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TennesseeHB 0910114th General Assembly (2025-2026)HouseWALLET

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4; Title 8 and Title 68, relative to human rights.

Sponsored By: Johnny Garrett (Republican)

Became Law

Human Rights

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

18 provisions identified: 14 benefits, 0 costs, 4 mixed.

Civil damages for discrimination claims

You or the Attorney General can sue to enforce this part. If you win, the violator owes your actual damages or at least $250, plus reasonable attorney’s fees and court costs. Courts can also order the violator to stop. These are civil remedies only, not criminal penalties.

No race bias in schools and programs

State programs that get federal funds, and the people they fund, cannot exclude or treat you worse because of race, color, or national origin. Schools cannot deny admission, discriminate in recruiting, or block access to programs on those grounds.

Four months leave for birth or adoption

If you worked full time for the same employer for 12 straight months, you can take up to four months of leave for adoption, pregnancy, childbirth, or nursing. Give three months’ advance notice when required to get your old job or a similar one back with the same pay and benefits. Employers with fewer than 100 full-time employees at the job site are exempt. Leave can be paid or unpaid at the employer’s choice. Employers must include this policy in any employee handbook they publish after May 27, 2005.

Job discrimination and retaliation banned

Employers may not refuse to hire, fire, or treat you unfairly in pay or job terms because of race, creed, color, religion, sex, age, or national origin. Your employer cannot retaliate if you oppose discrimination, file a complaint, or help an investigation. Disability bias in hiring and employment is banned for public employers and private employers with eight or more workers, unless the disability truly prevents the job. The law protects blind workers who use guide dogs. A violation can be a Class C misdemeanor, and an individual employee is not personally liable if the employer is responsible.

Job protection for volunteer rescuers

If you serve on a volunteer rescue squad, your employer cannot fire you for being late or absent while you respond to an emergency. Your employer may deduct your regular pay for the time missed and may ask for a written note from your squad supervisor. You must try to notify your employer when possible. You must file suit within one year. Remedies include reinstatement, back pay, benefits, and seniority.

Civil rights cases move to Attorney General

The law creates a Civil Rights Enforcement Division in the Attorney General’s office. The Attorney General hires the director and staff and posts a complaint process; you must file within 180 days. The office can require sworn statements, subpoena records, and keep investigations confidential. Courts can order hiring or back pay, and fine up to $5,000 per violation, or up to $15,000 if intentional; housing fines can be $10,000, $25,000, or $50,000, and breaking an injunction can cost up to $2,000 per day. The Attorney General can approve confidential conciliation agreements and fine up to $2,000 per day for knowing violations. On July 1, 2025, funding for 30 commission jobs moves to the Attorney General, who also oversees the commission’s actions.

State can sue for malicious harassment

The Attorney General can sue for malicious harassment based on race, color, ancestry, religion, or national origin. Courts can impose civil penalties up to $10,000 per violation and up to $10,000 per victim, plus damages and other sanctions.

Fair housing testing through July 2025

The commission can send staff and volunteers to test whether homes for sale or rent are truly available. This helps find housing discrimination. This testing authority ends July 1, 2025.

Civil rights cases shift to Attorney General

The Tennessee Human Rights Commission ends June 30, 2025. By June 30, 2025, its files and duties move to the Attorney General. All final orders and conciliation agreements made before July 1, 2025 stay valid and the Attorney General can enforce them. Complaints still pending on June 30, 2025 are terminated. You have 90 days from July 1, 2025 to refile with the Attorney General or file a private civil action under 4-21-311. If a hearing happened but no final order issued by June 30, 2025, the case is dismissed without prejudice and can be refiled in the same 90-day window. Funding for three positions shifts to the Department of Human Resources on July 1, 2025. The law also repeals and updates related code sections and references to reflect the change.

Sue for discrimination, with limits

You can sue in chancery or circuit court for discrimination. Courts can order injunctions, actual damages, and make the other side pay your reasonable lawyer fees; you must file within one year after the discrimination ends. Money for non‑wage harms is capped per person by employer size: under 15 employees $25,000; 15–100 $50,000; 101–200 $100,000; 201–500 $200,000; over 500 $300,000. You cannot keep a state case if you are also suing in federal court on the same facts. If an employer fires you because it learned (through E‑Verify or otherwise) you are not authorized to work, you cannot claim national‑origin discrimination under this law.

Equal service in public places, with exceptions

Places open to the public must not deny you goods, services, or access because of race, creed, color, religion, sex, age, or national origin. The law allows sex‑separate bathrooms, locker rooms, showers, health clubs, and rooms for sleeping or changing. The Attorney General may grant written exemptions for specific places on sex‑segregation rules.

No ads saying customers not welcome

People and businesses cannot publish ads or notices that say services will be denied, or that a person’s presence is unwelcome, because of race, creed, color, religion, sex, age, or national origin.

Clubs must certify no discrimination

Before a club can enter a state contract, its president or CEO must sign a verified statement. The statement must affirm the club does not exclude or limit people based on sex, race, creed, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, or disability.

Human Rights Commission runs through June 2025

The Tennessee Human Rights Commission continues as a 9‑member, nonpartisan body with staggered terms and a rotating chair. Members who miss over half of meetings in a year are removed; members are reimbursed for expenses. The commission can take and decide complaints, hold hearings, issue rules and notices, create advisory groups, partner with local commissions, accept grants, and keep regional offices. It must file a finance and compliance report each year by January 15. Many of these powers end July 1, 2025, as duties shift under the Attorney General’s structure.

Legal shield for reports to agencies

You are immune from civil suits when you give information to a government agency on public issues. Immunity does not apply if you knew it was false, acted with reckless disregard, or were negligent about private persons. If you prevail on immunity, you can recover costs and reasonable attorney’s fees. Agencies can intervene to defend; if they win, they recover fees, and if they lose, the suing party can recover from the agency.

No state business with discriminatory clubs

State officials cannot hold meetings or spend state funds at places that exclude people because of sex, race, creed, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, or disability. They also cannot sign state contracts with such clubs. University booster and adjunct groups cannot buy memberships for state employees at these clubs. There is an exception for law enforcement, code enforcement, or required inspections. Religious organizations may limit membership to their faith when that is their main purpose and needed to promote their beliefs.

Stronger Title VI oversight and training

The Department of Human Resources now leads statewide Title VI oversight. Each state agency must file a Title VI compliance report and plan update by October 1, 2025, and every October 1 after. The department provides ongoing diversity training and technical help for state staff, and may train subrecipients if funded, aiming to use federal funds. You can file a Title VI complaint within 180 days with the funding agency or the department; the department may send cases to the Attorney General.

English-only workplace rules allowed with notice

An employer may require English-only at work when there is a legitimate business need, like safety or efficient operation. The employer must tell workers about the rule and the consequences before enforcing it.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • Johnny Garrett

    Republican • House

Cosponsors

  • Gino Bulso

    Republican • House

  • John Crawford

    Republican • House

  • Jay D. Reedy

    Republican • House

  • Chris Todd

    Republican • House

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 256 • No: 140

Senate vote • 4/21/2025

FLOOR VOTE: Third Consideration 4/21/2025

Yes: 27 • No: 6

House vote • 4/16/2025

FLOOR VOTE: REGULAR CALENDAR MOTION TO ADOPT AMENDMENT # 3 BY CAMPER PASSAGE ON THIRD CONSIDERATION 4/16/2025

Yes: 24 • No: 68

House vote • 4/16/2025

FLOOR VOTE: REGULAR CALENDAR AS AMENDED PASSAGE ON THIRD CONSIDERATION 4/16/2025

Yes: 73 • No: 23

House vote • 4/16/2025

FLOOR VOTE: REGULAR CALENDAR PREVIOUS QUESTION AS AMENDED PASSAGE ON THIRD CONSIDERATION 4/16/2025

Yes: 73 • No: 23

House vote • 4/16/2025

HOUSE CALENDAR & RULES COMMITTEE

Yes: 0 • No: 0

House vote • 4/14/2025

HOUSE FINANCE, WAYS, AND MEANS COMMITTEE

Yes: 21 • No: 6

House vote • 4/9/2025

HOUSE FINANCE, WAYS, AND MEANS SUBCOMMITTEE

Yes: 8 • No: 2

House vote • 3/31/2025

HOUSE GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS COMMITTEE

Yes: 7 • No: 5

House vote • 3/26/2025

HOUSE STATE & LOCAL GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE

Yes: 17 • No: 5

House vote • 3/18/2025

HOUSE DEPARTMENTS & AGENCIES SUBCOMMITTEE

Yes: 6 • No: 2

Actions Timeline

  1. Pub. Ch. 471

    5/27/2025

  2. Effective date(s) 05/12/2025

    5/27/2025

  3. Signed by Governor.

    5/12/2025

  4. Transmitted to Governor for his action.

    5/9/2025House

  5. Signed by Senate Speaker

    5/8/2025Senate

  6. Signed by H. Speaker

    4/30/2025House

  7. Enrolled; ready for sig. of H. Speaker.

    4/24/2025House

  8. Senate substituted House Bill for companion Senate Bill.

    4/21/2025Senate

  9. Amendment withdrawn. (Amendment 1 - SA0202)

    4/21/2025Senate

  10. Amendment withdrawn. (Amendment 2 - SA0404)

    4/21/2025Senate

  11. Passed Senate, Ayes 27, Nays 6

    4/21/2025Senate

  12. Received from House, Passed on First Consideration

    4/17/2025Senate

  13. Am. withdrawn. (Amendment 1 - HA0205)

    4/16/2025House

  14. H. adopted am. (Amendment 2 - HA0214)

    4/16/2025House

  15. Failed to adopt (Amendment 3 - HA0431), Ayes 24, Nays 68, PNV 0

    4/16/2025House

  16. Sponsor(s) Added.

    4/16/2025House

  17. Passed H., as am., Ayes 73, Nays 23, PNV 0

    4/16/2025House

  18. Engrossed; ready for transmission to Sen.

    4/16/2025House

  19. H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 4/16/2025

    4/15/2025House

  20. Rec. for pass; ref to Calendar & Rules Committee

    4/14/2025House

  21. Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 4/15/2025

    4/14/2025House

  22. Rec. for pass by s/c ref. to Finance, Ways, and Means Committee

    4/9/2025House

  23. Placed on cal. Finance, Ways, and Means Committee for 4/14/2025

    4/9/2025House

  24. Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/9/2025

    4/2/2025House

  25. Rec. for pass. if am., ref. to Finance, Ways, and Means Committee

    3/31/2025House

Bill Text

  • HA0214 (Substitute)

    4/16/2025

    PDF

  • Enrolled / Public Chapter

    PDF

  • Fiscal Note

    PDF

  • HA0205

    PDF

  • HA0431

    PDF

  • Introduced

    PDF

  • SA0202

    PDF

  • SA0404

    PDF

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