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Senate narrowly approves bill removing mid‑decade redistricting restriction
Summary
The Tennessee Senate voted to remove a statutory prohibition on changing congressional district boundaries between decennial reapportionments. Supporters said the change aligns law with recent practice; opponents warned it enables partisan mid‑decade redistricting.
The Tennessee Senate passed House Bill 7,002 on final consideration after a short floor debate, Ayes 22, Nays 8.
Sponsor Leader Johnson told colleagues the change "will have the effect of removing Tennessee's current statutory prohibition on changing congressional district boundaries between decennial census reapportionments." Senator Yarbrough urged a 'no' vote, arguing the constraint had protected the state from mid‑decade redistricting and that repealing it invites partisan manipulation.
Supporters described the bill as a procedural alignment with recent actions and said it gives the legislature flexibility to respond to legal developments. Opponents repeatedly framed it as a removal of a self‑imposed check that had stood for decades; Senator Yarbrough referenced Baker v. Carr and the historical context for the earlier constraint.
The bill was moved and seconded under Senate rules and carried on a recorded vote. With the chamber divided, senators who opposed the measure used floor statements to warn of potential future map changes outside the usual decennial cycle.
The Senate proceeded to the next calendar items after the vote; the motion to reconsider was tabled and the bill was declared passed.
