NASHVILLE (AP) — Attorney General Herbert Slatery says local legislative bodies like county commissions can establish partisan caucuses but that they would likely be subject to Tennessee's open meetings law.

Slatery said in a legal opinion released this week that nothing in state law prevents county commissioners from forming partisan caucuses even if they gain office through nonpartisan elections.

But Slatery added that as long as more than one member of a governing body attends the caucus meeting to deliberate about official business, the meeting would have to be open to the public and subject to notice requirements.

Several efforts to water down the state's open meetings law have been turned back in recent years amid opposition from top Republicans like Gov. Bill Haslam and House Speaker Beth Harwell.