Court blocks Tennessee's Metro Nashville council reduction bill

(The Center Square) – Tennessee’s law limiting Metro Nashville’s council to 20 members beginning in 2027 was determined to be unconstitutional under the local legislation clause and will not go into effect.

Council members Delishia Porterfield, Judy Cummings, Davie Tucker, Dave Goetz, Quin Evans Segal, Sandra Sepulvada and Zulfat Suara were named plaintiffs in the case along with Metro Nashville government and Davidson County.

A prior ruling had blocked the reduction from 40 to 20 members from taking place until 2027.

“I’m pleased with the court's decision to allow Nashville to have the authority to choose the size of its Metropolitan Council,” Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell said in a statement. “I’m grateful to Director of Law Wally Dietz and his team for their excellent work throughout this litigation. The Metro Charter gives Nashvillians the right to determine the size of our Metro Council, and as recently as 2015, we decisively concluded we prefer 40 members.”

Metro Nashville sued the state, saying legislation that only impacts one municipality violates the Home Rule Amendment and local legislation cause.

“The State voting to reduce our council size was deemed unconstitutional AND the courts ruled that we the voters CAN sue the state when they pass harmful legislation that only impacts 1 municipality,” Porterfield wrote .