NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The Republican leader in the Tennessee House says his effort to allow lawmakers living within 50 miles of the state Capitol to be reimbursed for hotel bills is unrelated to his pending divorce.
Rep. Glen Casada tells WTVF-TV (http://bit.ly/2nwBbeU ) that the proposal is "absolutely not" connected to his own family status.
Casada, who lives 39 miles from the Capitol in Williamson County, says the measure would take effect after the 2018 elections, which would be after his divorce is finalized.
Casada says he often doesn't finish his legislative work until 9 p.m. and then has to be back to work by 7 a.m. the next day. Casada says occasional hotel stays are "a fair request of the taxpayers" for suburban lawmakers to occasionally stay the night in Nashville.