught to future generations.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) – A jury has found Live Nation and Ticketmaster guilty of violating federal and state antitrust laws.

Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti and 33 other attorneys general were part of a coalition that filed the lawsuit. The jury decided on Wednesday that the companies had eliminated competition and drove up costs for fans, artists and venues.

“Live Nation and Ticketmaster have ripped off consumers for decades,” Skrmetti said. “…They’re finally being held accountable. A jury determined that Live Nation and Ticketmaster are an illegal monopoly … a breakup is absolutely on the table.”

Live Nation was sued by Srkmetti and 40 other states, as well as the Department of Justice, in May 2024. They alleged that the company controlled almost every aspect of live events, from venue ownership to promotion and ticketing services through Ticketmaster. This allowed them to raise prices while minimizing competition.

The DOJ reached a settlement with Live Nation last month, but 33 states rejected the settlement and continued litigation.

Skrmetti and others in the coalition will attend a separate bench trial at a later date to argue for the penalties the companies should face.

“It’s been over 40 years since an antitrust case resulted in breaking up a company,” Skrmetti said, “and I think we’re due.”

Tennessee football’s spring camp is in the books following its Orange and White Game this past Saturday. With spring practices across the country coming to a close, ESPN updated its way-too-early top 25 rankings.

According to the rankings compiled by Mark Schlabach, UT is the No. 25 team in the country. This is a one-spot fall from the rankings he released heading into spring camp.

This mark is good for eighth in the SEC. The Vols trail No. 3 Georgia, No. 5 Texas, No. 9 Ole Miss, No. 10 Texas A&M, No. 11 LSU, No. 13 Oklahoma and No. 16 Alabama.

“After a disappointing 2025 season, Volunteers coach Josh Heupel made a big move on defense by firing coordinator Tim Banks and replacing him with former Penn State coordinator Jim Knowles, who helped Ohio State win the 2024 national title,” Schlabach wrote. “The Vols ranked 14th in the SEC in scoring defense (28.8 points) and total defense (397.2 yards) last season. Campbell, Coleman, Gilliam and Lane followed Knowles to UT and should be impact players. A Tennessee judge denied Aguilar’s injunction for another year of eligibility. Heupel didn’t land a big-time quarterback in the transfer portal after pursuing Ty Simpson and Sam Leavitt. Redshirt freshman George MacIntyre and true freshman Faizon Brandon will battle for the job in the spring.”

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The biggest question for Tennessee as it prepares for fall camp is the quarterback position. The Vols are holding a three-man race, but the likely option is between redshirt-freshman George MacIntyre and true freshman Faizon Brandon.

Josh Heupel said the battle will rage on through the summer and into fall camp, and no decision has been made in the spring. The public got its first view of both options during the Orange and White Game, though.

“I do love the growth from that group,” Heupel said on the quarterbacks after the scrimmage. “I love the way that they competed with themselves, with each other, I love the way that they’ve grown every single day. Each of them maybe had a day where it was a little bit below what they had shown and their expectations, too. They responded and came back the next day and were a lot better. So, there’s a lot of positives, a lot of things that they and we have to work on as a football team.”

The other burning question is about the defense as a whole. Tennessee fired defensive coordinator Tim Banks and replaced him with national champion coordinator Jim Knowles. He has retooled the personnel and brought in multiple new assistant coaches, as well.