The AT&T sponsored cable franchise bill is back on the calendar for tomorrow in both the House Commerce and Senate Commerce, Labor & Agriculture committees. Previous posts about the bill can be found here and here. (The Senate version now has ten amendments and I haven't had time to read them. Does anybody know what they say?)

The 40 cent cigarette tax is also back on the front burner. The tax, which is the funding mechanism for Gov. Bredesen's Schools First initiative, is on the joint House and Senate Finance, Ways & Means Committee calendar for tomorrow.

Sen. Rosalind Kurita, who was previously rumored to have said she wouldn't support it because she wasn't asked to sponsor it, is fully on board. She and Rep. Joanne Favors (D-Chattanooga), Tennessee Department of Health Commissioner Susan Cooper, and 98 registered nurses held a rally at the State Capitol last week to support the cigarette tax and promote awareness of teen smoking. Kurita, a registered nurse, has long been a supporter of higher cigarette taxes to help fund health care and as a way to reduce smoking.

Democratic Caucus Chairman Senator Joe Haynes conducted a constituent survey last month that showed 68% of the 807 respondents favored the cigarette tax increase to help fund education. (The survey of Nashville area voters also revealed that 78% support raising the minimum wage to $6.15 and 77% support state spending for alternative fuel research and development.)

The workplace smoking ban is also back on the Senate Commerce, Labor and Agriculture and the House Agriculture committees for tomorrow. There has been some previous (and sometimes heated) debate about this here. There are all kinds arguments on both sides, but even to a future ex-smoker like myself this one is a no-brainer that should be passed right away.