Image Credit: capitol.tn.gov
The Tennessee Conservative [By Paula Gomes] –
A caption bill that shifts the date by which candidates for public office must file a petition passed on the House floor on Monday.
Candidates will still have sixty days between picking up a petition and returning it but the legislation shifts everything by a month with pickup now the first week of January and due back the second Tuesday of March instead of the first week in April as current law allows.
The purpose of the bill is to give Local Election Commissions more time to prepare.
The House chose to conform to the Senate’s version of the bill before passing House Bill 0133 (HB0133) sponsored by Representative William Lamberth (R-Portland-District 44) in an 80 to 14 vote.
The Tennessee General Assembly has the votes recorded as follows:
Representatives voting aye were: Alexander, Barrett, Baum, Boyd, Bricken, Bulso, Burkhart, Butler, Camper, Capley, Carr, Cepicky, Chism, Cochran, Crawford, Darby, Davis, Doggett, Eldridge, Faison, Farmer, Fritts, Gant, Garrett, Gillespie, Glynn, Grills, Hale, Hardaway, Harris, Haston, Hawk, Hazlewood, Helton-Haynes, Hemmer, Hicks G, Hicks T, Hill, Holsclaw, Howell, Hulsey, Hurt, Johnson C, Keisling, Kumar, Lafferty, Lamberth, Leatherwood, Littleton, Lynn, Marsh, Martin B, Martin G, McCalmon, McKenzie, Miller, Mitchell, Moody, Moon, Powers, Ragan, Reedy, Rudd, Rudder, Russell, Shaw, Sherrell, Slater, Sparks, Stevens, Terry, Travis, Vaughan, Vital, Warner, White, Whitson, Wright, Zachary, Mr. Speaker Sexton — 80.
Representatives voting no were: Behn, Clemmons, Dixie, Hakeem, Johnson G, Jones, Love, Parkinson, Pearson, Powell, Richey, Thompson, Todd, Towns — 14.
The companion Senate Bill 0145 (SB0145) sponsored by Senator Page Walley (R-Savannah-District 26) passed in that chamber on April 4th, 2024 with the votes as follows:
Senators voting aye were: Bailey, Bowling, Briggs, Crowe, Gardenhire, Haile, Hensley, Jackson, Johnson, Lowe, Lundberg, Massey, Niceley, Pody, Powers, Reeves, Roberts, Stevens, Swann, Taylor, Walley, Watson, White, Yager, Mr. Speaker McNally — 25.
Senators voting no were: Akbari, Campbell, Lamar, Oliver, Yarbro — 5.
After bills pass in both chambers of the legislature they are enrolled and signed by the speakers of the House and Senate before heading to the desk of the governor.
Governor Bill Lee can choose to sign the bill, veto the bill, or allow it to pass without his signature at all.
Lee will have ten days to act after receiving it, not counting Sundays.
Lee has yet to veto any piece of legislation passed by the Tennessee General Assembly since taking office in 2019.
About the Author: Paula Gomes is a Tennessee resident and reporter for The Tennessee Conservative. You can reach Paula at paula@tennesseeconservativenews.com.