The Tennessee Senate approved a measure yesterday to remove a section of the state constitution that allows slavery as a punishment for a crime.

Article I Section 33 states, “That slavery and involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime, whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, are forever prohibited in this state.” The proposed amendment would replace that with, “Slavery and involuntary servitude are forever prohibited. Nothing in this section shall prohibit an inmate from working when the inmate has been duly convicted of a crime.”

If approved by the Tennessee House, the amendment would be decided by voters in the November 2022 election.