NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — After the first day of the session, opponents of a new ticketing system to sit in the Tennessee House gallery have waited to hear if that mechanism was constitutional.
It is, according to the Tennessee Attorney General. Right now, the East Gallery's 120 seats are still open to the general public and are considered first come, first served. But over on the west side, those 128 seats now require a special ticket given out by lawmakers. The question was posed by Rep. Vincent Dixie, D-Nashville.
Article II, section 22 of the Tennessee Constitution contemplates that sessions during which the General Assembly conducts its business will be open to the public, but it does not guarantee the public a right of access to legislative sessions," Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti wrote. "It provides that “[t]he doors of each House and of committees of the whole shall be kept open, unless when the business shall be such as ought to be kept secret.”
Watch lawmakers react to the new policy above.
Every member of the House gets one ticket per day and can give it to whomever they choose. But to invite bigger groups, it'll require members to convince other members to donate their seats.
The Tennessee House gallery can be contentious at times, particularly during moments of tension on legislation. The Covenant School shooting brought out thousands to the legislature along with the expulsion of two lawmakers in 2023. Those crowds could be noisy and most held up signs that were 8X11 pieces of paper.
Those pieces of paper brought forth a new question of if those were legal. After the signs were removed, a court decided they could be there. Denying them would be First Amendment problem, a judge ruled in September.
The Tennessee Senate doesn't ticket members of the public. Seats in their gallery are first come, first served.
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