Power struggle between Tenn. and Nashville over regulating party vehicles

Along with the neon signs and the cowboy-clad bachelorettes, party vehicles have quickly become a quintessential — and sometimes a loud — part of downtown Nashville.

But there's a new battle brewing over who has the right to regulate those parties on wheels.

Two years ago, state lawmakers gave Nashville the authority to craft their own rules. Now they're considering taking that power back.

"We don’t have any of those in Portland, I get that, but if we did, they need to be regulated fairly," said Rep. William Lamberth, a Republican from Portland and House Majority Leader.

Lamberth thinks when Nashville was given the authority to regulate party vehicles, or "Transportainment" as they're often called, they became too stingy with the number of permits. "Those are Tennessee business owners that again, as long as they’re doing it the right way, nobody in the state of Tennessee should have to worry about their property rights being stomped all over," said Lamberth, during a news conference Thursday at the Capitol.

So he's pushing to pass a bill that blocks the city from passing its own rules and gives authority to state agencies.

"Especially, if you’re going to issue someone a license to operate one of those types of vehicles, then you should not arbitrarily take that away," said Lamberth.

Nashville Mayor Freddie O'Connell argues their changes have been effective.

"I will say the number of overall complaints has fallen off sharply since we were able to more effectively regulate," said O'Connell, during a news conference Friday.

That being said, O'Connell is hopeful the two entities can strike a compromise and avoid passing the new bill all together.

"We’re having conversations with NDOT. I think there is a way to resolve this in everybody’s interest such that we don’t see the state feeling compelled to preempt us here," O'Connell said. "We’ll see. It’s an ongoing conversation."

Whoever ends up in charge, one element is certain: the loud party downtown won't miss a beat.

Lamberth points out that this bill doesn't just single out Nashville.

It could be helpful for cities like Knoxville and Memphis who have an emerging party vehicle scene. That being said, Lamberth did admit that issues with Nashville's regulations did inspire the bill.

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