The Tennessee House State and Local Government had committee had been expected to hear HB 794 on April 5, but the hearing has been postponed until April 12. This is the bill that makes minor improvements in the procedure by which new and minor parties get on the ballot. The old law was ruled unconstitutional last year, mostly because the petition deadline is too early. But the bill only moves the deadline from March to early April, and would still be unconstitutional if passed. Also the bill doesn’t lower the number of signatures, which is currently slightly more than 40,000 signatures.

No minor party has completed the petition in Tennessee since 1968. That is one reason the old law was struck down last year.