In this April 13, 2016 photo, Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam talks with reporters in Nashville, Tenn. Haslam vetoed a bill that would make the Holy Bible the official book of Tennessee on Thursday, April 14, 2016. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

By Richard Locker of the Knoxville News Sentinel

NASHVILLE — Gov. Bill Haslam on Thursday vetoed the bill designating the Bible as the "official state book" of Tennessee, but the bill's legislative sponsors said they'll try to override the veto next week.

It is only the fourth veto of Haslam's five years, three months in office. He cited both a state attorney general's legal opinion that the measure violates both the U.S. and Tennessee constitutions and his own personal belief that the bill "trivializes the Bible, which I believe is sacred text."

LETTER: Gov. Bill Haslam vetoes bill to make Bible official state book

PDF:Text of Bible bill

The designation of the Bible would place it — in the Tennessee Blue Book and in state law — on a list of other several "official" designations by the Legislature over the years, including the tulip poplar as state tree, smallmouth bass as state sport fish, channel catfish as state commercial fish, raccoon as state wild animal, the cave salamander as state amphibian and others. This year, along with the Bible, lawmakers have designed the Murfreesboro-made Barrett M82 sniper rifle as the state's official rifle.

The two East Tennessee Republicans who sponsored the bill — Rep. Jerry Sexton of Bean Station and Sen. Steve Southerland of Morristown — served notice they intend to try to override the veto early next week when the Legislature reconvenes from its weekend recess.

The state constitution allows the General Assembly to override a gubernatorial veto with the same simple majority that it takes to pass legislation in the first place: 50 votes in the 99-member House and 17 votes in the 33-member Senate.

"According to polling, 62 percent of all Tennesseans favor making the Holy Book the state book in order to recognize its significance from a historical, economic and cultural standpoint," Sexton said in a statement, without citing the source of the polling. "Sen. Southerland and I are prepared to move forward with a veto override and we plan to do exactly that."

Southerland did not return phone calls Thursday night but he filed a formal notice of intent to override with the Senate clerk before leaving Nashville for home. Because the House passed the bill first, last year, it must attempt the override first. If a majority of the House votes to override, it goes to the Senate and if a majority there overrides, the bill becomes law.

It wasn't clear Thursday night whether there will be enough votes to override because a governor's veto message occasionally prompts some lawmakers to change their minds. But if everyone who voted for the bill stays with their original votes, an override attempt would succeed.

There were no attempts to override Haslam's three previous vetoes.

The bill is two pages of preambles describing the historical, economic and cultural importance of the Bible to Tennessee, followed by the one sentence: "The Holy Bible is hereby designated as the official state book."

It passed the House last year 55-38 — only five votes more than required for passage — but it was delayed on the Senate floor last year after the attorney general's opinion was released. Southerland resurrected the bill and it passed the Senate 19-8 on April 4 — just two votes more than required for passage.

The Legislature recessed for the weekend Thursday afternoon before Haslam released his veto letter. Lawmakers are scheduled to reconvene for the final week of the 2016 legislative session on Monday.

In his veto message to legislative leaders, the governor noted that Tennessee Attorney General Herbert Slatery opined "that designating The Holy Bible as the official state book of Tennessee would violate" both the U.S. and Tennessee constitutions — specifically the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and Article l, Section 3, of the Tennessee Constitution, which provides that "no preference shall ever be given, by law, to any religious establishment or mode of worship."

Haslam also wrote: "In addition to the constitutional issues with the bill, my personal feeling is that this bill trivializes the Bible, which I believe is a sacred text. If we believe that the Bible is the inspired word of God, then we shouldn't be recognizing it only as a book of historical and economic significance.

"If we are recognizing the Bible as a sacred text, then we are violating the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of Tennessee by designating it as the official state book. Our founders recognized that when the church and state were combined, it was the church that suffered in the long run."

The governor could have signed the bill into law, vetoed it or allowed it to become law without his signature, which would have occurred next Tuesday if he had not acted before then.

He added at the conclusion of his letter: "I strongly disagree with those who are trying to drive religion out of the public square. All of us should and must bring our deepest beliefs to the places we are called, including government service. Men and women motivated by faith have every right and obligation to bring their belief and commitment to the public debate.

"However, that is very different from the governmental establishment of religion that our founders warned against and our Constitution prohibits."

Reaction to the veto was, predictably, mixed.

David Fowler, who heads the conservative Family Action Council of Tennessee, said, "Throughout the debate on House Bill 615 we have said we understand why some believe, as the governor does, that the designation of the Holy Bible as the state book 'trivializes' its sacred character. We have also said that of all the books published or used throughout the history of the state of Tennessee, the Holy Bible has played a unique role both historically and economically.

"The Legislature has spoken and so has the governor. Now the ball is back in the Legislature's court, and, as before, we defer to their judgment in this matter."

Hedy Weinberg, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Tennessee, said her members applaud Haslam "for his leadership in sending a clear message that Tennessee values and respects the religious freedom of all Tennesseans. Religion thrives when it is left in the hands of families and faith communities. Publicly elected government officials cannot use their official positions to favor one religious belief over another. The governor's veto of this unconstitutional legislation ensures that religious freedom can flourish in Tennessee."