NASHVILLE (AP) - Gov. Bill Haslam has yet to take a position on a bill seeking to encourage horse slaughterhouses in Tennessee.

The Republican governor told reporters after a visit to a Nashville high school on Monday that he understands that proponents believe slaughtering horses within the state is a more humane way to treat unwanted animals.

But Haslam said his administration has yet to take a formal position on the bill scheduled for a vote on the House floor Monday evening.

Opponents of the bill sponsored by Republican Rep. Andy Holt of Dresden argue that it would unfairly discourage legal challenges of horse slaughter or processing plants by requiring plaintiffs to submit a deposit worth 20 percent of the facility's worth.

Holt on Monday put off a vote for three weeks.