A bill mandating primary elections in Tennessee did something to Republican members of the Hamilton County state House legislative delegation earlier this week that prominent bills rarely do — split them in half.
The bill, banning caucuses to select primary candidates (other than those counties currently using them and would be grandfathered in), passed easily 60-25, but was opposed by state Reps. Michele Reneau, R-Signal Mountain, and Greg Vital, R-Harrison. State Reps. Greg Martin, R-Hixson, and Esther Helton-Haynes, R-East Ridge, voted for it.
State Rep. Yusuf Hakeem, D-Chattanooga, did not vote on the bill.
The state Senate passed the bill last week 26-3, with both Sens. Bo Watson, R-North Chattanooga, and Todd Gardenhire, R-Chattanooga, voting for it.
The measure now heads to Gov. Bill Lee for his signature.