NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — There is already some turmoil in the first days of the 2024 legislative session as new policies dramatically restrict who can and cannot get inside the chamber.
The new rule was put in place by House Speaker Cameron Sexton which requires a special ticket for the west side of the public gallery.
One lawmaker is already fighting back. State Representative Vincent Dixie from Nashville is asking Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti to weigh in. He formally sent a letter questioning the legality of this rule.
When the session began on Tuesday, the change frustrated a lot of people who came to watch.
As the 120 seats in east side of the gallery filled up, they were not allowed access to the west side even though there were empty seats.
Under the new rule, the west side of the public gallery is now limited to journalists, lobbyists, legislative staff and VIP guests who are only allowed access with a special ticket. Each of the 99 state representatives is given one ticket per day to pass along to a guest.
This week many of the west side seats were taken by legislative interns.
Lawmakers in favor of this rule say they need to get their job done without interruptions. Under current Tennessee House rules these policies can be picked by the Speaker of the House.
It would require amending the rules to change it.
I LOVE Forrest's stories on the history of NewsChannel 5 as we celebrate our 70th anniversary. Here's a story I wasn't familiar with until recently. Eudora Boxley had a live cooking show in the early days of the station. She may have been the first black on air at NewsChannel 5 and perhaps, one of the first African Americans to have a TV cooking show anywhere in the country. It wasn't until her grandson reached out to me that I even heard of Ms. Boxley. Thankfully, I was able to connect him with Forest to learn more about this great nugget in NewsChannel 5 history.
-Lelan Statom
