NASHVILLE - The Senate has voted to overrule the sponsor of a bill that originally sought to require the phrase "In God We Trust" to be painted behind the speaker's podiums in the state Capitol.
Republican Sen. Stacey Campfield of Knoxville urged the chamber to reject House changes to the bill that would instead instruct the State Capitol Commission to study having the phrase painted in the tunnel connecting the building to the Legislative Plaza.
But the Republican-controlled chamber voted 19-8 against Campfield's motion, which had the effect of agreeing to the House version of the bill and sending it to Gov. Bill Haslam's desk.
Campfield was visibly upset by the chamber's action, and complained off the microphone that one GOP colleague was "messing" with his bill.