The Tennessee Capitol in Nashville, Tenn.NASHVILLE – Tennessee’s 107th General Assembly wrapped up its annual session Tuesday after racing through dozens of bills and giving final approval to several controversial measures including suspicion-based drug testing for welfare applicants.
But two contentious bills failed to make the final cut.
One was a measure that would have allowed Tennessee to join an interstate compact challenging the federal health care law. It died on a 45-26 vote, failing to get the necessary 50 votes for passage.
Earlier, Rep. Eddie Bass, D-Prospect, the sponsor of controversial guns-in-parking-lots bills that have plagued the Republican-controlled legislature all session long, sought recognition.
He previously had refused to rule out trying to suspend House rules to bring the bill, which would have stripped employers from banning employees from storing weapons in company parking lots, directly to the House floor.