GOP supermajority votes to limit debate in Tennessee House, cutting members’ time to just five minutes

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — It is the place your state lawmakers come to debate the intense points going through our state.

However is there such a factor as an excessive amount of debate?

With difficult points like toll roads and abortion anticipated to be debated this yr, Home Republicans took steps Thursday to truly restrict debate.

The brand new Republican guidelines bundle adopted within the Home would reduce the period of time for any lawmaker who’s acknowledged on the ground in half — from 10 minutes down to simply 5.

Republican leaders say it is to make debate extra environment friendly, however Democrats see it as one other instance of the GOP flexing its muscle tissues.

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“It is not truthful for a few of us which will take pleasure in an extended dialog to fully and completely devour the talk on this flooring,” mentioned the Home Majority Chief, Rep. William Lamberth, R-Portland.

“As long as there’s a want to have debate on this flooring, I believe the speaker over the previous couple of years has confirmed, I hope, to all of you that he desires to have strong debate on this flooring.”

The truth is, final session, Home Democrats have been irate in regards to the Republican supermajority reducing off debate on extremely contentious payments that the minority occasion opposed.

Lamberth dismissed Democratic considerations that the rule change is one other effort to silence dissent.

“Simply make your level in order that another person could make theirs, and we will every be heard in a really environment friendly manner. After which you’ll be able to regularly get on the record as you could have new ideas and concepts,” he added.

Home Speaker Cameron Sexton agreed.

“5 minutes after which if we get known as on once more, you’ll be able to have one other 5 minutes, however we would like extra folks to have the ability to ask questions and get by the laws,” the Crossville Republican instructed NewsChannel 5 Investigates.

We famous, “Your critics will most likely say you are attempting to restrict debate.”

Sexton responded, “We are attempting to have extra debate with extra folks than two folks taking on a regular basis.”

Home Democratic Caucus Chair John Ray Clemmons of Nashville was skeptical.

“There’s nothing prohibiting as many individuals as need to converse from talking. You already know, we will keep up right here all day lengthy. That is why we’re elected,” he insisted.

Clemmons famous {that a} member might ask a 30-second query, then the invoice’s sponsor might expend the remainder of that 5 minutes with a solution.

“That’s defeating the aim for us sitting on this chamber and eliminating the possibility for us to be considerate and deliberative in regards to the laws that we move,” the Nashville Democrat mentioned.

The principles additionally change the popularity of particular caucus teams.

For instance, members of the longstanding Black Caucus say it seems they might want to apply for approval from the speaker, in addition to the leaders of each events.

SPECIAL SECTION: Revealed

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