Measure to call for popular election of Attorney General

The Senate has approved a proposed constitutional amendment that would call for the popular election of the state attorney general.
The measure sponsored by Republican Sen. Mae Beavers of Mt. Juliet was approved 19-14 on Thursday.
Currently, the state’s attorney general is appointed by justices of the Tennessee Supreme Court. Opponents of the proposal say that process is fine and doesn’t need to be changed.
But proponents say it lacks accountability, and they believe that can be remedied by allowing citizens to decide.
The earliest the measure could go before voters is 2014.