Bible bill causes disagreements among Tennessee legislators Travis Dorman Staff Writer
Gov. Bill Haslam has until April 19 to act on a bill that would make the Bible Tennessee’s official state book. The bill, which passed in the Senate with a 19-8 vote last week, would place the Bible alongside the state’s slew of official symbols, including milk as the state beverage, the square dance as the state folk dance, the salamander as the state amphibian and more recently, the Barrett .50 caliber as the state’s official rifle. Supporters of the legislation, such as sponsor Sen. Steve Southerland, R-Morristown, say the purpose of the bill is to honor the book for its significant historical and economic impact on Tennessee, while opponents argue the measure is unconstitutional or that it demeans the text. When the Bible bill was being considered in April of last year, Attorney General Herbert Slatery released an opinion asserting the bill would violate the First
Amendment of the U.S. Constitution as well as Article I of the Tennessee Constitution, which states “that no preference shall ever be given, by law, to any religious establishment or mode of worship.” “Like the Ten Commandments, the Bible is undeniably a sacred text in the Christian faith,” reads the opinion. “Legislative designation of The Holy Bible as the official book — as an official symbol — of the State of Tennessee, when viewed objectively, must presumptively be understood as an endorsement of religion and of a particular religion.” Haslam has also expressed concerns about the constitutionality of the bill, but has not said whether he will sign or veto the measure. Haslam has only vetoed three bills since entering office in 2011, and if he vetoes the Bible bill, the Senate could override it with a simple majority. Proponents of the bill focus not on the religious significance of the Bible, but rather, the historical, cultural and economic impact it has had on both the state of Tennessee See STATE BOOK on Page 3
Katrina Roberts • The Daily Beacon
Volume 131 Issue 56
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Thursday, April 14, 2016