Nashville sues over Tennessee law halving metro council size

By JONATHAN MATTISE
Associated Press

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Nashville officials have filed a legal challenge over a new Tennessee law that will cut the Democratic-leaning city’s metro council in half. The lawsuit filed Monday seeks to block a law that passed after Nashville’s council rejected efforts to host the 2024 Republican National Convention. The law would reduce Nashville’s combined council from 40 members to 20. The lawsuit says the law violates requirements in the state Constitution about councilmember term lengths and local control. Additionally, the lawsuit argues that it’s too close to this year’s council elections in August to make the overhaul. Republican lawmakers who have argued for the change say Nashville’s council is too large and the state has the authority to change it.