2 hours ago - Politics
Tennessee voters approve all 3 constitutional amendments
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Tennessee voters approved all three proposed constitutional amendments Tuesday, expanding judges' authority to deny bail, prohibiting state property taxes and strengthening crime victims' rights.
By the numbers: Each measure won support from roughly two-thirds of voters or more.
- Amendment 1 (67.1% yes): Gives judges greater discretion to deny bail for defendants accused of crimes including second-degree murder and aggravated rape. A ThinkTennessee analysis found the change could affect up to 144 additional offenses.
- Amendment 2 (66.7% yes): Prohibits Tennessee from imposing a state property tax. The state doesn't currently levy one, and existing city and county property taxes are unaffected.
- Amendment 3 (76% yes): Expands constitutional protections for crime victims, including rights to participate in certain proceedings and receive information about offenders' sentences and release dates. The measure, known as Marsy's Law, attracted the strongest support of the three.
The bottom line: All three measures also cleared Tennessee's requirement that an amendment receive more "yes" votes than half the total votes cast in the governor's race.