By Lucas L. Johnson II, The Associated Press

NASHVILLE — Sweeping legislation that includes an across-the-board reduction in the cumulative grade-point average needed to maintain a lottery-funded scholarship has passed the House.

The measure sponsored by Education Chairman Les Winningham, a Huntsville Democrat, was approved 92-1 on Thursday. The companion bill is detained in the Senate Finance Committee.

Under current rules, students must be enrolled full time in college, have a GPA of at least 2.75 after their freshman year and a cumulative 3.0 GPA in subsequent years to keep the scholarship.

Winningham’s proposal would keep the GPA requirement at 2.75. The Senate version, however, would give students an extra year to raise their GPA back up to a 3.0.

In other legislative actions:

& The sponsor of legislation that seeks to keep imitation firearms out of the hands of minors says doing so would erase confusion and protect children.

The measure sponsored by Rep. John Deberry, a Memphis Democrat, was approved 63-29 on Thursday. The companion bill unanimously passed the Senate in February.

Both chambers must now work out differences in the bill before it’s sent to the governor for his consideration.

* The state Senate has approved a bill to give the administration special power to lay off Department of Children’s Services employees without affecting case workers.

The Senate voted 24-3 to pass the bill sponsored by Senate Democratic Leader Jim Kyle of Memphis.

The companion bill is awaiting consideration in a House subcommittee.

* The Senate passed a proposal that seeks to prohibit gang activity at high schools in Tennessee.

The bill sponsored by Memphis Democrat Reginald Tate was unanimously approved on Thursday.

The legislation would authorize school districts to make rules that include prohibiting the wearing of gang paraphernalia and any activity that encourages participation in a gang.

Tate has said the bill is necessary because of complaints of gang activity in Memphis area schools.

The companion bill in the House has been placed behind the budget, meaning the measure will be revisited if any money is left after the state’s spending plan is set.

* A proposal that would require a paper record for voters’ ballots in Tennessee passed the Senate.

The measure was unanimously approved on Thursday. The House passed the companion bill 88-6 earlier this week.

Both chambers must now work out differences in the legislation before it heads to the governor for his consideration.

The bill would require the paper trail process be in place no later than 2010.

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