Bid to override Haslam veto of Bible as Tennessee book fails

Bid to override Haslam veto of Bible as Tennessee book fails

A bid to override Gov. Bill Haslam's veto of a bill to accomplish Tennessee the aboriginal accompaniment to baptize the Bible as its official book bootless in the accompaniment House on Wednesday.

Forty-three associates voted to re-pass the bill, falling able-bodied abbreviate of the 50-vote beginning to about-face aback to the veto.

The Republican governor endure anniversary angry aback the bill over built-in apropos and because of apropos the admeasurement "trivializes" what he considers a angelic text.

Sponsors argued that the admeasurement seeks to account the bread-and-butter and actual appulse of the Bible in Tennessee history, rather than a accompaniment endorsement of religion.

"It doesn't force anyone to apprehend it, it doesn't force anyone to buy it, it doesn't anyone to accept it," said the bill's sponsor, Rep. Jerry Sexton, a above Baptist minister. "It's artlessly symbolic."

But opponents said it diminishes the acceptation of the Bible to abode it alongside added accompaniment symbols. Earlier in the session, the Legislature accustomed a resolution to add the .50-caliber Barrett assassin burglarize to the state's official symbols, like the Tennessee cavern salamander, the eastern box turtle and the approach catfish — additional nine accompaniment songs, including the moonshine-themed "Rocky Top."

Lawmakers anesthetized the bill admitting a admonishing by the state's advocate accepted that it would breach both the U.S. and Tennessee constitutions, the closing of which states that "no alternative shall anytime be given, by law, to any religious enactment or approach of worship."

Haslam said in his veto bulletin that adopted officials' "deepest beliefs" should acquaint their decisions.

"Men and women motivated by acceptance accept every appropriate and obligation to accompany their acceptance and charge to the accessible debate," he said. "However, that is actual altered from the authoritative enactment of adoration that our founders warned adjoin and our architecture prohibits."

About JULIA

This is a short description in the author block about the author. You edit it by entering text in the "Biographical Info" field in the user admin panel.