In Anti-Transparency Move, Tennessee House GOP Caucus Closes Meetings To Press

The Republican Caucus in the Tennessee House of Representatives has decided to close their meetings to the press.

This means that Tennesseans will now be effectively shut out of an important part of the legislative process.

The GOP Caucus voted Tuesday afternoon to shift from what they have traditionally done — allow reporters to attend and report on what takes place in the party meetings. This is important because Republicans are the supermajority, and they could essentially decide whether to kill or support a measure even before they vote on it on the House floor.

Rep. Jeremy Faison, the caucus chairman, says this new rule is standard in legislatures across the country and that leadership will talk to reporters after each meeting to answer questions.

Read more: https://wpln.org/post/in-anti-transparency-move-tennessee-house-gop-caucus-closes-meetings-to-press/