February 24, 2021
A move for transparency and legislative control is butting heads with the concept of separation of powers in an effort to change the way Tennessee selects its top law enforcement officer.
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With a key vote Tuesday, state Sen. Ken Yager, chairman of the Senate Republican Caucus, is gaining momentum for passage of a constitutional amendment that would insert the Legislature into the process for confirming the state s top legal counsel.
The Senate Judiciary Committee approved Yager s resolution 6-3 Tuesday, sending it to the Calendar Committee to be scheduled for a floor vote. Two Republicans, Sens. Jon Lundberg of Bristol and John Stevens of Huntingdon, voted against the measure, with Lundberg raising the possibility that the Legislature would be creating the position of governor light, or a governor in waiting, someone who would spend more time raising money and politicking than handling legal affairs.