NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Democrats are furious after the Senate passed a bill to slice up Nashville’s Metro Council.

“One of the most blatantly unconstitutional and dramatically irresponsible pieces of legislation that this legislature has advanced,” Sen. Jeff Yarbro (D-Nashville).

Gov. Bill Lee (R-Tennessee) then signed it minutes later in what many thought of as one of the shortest wait periods in recent history.

“It’s genuinely depressing to see the legislature come in and stamp out those people who are literally just trying to help their community,” Yarbro said.

But Republicans say this bill actually helps Nashville.

“We’re not punishing this mayor at all. We’re rewarding the mayor,” Sen. Frank Niceley (R-Strawberry Plains) said in Senate session Thursday morning. “Every mayor in the nation and the world would rather deal with a smaller body.”

Republicans have argued in committee this bill is applicable statewide, even though Democrats say it clearly targets the capital city.

Furthermore, Republicans say more council members means more inefficiency.

“There’s a reason we’re judged by 12 of our peers in a jury, there’s a reason, I think, Christ walked with 12 disciples at the end of the day,” Sen. Adam Lowe (R-Calhoun) said in Senate session. “But ultimately, what we know is as that group size increases, the ability of the group to make positive and effective decisions decreases.”

Democratic lawmakers noted that Sumner County, where much of House Majority Leader William Lamberth’s (R-Portland) district is, has over 50 council members distributed throughout.

Lamberth sponsored the bill.

“The sheer hypocrisy of that given that Sumner County has 55 locally elected officials,” Rep. John Ray Clemmons (D-Nashville) said. “Their county commission has 24 members, which is obviously greater than the amount that they’re trying to enact into law to represent the entire city of Nashville.”

Since the bill only affects metropolitan governments, it doesn’t apply to 92 of Tennessee’s 95 counties.

Of those three leftover counties, only one is immediately affected by this bill – Metro Nashville.