The annual attempt to crack down on cockfighting in Tennessee made it out of a House subcommittee today but, as Tom Humphrey reports, two lawmakers voted against it and the bill's ultimate adoption is definitely in doubt:

Matheny said "a lot of people in my area - I don't know that they're cockfighting - raise roosters" and that he generally believes the Legislature "has better things to worry about than what to do with the lowly chicken."

Holt said the Humane Society of the United States - "an arch rival of animal agriculture" - pushes the legislation and he sees it as a "first step" toward making some practices involved in raising and handling livestock a crime.

Holt also said he disagrees with the whole premise of the bill.

"Should second offense speeding be a felony?" he said. "For somebody who fights a chicken or attends a chicken fight to potentially have more time than someone committing domestic violence or abusing children is ridiculous," Holt said.