CHURCH AND STATE

TN Lawmakers Vote Bible as State Book

Measure heads to governor’s desk.

Tennessee lawmakers approved a bill Monday that would make the Bible the state’s official book, sending the measure to the desk of Republican Gov. Bill Haslam. The governor, who opposes the measure, hasn’t said whether he’ll veto the bill. The state senate voted 19-8 in favor of the bill, with supporters arguing for the book’s historical and cultural significance, while critics raised questions about the constitutionality and whether it would violate separation of church and state porivisions in the federal and state constitutions. Earlier this year, Tennessee lawmakers approved a resolution to make the .50-caliber Barrett sniper the state’s official rifle.