Tennessee House Republicans defend requiring tickets for more than half of the public gallery seats

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tennessee House Republican leaders went on the defensive Thursday after surprising people who showed up to watch their lawmakers kick off this year’s work by asking some of them if they had a ticket to get in. The new and previously unpublicized requirement has only fueled lingering criticism that the GOP supermajority is unfairly flexing its ability to silence those with differing political views.

In Tennessee, members of the public have traditionally been free to sit on either side of the House chamber while lawmakers in session. The public galleries allow family members, constituents, interns, lobbyists, and any other interested parties to watch debate and discuss policy. Yet it’s not uncommon for some to hold up signs, and when observers stage a protest or become unruly, state troopers swiftly remove them.

However, earlier this week, House GOP officials confirmed that the west side of the public galleries would now require tickets. Each House member — 99 in total — would be given one ticket to distribute to a person of their choosing each day the House was in session. The west side gallery holds 128 seats, while the east side holds 120 seats, and remains first-come first-serve.

House Speaker Cameron Sexton implemented the changes, arguing that people traveling to the Capitol from outside Nashville need more assurances of a guaranteed seat. He pointed to the U.S. House of Representatives, where people can access the public gallery by requesting a ticket from their congressional representative.

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“If you don’t like the ticketing thing, I suggest you write an article to Congress and complain about their ticketing,” Sexton told reporters. “If that is anti-public, then you need to call them out and ask them to change.”

Public access to the galleries in Tennessee’s House and Senate chambers has largely been restricted only for high-profile events like impeachments, although in 2020 the Senate prohibited the public from accessing the Senate gallery and committee hearings as the COVID-19 pandemic was spreading. During that time, the House allowed some people to attend meetings and floor sessions.

Most recently, House GOP leaders closed off the west side gallery during an August special session, saying that the space was needed for media access and legislative staffers.

“One side is open first-come, first-serve. You stand in line and you don’t know if you’re going to get a seat or not,” said House Majority Leader William Lamberth. “The other is ticketed and you’re guaranteed a seat.”

There are 75 Republicans and 24 Democrats inside the House, leading some Democratic members to note that the GOP will have more control of who can access the chamber.

House Minority Leader Karen Camper called the rollout of the new ticket system “horrible.”

“For them to say this is how it’s done in Congress? For years this party (Republicans) have said they don’t want to be like Congress,” Camper said.

The change comes just months after the GOP supermajority briefly attempted to ban the public from holding signs during a brief special legislative session last summer over heated discussions over whether the state should enact stronger gun control measures. Thousands of individuals flooded the Capitol to watch what the Tennessee Legislature would do in response to a Nashville Christian school shooting, where six people died, including three children.

The scene quickly turned chaotic when one House GOP lawmaker ordered an entire committee room to be cleared as some people cheered for the spiking of a bill and used their limbs, clothing and phones to get around the sign ban.

Ultimately, the temporary sign ban was blocked in court. But tensions from a tumultuous 2023 legislative year remained on display as the Legislature concluded its first week of business of the new year.

Along with the ticket requirements, House Republicans enacted new limits on how long lawmakers can debate bills. They’ve also restricted members deemed “out of order” from speaking — an effort to discourage further turmoil after the highly publicized expulsions of two Democrats last year.

Last spring, Republicans drew attention for expelling Reps. Justin Jones and Justin Pearson, two young Black Democratic lawmakers who have since been reappointed and reelected, for breaking procedural rules during a gun control protest on the House floor.