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City receives grant to update welcome signs
State Reps. Craig Fitzhugh and Judy Barker and State Sen. Mark Norris were also instrumental in securing the grant for the city of Dyersburg. more...

AT&T makes Greenways grant
The financial support of AT&T is very much appreciated,” noted Senate Majority Leader, Mark Norris. more...

First Time-Door is Open for Family Discussion of Bipolar Disorder
The day before, the National Bipolar Foundation received by express delivery a proclamation co-signed by the Speaker of the Senate, Ron Ramsey, and Senator Mark Norris of the Tennessee State Senate. more...

Bredesen's budget boo-boo
Norris is Senate majority leader, which puts him in position to challenge any legislation brought forth by the opposite party. more...

Tennessee's First Proclamation Supporting Mental Health Initiative
On November 9, 2009, Honorable Speaker of the Senate Ron Ramsey, and Honorable Senator Mark Norris issued the first proclamation in support of a Mental Health initiative in the state of Tennessee. more...

News on state budget grim
Senate Republican leader Mark Norris, for example, recently declared Bredesen should have made deeper cuts in the current budget in accord with a GOP proposal that the Democratic governor branded "stupid" during the legislative session. more...

Local ULI Leads Green Charge
State Sen. Mark Norris, R-Collierville, who serves as the senate’s majority leader, will deliver the keynote address. more...

Guest editorial: State must face the financial truth
Earlier this year, Senate Republicans tried to proceed with budget cuts in a responsible way based upon the forecast decline in revenue. We called it the Truth or Consequences budget. We thought it best to face the truth — that Tennessee was enduring the worst economic downturn in modern history — and brace against the consequences of continuing to borrow and spend. more...

Reagan Day Dinner brings out candidates
Senate Majority Leader Mark Norris spoke briefly, saying for the first time in the history of Tennessee there were three constitutional officers that are Republicans. more...

State Sen. Norris paints bleak picture of Tennessee reductions
Addressing a standing-room-only gathering of the Memphis Area Action Council -- the local arm of the National Federation of Independent Business -- Norris offered a blunt assessment of what's in store for Tennesseans. more...

Great River Road gets Byways boost
"This puts us on the map in more ways than one," said state Sen. Mark Norris, R-Collierville, whose district includes four of the five counties. more...

Norris says Great River Road Brings Economic Boost
“This puts us on the map in more ways than one,” says Norris who is focusing his efforts on economic development and environmental restoration of the Lower Mississippi River Basin. more...

Dyersburg officials receive check for Phase II of Downtown Revitalization Grant
"Two years ago, we sat down for the first time in the conference room right behind us," said Norris, pointing to the door leading to the Chamber offices. more...

Busy Week of Shelby County Speaking Engagements Ahead for Senator Norris
Tennessee Senate Majority Leader Mark Norris (R-Collierville) will cover several topics and much territory in Shelby County during a three-day stretch of speaking engagements in the area. more...

“Big Muddy” and the Majority Leader
Norris is Chair-elect of the 16-state Southern Legislative Conference (SLC) and has been working with other Mississippi River states to improve the quality of life along the nation's largest river. more...

Inside the Newsroom: Memphis-China trip right on time
''It's all about economic development for the Southern states,'' he said. ''I want to see how we can build our business relationships with China and help companies in West Tennessee who already are doing business there.'' more...

Norris Leads Sino-Southern Summit
Tennessee Senate Majority Leader Mark Norris (R-Collierville) will chair a trade delegation to China at the end of September. more...

Tennessee solar farm project awaits federal approval
"I'm concerned, for the sake of economic development and jobs in West Tennessee, that this project is being mishandled," said Norris, who represents the Memphis suburb of Collierville. more...

Law School for Journalists Scheduled for Next Week
Brooke Gladstone, co-host of NPR’s “On the Media,” will moderate a discussion about The Commercial Appeal’s Web publication of the public records database of the identities of concealed-weapon carry permit holders with editor Chris Peck and state Sen. Mark Norris, R-Collierville. more...

City Council to Take Up Consolidation Today
“The voters outside the city are never going to seriously consider any metro form of government if the Shelby County schools are included,” said state Sen. Mark Norris, R-Collierville. more...

Southern lawmakers to meet in Memphis in 2011
"It's great exposure for the city and West Tennessee," Norris, now chairman-elect, said Thursday. "...The last time was in 1949." more...

Norris Elevated to Chair Elect of the Southern Legislative Conference
Tennessee Senate Majority Leader Mark Norris (R-Collierville) was chosen to serve as Chair Elect of the Southern Legislative Conference (SLC), the Southern Office of the Council of State Governments (CSG), at the organization’s 63rd Annual Meeting this week. more...

Citizens voice concerns at Legislative Coffee meeting
"If the economy turned around today, we've been told by our economists, it would take three to four years to get back to the point before it tanked," said Norris. more...

Editorial: Sen. Stanley's precipitous fall
Norris, the Senate majority leader, said he had been "working to resolve this situation all week without resorting to press releases and press conferences." more...

Efforts To Toughen Tennessee's Repeat Offender Laws
Norris says taxpayers must be ready to pay the price for reform. Norris said, "It's easy to say lock them up and throw away the key, but they're not enough taxpayer dollars in Tennessee or anywhere else to achieve that." more...

Norris Law Attacks Repeat Offenders
“I am pleased that in a very tough financial year, we were able to pass an initiative to address violent crime in Tennessee,” said Norris, who is also a member of the Finance Committee which hears all legislation impacting the state’s budget. more...

Norris Says States Face Possible Reduced Reimbursement In Federal Highways Funds
Senator Norris said, "I'm glad the Tennessee General Assembly didn't authorize all the transportation bonds the governor asked for in his budget due to the uncertainty of this Fund right now. more...

States face reduced reimbursement in federal highways funds unless Congress acts soon says Tennessee Senate Majority Leader Mark Norris
“Without action, states will again have to face the prospect of massive cutbacks in federal highway aid money going into the next fiscal year,” said Leader Norris. more...

State Sales Tax Holiday will stimulate sales, while providing consumers
some much needed tax relief, says Senate Majority Leader Norris

“This sales tax holiday is especially needed this year due to the downturn in the economy and increase in unemployment,” said Leader Norris. more...

Humphrey: Capitol keeping mum; displays do the talking
"Today, these weapons serve as a beautiful reminder of the importance of our right to keep and bear arms," says an accompanying note from the legislator who chose the pistols for exhibition, Senate Republican Leader Mark Norris. more...

Editorial: Firearms issue goes local
Shelby County suburban legislators were reliable votes for the gun lobby. In fact among the legislature's most ardent gun advocates during the legislative debate were Senate Majority Leader Mark Norris and Rep. Curry Todd of Collierville and Germantown's Rep. Brian Kelsey. more...

Norris Announces Local Arts Grant
June 26, 2009 Tennessee Senate Majority Leader Mark Norris (R-Collierville) has released the list of grant award recipients from the Tennessee Arts Commission for Fiscal Year 2010 (July 1, 2009 – June 30, 2010) in the 32nd Senatorial District. more...

Norris Addresses Transportation Funding Issues in D.C.
"Gas tax revenues have plummeted," says Norris. "We're advised the federal fund needs in excess of $5 billion more just to get us to the end of the fiscal year." more...

Rep. John Tanner touts FAIR Act for nonpartisan redistricting
State Senate Majority Leader Mark S. Norris, R-Collierville, who would have a major say in redistricting decisions if the system remains unchanged, said he'd like to review Tanner's plan. more...

General Assembly Passes Legislation Strengthening Crooks with Guns Law
The bill, sponsored by Senate Republican Leader Mark Norris (R-Collierville) and Senator Doug Overbey (R-Maryville), adds attempted first degree murder to the Crooks with Guns Law. more...

News analysis: 'Year of the Gun' ends with a bang
Those bills were sponsored by Rep. John DeBerry, D-Memphis, and Sen. Mark Norris, R-Collierville, and had been left for dead for most of the session until money was set aside for the longer prison terms. more...

Norris Enhances Protections for Volunteer Healthcare Providers
“By supporting doctors who often fear spending more time in the courtroom than the examination room, we can significantly reform access to proper healthcare,” Norris said. more...

Norris Strengthens “Crooks with Guns” Law
June 18, 2009 “Both of these bills aim to provide safety to our citizens by keeping violent repeat offenders locked up,” Norris added.  “We must make public safety a priority of state government so our citizens feel secure in their own communities.” more...

Measure to close handgun records fails in Senate
The proposal sponsored by Republican Senate Majority Leader Mark Norris of Collierville was defeated 14-13 in the Senate Wednesday night when it failed to get a majority vote. more...

Tennessee Senate fails to approve bill to close handgun-carry records
June 17, 2009 “It’s possible, but I am bothered by the fact that there are apparently political campaigns and candidates that want to use the database for their purposes. I find that as offensive as data mining for gun control purposes,” Norris said after the vote. more...

Gun Permit Secrecy on Hold
Norris said he is undecided on how to proceed with the bill, including possible amendments. more...

Budget not only issue left for Tenn. lawmakers
But the measure sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Mark Norris, R-Collierville, has yet to receive a vote in the upper chamber. more...

House, Senate budget battle near
But Senate Republican Leader Mark Norris of Collierville says the governor's plan is still based on overly optimistic projections of revenue while the GOP plan is "reality-based." more...

Analysis: Revolt within the state legislature
Norris fired back: "You don't have the votes to do all the lofty things you'd like to do. It's well and good to play to the audience, but it doesn't work here. more...

Bill to allow guns in parks signed
The final Senate vote had been postponed by Senate Republican Leader Mark Norris, who had pushed for passage this year of a bill seeking a constitutional convention on judicial selection. more...

Bredesen Spending Plan Advances To Senate
"It's very painful, it's very difficult," Norris said. "But we cut over a billion dollars and I'm afraid there's probably more to be cut. more...

Bredesen Spending Plan Advances To Senate
"We have looked at the cuts that the Governor has proposed, and what we are saying when you proposed those, you thought we had several hundred million dollars more, than apparently we do today, what are we to do with that? He chose these items and we are choosing to move ahead with the cuts if the money is not there," said Sen. Mark Norris. more...

Tenn. governor's spending plan advances to Senate
"It's very painful, it's very difficult," Norris said. "But we cut over a billion dollars and I'm afraid there's probably more to be cut." more...

Bredesen rips GOP on budget
Given the unexpected level of the criticism by the governor and Democrats, Senate Majority Leader Mark Norris, R-Collierville, said lawmakers will likely restore the "megasite" and solar farm. more...

Part of state judge selection process will be restructured
The legislature will next year consider an effort by Senate Majority Leader Mark Norris, R-Collierville, to call a state constitutional convention that would consider r ewriting the judicial selection article of the state constitution. more...

GOP tweaks state budget
The Republican plan, Norris said, eliminates spending on “bricks and mortar” while “avoiding several tax increases we deem harmful to business in this tough economic time.” more...

Kyle, Norris Holding Bills Hostage in Judicial Selection Fight
"I feel that Sen. Kyle is holding things up," said Norris. "I will not concur in the House amendment (to SB1573) as long as Sen. Kyle is stands in the way of people's right to vote on this (holding a constitutional convention)." more...

2 New GOP Commissioners Join State Election Panel
"I am pleased that we have taken the appropriate action to put these new Republican members on the board in accordance with the spirit and the letter of our state law," said Senate Majority Leader Mark Norris (R-Collierville), who sponsored legislation that allowed the members to be seated. more...

Crime bill falls victim to cost
One measure which could be passed soon is the crooks-with-guns bill, sponsored by Sen. Mark Norris, R-Collierville, and Rep. John DeBerry, D-Memphis. more...

Attorneys: Judges, politics don't mix
On Tuesday, Senate Majority Leader Mark Norris, R-Collierville, postponed until Thursday compromise legislation that would replace the current judicial selection process with a new, 17-member Judicial Nominating Commission. more...

Senate passes legislation to clarify Medical Malpractice Reform law
“This is the most significant reform to the Tennessee Medical Malpractice Act in more than a generation,” said Senator Norris. more...

Lawmakers reject popular elections of justices
Republican Senate Majority Leader Mark Norris of Collierville accused sponsors of the elections amendments of “playing to the people at home” and called their efforts “disingenuous.” more...

State Election Commission dispute appears resolved
In response, Senate Republican Leader Mark Norris declared that the GOP-controlled Senate would let the commission die unless the Democrats backed down and allowed passage of the bill giving Republicans a majority. more...

Tennessee Senate passes temporary judge-selection restructuring
Senate Republican Leader Mark Norris of Collierville, who presented the new plan, described it as a bridge to hold a state constitutional referendum later to draft a new judicial selection amendment to the state constitution. more...

House approves bill to give Republicans majority on State Election Commission
“The Democrat majority put the state law into place and had no problem abiding by it until Republicans took control,” said Senate Majority Leader Mark Norris (R-Collierville), who is the sponsor of the legislation. more...

Senate passes judicial selection overhaul
Senate Republican Leader Mark Norris portrayed SB1573 as a temporary compromise to a controversy that has gone on for years, more intensely in the past year. more...

Tracking the recession: Car dealer closings will add to state budget woes
“As these local dealerships close, the impact will be more profound than people realize,” said Sen. Mark Norris, the Republican Senate majority leader in Tennessee. more...

Contentious issues remain in last weeks; budget biggest concern
Senate Republican Leader Mark Norris has now raised the possibility of letting the commission die unless House Democrats retreat and allow passage of the GOP-majority bill. more...

Effort to drop campaign contribution limits in Tenn. raises concerns
But Senate Majority Leader Mark Norris, R-Collierville, said McCormick’s proposal likely goes too far. more...

Effort to drop contribution limits raises concerns
But Senate Majority Leader Mark Norris says he's not comfortable with removing the caps entirely. more...

Judicial selection compromise advances
"At the risk of confusing the issue, I decided I would simply speak to it and say that I believe this is the proper way to give citizens the opportunity to address this in the constitution," Norris said of the convention. more...

New plan for selecting top judges advances
Senate Republican Leader Mark Norris won committee approval Wednesday of a plan for selecting top state judges and also proposed that a constitutional convention be held to resolve the matter. more...

State Sen. Mark Norris (R-Collierville) sponsored the legislation that is now making its way to the Senate Government Operations Committee. more...

Partisan standoff threatens Tenn. elections panel
Republican Senate Majority Leader Mark Norris of Collierville said Wednesday that the commission will be allowed to expire in June if the House doesn't agree to add two Republican members to the panel. more...

Norris plan latest in judicial selection issue
Senate Majority Leader Mark Norris of Collierville on Tuesday unveiled the GOP's latest plan for restructuring the selection of judges on the Tennessee Supreme Court, Court of Appeals and Court of Criminal Appeals. more...

Senate drops plan to elect Supreme Court justices
Under the bill sponsored by Republican Senate Majority Leader Mark Norris of Collierville, a judicial nominating commission would continue to present panels of three finalists for the governor to choose from. more...

Stimulus could fund local roads
The Memphis-area lawmaker believes he's found a way to sock away millions of those dollars, while also helping local governments in Tennessee pay for needed roads, bridges and transit projects. more...

Bill making handgun-carry permit information secret clears House
Senate Majority Leader Mark Norris, R-Collierville, the Senate sponsor of the measure shutting down public access to permit holders’ records, said he may bring the bill to the Senate floor next week. more...

Tennessee House votes to close gun permit records
The bill by Norris and Rep. Eddie Bass, D-Pulaski, originally contained a provision to fine any news outlet or other entity $2,500 for publishing information from permit records. more...

Statement on Reported Swine Flu in Shelby County
Earlier this morning I was informed that a probable second case of the H1N1 virus, also being called the ‘swine flu,’ has been located within Tennessee. more...

TN justices could be face electoral challenges
The proposal sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Mark Norris, a Collierville Republican, would give the governor the power to independently fill all vacancies on the high court, and justices could face challengers at the end of their terms. more...

Bill advances to make handgun-carry permits secret
The Senate version, sponsored by Sen. Mark Norris, R-Collierville, is in the Senate Calendar Committee awaiting the House vote. more...

Election commission with new members sworn in
Sen. Mark Norris appointed Jackson and Maupin to the Dyer County Election Commission, along with Enoch who was reappointed. more...

Norris to Address Partnership Lakeland
Tennessee Senate Majority Leader Mark Norris (R-Collierville) will be the special guest speaker at the annual meeting of Partnership Lakeland on Thursday, April 23. more...

Tennessee: Senate delays Bredesen transportation request
Sen. Norris also questioned why the administration was pressing for authority to spend the federal transportation money through the fast-moving expansion request process instead of a supplemental budget that allows for more scrutiny by lawmakers. more...

Norris Welcomes The New Ballet School of Memphis for Arts Advocacy Day on the Hill Festival
“It was a great honor to be asked to present the New Ballet School to my colleagues and the Capitol community,” said Norris, a member of the General Assembly Arts Caucus. more...

Norris to Address Other Mississippi River Policy-Makers
Tennessee Senate Majority Leader Mark Norris (R-Collierville) will address a gathering of the Mississippi River Parkway Commission at a luncheon on Saturday during their two-day semi-annual conference in Memphis. more...

Bill to require photo ID to vote passes Tennessee Senate
The Senate deferred action on a measure sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Mark Norris, a Collierville Republican, that would require people seeking to register to vote to document their citizenship with driver’s licenses, passports or birth certificates. more...

Shelby County commissioners battle Tennessee legislators
"Constituents in (commission) District 4 are concerned about their representation," Norris said. "They elected a Republican and they've been handed a Democrat. more...

Proposals before Senate that would implement stricter voting requirements
One measure sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Mark Norris, a Collierville Republican, would require people seeking to register to vote to document their citizenship with driver's licenses, passports or birth certificates. more...

Tennessee budget expected to be a sticking point
Senate Majority Leader Mark Norris said there are still questions about how the stimulus money is being spent, and that lawmakers are “trying to put all the pieces together to look at the cumulative debt that the governor wants us to take on.” more...

Bill Would Require Proof of Citizenship to Vote
The measure sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Mark Norris, a Collierville Republican, was unanimously approved Wednesday in the Senate State and Local Government Committee and will now be scheduled for the Senate floor. more...

Johnson sponsors bill to help soldiers' children
Sen. Mark Norris of Collierville is sponsoring the Senate version of the legislation. more...

Tennessee: Bill sealing handgun permit data advances
“I think really we’re trying to preserve as much dignity for gun permit applications as we have for drivers’ license applications,” argued Sen. Norris, noting that driver information is off limits. more...

Norris bills cracking down on violent criminals advance in Senate Judiciary Committee
NASHVILLE, Tenn. --- The Senate Judiciary Committee approved two bills sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Mark Norris (R-Collierville) to crack down on violent crime in Tennessee this week.  One bill, SB 672, adds attempted first degree murder to the “Crooks with Guns” law. more...

Tenn. Senate to vote on closing handgun database
The Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday advanced the measure sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Mark Norris, a Collierville Republican, a 6-2 vote. more...

Chilly reception
“There’s no organized boycott,” Norris told The Memphis News in an interview for the weekly’s “Off Year Election Guide” that hits newsstands today. more...

State legislators still have contentious issues to decide
Senate Majority Leader Mark Norris (R-Collierville) understands Bredesen’s plan and says he will listen intently, but is concerned. He told The City Paper, “If cash is king, then debt is the devil.” more...

Norris to Discuss State of the Economy at Vanderbilt
Tennessee Senate Majority Leader Mark Norris (R-Collierville) will address the state of Tennessee’s economy on Saturday, March 28, at Vanderbilt’s Averbach Auditorium. more...

Officials sail away
The Corps' flagship, Motor Vessel Mississippi, departed Memphis on Wednesday afternoon with about 20 guests, including state Sen. Mark Norris of Collierville, Collierville Mayor Stan Joyner, Millington Mayor Richard Hodges and Germantown City Administrator Patrick Lawton. more...

Bringing the economic crisis home
Several Vanderbilt professors and financial experts from the Nashville community will be speaking in addition to Mark Norris, Tennessee State Senate Majority Leader and Richard McCarty, Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs. more...

Lawmakers pressed to preserve Bredesen’s pre-K budget
Volunteers are meeting with legislators from across the state including Rep. Beth Harwell (R-Nashville), Reps. Mark Norris (R-Memphis) and Paul Stanley (R-Memphis) and Rep. Kent Coleman (D-Murfreesboro). more...

Bredesen denies political maneuver on tax break
Senate Majority Leader Mark Norris, a Collierville Republican and an advocate for increased public safety funding, wasn't so sure. more...

Voter registration could require citizenship proof
‘‘It’s a balancing act,’’ Norris told the committee. ‘‘We’re not trying to have a chilling effect on registration, but we also don’t want to do anything to encourage fraudulent registration or registration by those who are not U.S. citizens.’’ more...

Bredesen: State agencies face 12 percent cutbacks
Norris, of Collierville, said he has concerns about increased debt obligations that would be incurred from the governor’s plan to sell more bonds for bridge and capital projects. more...

Norris Reminds Seniors to Take Advantage of Tax Freeze
Tennessee Senate Majority Leader Mark Norris (R-Collierville) joined AARP leaders today in reminding Tennesseans that the application deadlines are fast approaching for many of the counties and cities participating in the senior citizens property tax freeze program. more...

Senate panel delays proposal to require proof of citizenship to register to vote in Tenn.
Norris, a Collierville Republican, is sponsoring a measure to require people seeking to register to vote to prove their citizenship with documents like driver's licenses, passports or birth certificates. more...

Bredesen speech doesn't mention proposal to close FONCE loopholes, raise HMO taxes
Senate Majority Leader Mark Norris (R-Collierville) seemed pleased with Bredesen's speech but said that he and his colleagues would be pulling out their pencils and double-checking the numbers. more...

Legislation to end access to handgun permits advances in Tenn. House, Senate
A Senate Judiciary subcommittee appointed to review gun bills recommended approval of the Senate version of the confidentiality bill sponsored by Sen. Mark Norris, R-Collierville. It now goes to the full Senate committee. more...

Grocery store wine sales law seems unlikely
Senate Majority Leader Mark Norris said he has nothing against wine being sold in supermarkets. But the Collierville Republican said he’s too busy grappling with the state’s budget shortfall to spend enough time on an overhaul of state liquor laws. more...

Survey: Most Tenn. legislators undecided on wine sales
"It's really an issue primarily of timing right now," Norris said. "I don't want to go in and piecemeal this thing when we're distracted with other bigger fish to fry." more...

Bowman chosen for Knox Election Commission
The bill by Senate Republican Leader Mark Norris was approved 24-7 and now goes to the House. more...

Memphis Could lose out on Stimulus Cash
MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Many people around Shelby County are searching for jobs. Businesses are closing and with budgets stretched thin, the city and county are trying to keep their heads above water. But despite the fact people in Nashville and Davidson County make more money and the area has a lower unemployment rate, the state says they're worse off. more...

More Time for Gun Crime
"All free governments are instituted to provide for the peace, safety and happiness of the citizens they govern. We didn't make that up." more...

Legislative breakfast draws large crowd
"We are proud to represent you folks," said State Senate Majority Leader Mark Norris, the first to speak at the breakfast. "You are a cut above the rest. This is a most unusual time in our state. The deficit at the state level, coupled with the Federal Stimulus Package - nothing like that has ever happened before." more...

Bill would temporarily add members to Tenn. panel
The measure sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Mark Norris, a Collierville Republican, unanimously passed the Senate State and Local Government Committee on Tuesday. The companion bill has been assigned to a House subcommittee. more...

News Alert
State Senate Majority Leader Mark Norris will be appearing on  “Lou Dobbs Tonight” this evening at 6:00 p.m. CST on CNN. more...

Spirited debate over state wine laws
"From a free market economy and consumer rights point of view, wine should be available in grocery stores," Republican Tennessee state Sen. Mark Norris said, but such a sweeping change to Tennessee's decades-old regulatory structure "could put a lot of people out of work. more...

Rochester-area liquor stores, supermarkets fight over right to sell wine
"From a free-market economy and consumer rights point of view, wine should be available in grocery stores," said another Tennessee senator, Mark Norris. more...

Gun Guys Win In House Sub
Handgun carry permit holders could pack their pistols in more places while their names would be kept quiet legislation approved Wednesday by a House subcommittee that has blocked similar bills in the past. more...

Tennessee: Some lawmakers pushing handgun legislation hold permits
The three lawmakers are sponsoring one or more of four previously blocked bills coming today before the House Judiciary Criminal Practice Subcommittee. more...

Too Much Information? Critics Decry Sites That Mine Public Data
The potential for harm has led State Sen. Mark Norris to introduce a bill that would make it illegal to disclose the names of people who have permits to carry concealed weapons. more...

Is Following the State Constitution a Bad Policy?
Sen. Mark Norris (R-Collierville), himself a lawyer, got it right when he said recently,

Who are we to say that what we now have is ‘merit selection’ or ‘merit-based? The ultimate arbiters of the merit of anyone to administer justice in Tennessee are the people of Tennessee; not those appointed to commissions; not those elected to preside over the commissions others appoint. If the people of Tennessee wish to continue the process by which a select group of Tennesseans make their recommendations to a governor elected by the people, rather than directly by the people, then so be it ... And let the Constitution of Tennessee reflect it accordingly (Nashville Post, January 27, 2009). more...

Governor's office still working through federal stimulus specs
Sen. Mark Norris said, "What we're trying to do is to make sure we don't panic the way Congress did and by that I mean, let's look very carefully at what money is available and what strings are attached." more...

Tennessee bills focus on gun owners
Norris said the newspaper's publication of the database "has added to the concern by a number of people who fear for their safety -- either those who have permits and may be identified as having weapons in their homes, and those who by exclusion are not identified and now feel susceptible to those who may look to see who are not permitted." more...

Lawmakers consider supermarket wine sales
"It's a difficult time," the Collierville Republican said. "Most people are worried about how they are going to put food on the table, let alone wine." more...

Senate panel: quick start uncorking wine proposal
Senate Majority Leader Mark Norris, a committee member who said he is undecided on the issue, said the wine proposal may be of lesser significance in tough economic conditions. more...

Senate Panel Hears Wine Proposal
Senate Majority Leader Mark Norris said he hasn't made up his mind on the proposal to relax the law on wine sales. more...

Bredesen issues State of the State minus a budget
Republican Senate Majority Leader Mark Norris said that he felt that the speech was "appropriately short" but wished that Bredesen had focused some of address on public safety and crime. more...

Norris Elected Chair of TACIR
Tennessee Senate Majority Leader Mark Norris (R-Collierville) was elected yesterday to serve as Chairman of the Tennessee Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations (TACIR). more...

Norris Continues to Promote “Green Travel”
“The HOV lanes are under-utilized,” says Norris.  “This reduces congestion without the expense of building new lanes, and it encourages the use of more fuel-efficient hybrids.” more...

Legislature will have to tackle issue of judge selection
Norris added that until then, the General Assembly must agree upon the means by “which we shall transition from the plan we have to the plan we must have” to assure that the administration of justice is done properly. more...

Reforms of Tennessee's capital punishment process face tough trials
Despite an increase in the concern about crime, Norris said, "I don't know anyone who would use that to leverage someone's life. Everyone is concerned to make sure that justice is done and done appropriately. No one wants to see anyone executed who shouldn't be." more....

Business Group Recognizes State Sen. Norris
The National Federation of Independent Business, Tennessee’s leading small-business association, has recognized state Sen. Mark Norris, R-Collierville, with a Guardian of Small Business award. more...

Tim McGraw for Governor? That's the Word from Nashville
In any case, Jackson had some news for Norris, who had just been good-naturedly evading a reporter's point-blank questions about Norris' possible plans to run for governor in 2010. more...

Democrats' scheme hits GOP in House
The only GOP vote for Rep. Kent Williams -- a restaurant owner from Elizabethton in only his second term, and so little known that Senate Republican Leader Mark Norris of Collierville first met him on Wednesday -- was Williams' vote for himself. more...

Tenn. House cast into uncertainty by speaker vote
Senate Majority Leader Mark Norris, R-Collierville, said he doesn't know what to make of Williams so far. more...

State Treasurer candidate spurs rift among GOP lawmakers
Sen. Mark Norris, the architect of the recommendation process, which was supposed to promote a new level of transparency in nominating state constitutional officers, disagreed with the characterization that it has gotten bogged down. more...

No Frist in Governor's Race? Then Gibbons, Maybe Norris
Besides Gibbons, the others are state senator Mark Norris, also of Shelby County; Blackburn; 3rd District representative Zach Wamp of Chattanooga; former state representative and ex-state GOP chair Beth Harwell of Nashville; Lieutenant Governor Ron Ramsey of Blountville; and Knoxville mayor Bill Haslam. more...

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