State lawmakers from Nashville want to add their hometown's hot chicken to the growing list of Tennessee state foods.

Why it matters: Nashville hot chicken is the city's top culinary export, a must-visit for many tourists and a shining example of Black entrepreneurship.

State of plate: State lawmakers voted last year to make Cleveland, Tennessee's, hot slaw and Memphis barbecue state foods.

Driving the fumes: State Rep. Caleb Hemmer (D-Nashville) tells Axios he was surprised to learn hot chicken wasn't already the state food last year when the legislature honored hot slaw.

• "So we're just adding that to help celebrate our unique culinary contribution and our city's entrepreneurial spirit. It's really important because it's preserving our cultural heritage and celebrating a very authentic Tennessee tradition."
• Another piece of legislation would declare Nashville the state's hot chicken capital.

Flashback: Black-owned restaurants Prince's and Bolton's put Nashville hot chicken on the map.

• Hattie B's has proliferated the spicy spin on fried chicken by opening restaurants outside of Tennessee.

Zoom out: State Sen. Charlane Oliver (D-Nashville) tells Axios hot chicken deserves the honor for boosting tourism and for making its way onto menus as far away as California.

• "It's only fitting that we honor its roots by recognizing hot chicken as the official state food and pay homage to Prince's Hot Chicken — the Black-owned business that originated the recipe right here in Nashville," she says.
• In this time of political division, Hemmer says it's refreshing to pitch a plan that seems to have popular support. "We get into so many caustic fisticuffs around here. It's nice to have things that bring us together and can honor some of the great things we are doing right," Hemmer says.

Yes, but: Although they're proud to honor Nashville's most famous dish, Oliver and Hemmer say they go light on the heat when they order hot chicken. They prefer mild spice.

• "I want to taste my chicken!" Oliver says.

Go deeper: Learn about how hot slaw became a Tennessee state food even though many people hadn't heard of it.

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A group of prominent businesspeople and civic leaders is hosting a fundraiser for Mayor Freddie O'Connell next month in an early sign he plans to run for reelection.

Why it matters: O'Connell fought through a crowded field to win the mayor's race in 2023. The next mayoral election isn't until 2027, but the fundraiser gives the O'Connell campaign the chance to start building a war chest.

• His first 18 months in office was defined by the successful transportation funding referendum.

Driving the news: O'Connell's most recent campaign filing shows he has $33,877.16 cash on hand.

• Real estate executive Bert Mathews and his wife Brooks Mathews are among those listed as hosts for the event, as are public relations executive Beth Courtney and attorneys Erica Garrison and Dave Garrison.

By the numbers: The fundraiser costs $500 to attend, $1,000 to be considered a host and has a maximum individual contribution of $1,900.

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A plan to shift historic zoning responsibilities to the Planning Department is up for a critical vote at tonight's Metro Council meeting.

Driving the news: The Metro Historic Zoning Commission and its staff have handled the enforcement of overlays, which protect historic neighborhoods from redevelopment.

• Supporters say the plan would lead to a more commonsense approach to enforcing regulations, which have created some disagreements between the city and homeowners.

The other side: Councilmember Emily Benedict's plan has received pushback from some neighborhood groups where there are overlays. Those groups say the current system has worked well to protect their residential areas.

• The Whitland Area Neighborhood Association sent a letter to council members explaining its opposition to the plan last month.

The latest: In a letter to Historic Zoning Commission members last week, Benedict reiterated that her proposal doesn't change any existing regulations.

• Her updated version of the bill would create a new historic zoning administrator position.
• Benedict says time is of the essence because state lawmakers are considering a proposal, backed by honky-tonk owners, that would effectively force local governments to move historic zoning functions under planning departments. She says Metro should act before that happens.

Zoom out: Also on tonight's agenda is a plan to create a new policy for how police could use surveillance video footage captured from private businesses.

• Police surveillance has been a hot-button issue in the Metro Council, and this legislation is considered an important litmus test.

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The Tennessee Supreme Court set the execution date for four people on death row. (Tennessean)

Maddy Siegrist of the WNBA's Dallas Wings won the Athletes Unlimited individual title. (AP)

Political operative Emily Cupples is starting a new public affairs firm called Delta Public Strategies. (Nashville Business Journal, subscription)

Menopause is something every woman goes through, but doctors — even OB-GYNs — aren't required to learn much about it.

Why it matters: Millions of women don't get the care they need — and some are getting misinformation at the doctor's office.

Stunning stat: Only about 7% of OB-GYN residents reported feeling adequately prepared to manage menopause, according to a 2019 survey published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings.

Zoom in: One way health professionals can signal they've undergone additional menopause training is by receiving a Menopause Society Certified Practitioner credential through Menopause Society training.

• In Tennessee, just 46 have this credential.

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