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What is the current status of Nashville's Metropolitan Council and why did state Republican lawmakers attempt to cut it in half?
What is the current status of Nashville's Metropolitan Council and why did state Republican lawmakers attempt to cut it in half?
What is the proposed change to Nashville's council makeup and how did city officials respond to it?
Answer: The proposed change would cut Nashville's combined council from 40 to 20 people. City officials argue that the new statute, which requires Nashville to craft new council districts by May 1, is unreasonable and violates the state Constitution. They also argue that changing the council's makeup now will throw this year's elections into chaos.
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Study Notes
- Nashville's Metropolitan Council will keep all 40 seats for now, as a temporary decision was issued by three state judges.
- State Republican lawmakers had attempted to cut the council in half after it blocked the 2024 Republican National Convention from coming to the city.
- Nashville has operated under a combined city-county government system with 40 council members since 1963.
- The new statute would require Nashville to craft new council districts by May 1, which city officials say is unreasonable.
- The judges agreed that changing the council's makeup now will throw this year's elections into chaos.
- The state law would cut Nashville's combined council to 20 people.
- If a metro government can't make the changes in time for the next election, current members' terms are supposed to be extended for one year to accommodate the changes.
- Tennessee's GOP-dominant Statehouse passed the law earlier this year, one of many proposals Republicans have introduced to upend Nashville politics.
- One quarter of Nashville's council seats are held by Black members, half by women, and five members identify as LGBTQ+.
- The city officials argue that the scheme violates the state Constitution.
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