The Tennessee State Capitol in Nashville.COCKFIGHTING IN THE SOUTHEASTCockfighting is a crime in all 50 states. It is a felony in 40 states, a misdemeanor in 10. Here is how Southeastern states classify the crime.FELONY• Virginia• North Carolina• Georgia• FloridaMISDEMEANOR• Tennessee• South Carolina• Mississippi• Kentucky• Alabama• Louisiana
After its fifth round in the Tennessee General Assembly, a bill to make cockfighting a felony in Tennessee once again is lying limp in the ring.
For the advocates battling cockfighting, the bill’s failure to pass was yet another letdown in their attempts to clamp down on the practice in Tennessee — one of only 10 states where cockfighting is not a felony.
For the bill’s critics, it was another victory against what they say is a threat to Tennessee agriculture and cultural heritage.
“This bill is not about chickens. It’s about killing agriculture in America,” said Sen. Frank Nicely, R-Strawberry Plains, who has said in previous interviews with the Chattanooga Times Free Press that he has friends who fight roosters.