According to commentary posted by Richard Lawson and E. Thomas Wood in the Nashville Post, Mayor Purcell can veto Metro Ordinance BL2006-1185 approved by the Metro Council last night, also known as the English Only Bill.
Appendix: From the Metro Charter —
Sec. 5.04. Mayor’s veto power; veto of items in appropriations and budget.
The mayor is authorized to approve or to disapprove ordinances and resolutions adopted by the council and no ordinance or resolution shall become effective without his approval except as herein provided. Every ordinance or resolution adopted by the council shall be presented to the mayor for his consideration. If he approves, he shall sign the same, and it shall become effective according to the terms thereof. If he disapproves, he shall return the same to the council without his signature, which return maybe accompanied by a message indicating the reasons for his disapproval. Any resolution or ordinance so disapproved shall become effective when subsequent to its return it shall be adopted by two-thirds (2/3rds) of all the members to which the council is entitled, with the ayes and noes and the names of the councilmen voting for and against the same entered on the minutes. Every resolution or ordinance shall become effective unless the same be approved or disapproved by the mayor and returned to the council at or prior to the next regular meeting of the council occurring ten (10) days or more subsequent to the date when the same was delivered to his office for consideration.
I just spoke to Molly Sudderth in the Mayor’s office who said that the Mayor has three options. He can sign the bill into law, not sign it and it will become law within 10 days, or he can veto it. According to Sudderth, he is waiting for a full legal opinion before he decides what to do.
