All Roll Calls
Yes: 495 • No: 132
TennesseeSB 0468114th General Assembly (2025-2026)SenateWALLET
AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4; Title 37; Title 41; Title 49 and Title 68, relative to public safety.
Sponsored By: Janice Bowling, Janice (Republican)
Became Law
Safety
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
6 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 4 mixed.
Right to sue over sex-marked spaces
Beginning July 1, 2026, you can sue a shelter, prison, juvenile center, or public college that intentionally allows opposite‑sex use of sex‑marked restrooms or changing rooms, or that requires opposite‑sex non‑family roommates. You must file within two years of the violation. If you win, the court can order compliance. You may also recover attorney fees and costs from shelters, prisons, or juvenile centers.
Facilities may add single-occupancy rooms
Shelters, public colleges, prisons, and juvenile centers may create single-occupancy restrooms, changing rooms, or sleeping rooms that are not marked by sex. They may also redesignate shared rooms for one sex only. This flexibility begins July 1, 2026.
Shelters must separate bathrooms and beds
Domestic violence shelters must mark shared restrooms, changing rooms, and sleeping areas for women, men, or family use. Only people of that sex or family may use them. Shelters must take reasonable steps to protect privacy. Exceptions allow entry for maintenance, medical help, police, disasters or emergencies, ADA needs, and help for children or elderly. This starts July 1, 2026.
Public colleges separate housing and restrooms
Public colleges must mark multi-occupancy restrooms and changing rooms for women, men, or family use. Students may not willfully enter a place marked for the opposite sex. Schools must offer private areas for undressing and may let students choose same‑sex housing. Students cannot be required to share sleeping quarters with an opposite-sex non-family member, except when the person is a minor and a parent or guardian approves. Exceptions include maintenance, medical help, police, disasters or emergencies, athletic coaching, and ADA or assistance needs. These rules begin July 1, 2026.
Prisons and juvenile centers separate spaces
Correctional and juvenile detention facilities must mark shared restrooms, changing rooms, and sleeping areas for women, men, or family use. Use is limited to the marked sex or family. Facilities must take reasonable steps to protect privacy. Exceptions allow entry for maintenance, medical care, law enforcement, staff to keep order, disasters or emergencies, contractors doing jobs, and ADA or assistance needs. This takes effect July 1, 2026.
Statewide sex definitions and legal rules
The law defines sex as biological sex at birth and applies these definitions across Tennessee laws and agency rules. State agencies cannot ban sex-based distinctions in places like sports, prisons, juvenile centers, shelters, and public colleges. Courts review sex-based rules using intermediate scrutiny. These rules take effect July 1, 2026.
Sponsors & Cosponsors
Sponsor
Janice Bowling, Janice
Republican • Senate
Cosponsors
Paul Bailey, Paul
Republican • Senate
Rusty Crowe, Rusty
Republican • Senate
Todd Gardenhire, Todd
Republican • Senate
Joey Hensley, Joey
Republican • Senate
Adam Lowe, Adam
Republican • Senate
Mark Pody, Mark
Republican • Senate
Steve Southerland, Steve
Republican • Senate
John Stevens, John
Republican • Senate
Dawn White, Dawn
Republican • Senate
Roll Call Votes
House vote • 4/22/2026
FLOOR VOTE: MESSAGE CALENDAR MOTION TO ADOPT CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REPORT 4/22/2026
Yes: 71 • No: 18
Senate vote • 4/21/2026
FLOOR VOTE: Motion to Adopt Conference Committee Report 4/21/2026
Yes: 25 • No: 5
Senate vote • 3/3/2026
SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE
Yes: 7 • No: 1
House vote • 4/15/2025
FLOOR VOTE: REGULAR CALENDAR AS AMENDED PASSAGE ON THIRD CONSIDERATION 4/15/2025
Yes: 72 • No: 22
House vote • 4/15/2025
FLOOR VOTE: REGULAR CALENDAR LAY ON THE TABLE MOTION TO ADOPT AMENDMENT # 3 BY BEHN PASSAGE ON THIRD CONSIDERATION 4/15/2025
Yes: 73 • No: 19
House vote • 4/15/2025
FLOOR VOTE: REGULAR CALENDAR LAY ON THE TABLE MOTION TO ADOPT AMENDMENT # 2 BY BEHN PASSAGE ON THIRD CONSIDERATION 4/15/2025
Yes: 72 • No: 21
House vote • 4/15/2025
FLOOR VOTE: REGULAR CALENDAR LAY ON THE TABLE MOTION TO ADOPT AMENDMENT # 4 BY BEHN PASSAGE ON THIRD CONSIDERATION 4/15/2025
Yes: 73 • No: 20
House vote • 4/15/2025
FLOOR VOTE: REGULAR CALENDAR PREVIOUS QUESTION AS AMENDED PASSAGE ON THIRD CONSIDERATION 4/15/2025
Yes: 71 • No: 20
Senate vote • 3/27/2025
FLOOR VOTE: as Amended Third Consideration 3/27/2025
Yes: 24 • No: 4
Senate vote • 3/18/2025
SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE
Yes: 7 • No: 2
Actions Timeline
Pub. Ch. 1052
5/27/2026Effective date(s) 07/01/2026
5/27/2026Signed by Governor.
5/22/2026SenateTransmitted to Governor for action.
5/11/2026SenateSigned by H. Speaker
5/7/2026HouseSigned by Senate Speaker
4/30/2026SenateEnrolled and ready for signatures
4/29/2026SenateConf. comm. report adopted, Ayes 71, Nays 18, PNV 0
4/22/2026HouseConference Committee report adopted, Ayes 25, Nays 5
4/21/2026SenateH. Placed on Message Calendar for 4/22/2026
4/21/2026HouseSponsor(s) Added.
4/17/2026SenateConf. comm. appointed. (Reps. Bulso, Barrett, Reneau and Reedy)
4/2/2026HouseH. Placed on Message Calendar for 4/2/2026
3/30/2026HouseSenate refused to recede from its non-concurrence.
3/26/2026SenateConference Committee appointed. (Stevens, Bowling, Gardenhire, Lamar, Kyle)
3/26/2026SenatePlaced on Senate Message Calendar for 3/26/2026
3/24/2026SenateH. refused to recede from HA 1
3/19/2026HouseH. Placed on Message Calendar for 3/19/2026
3/16/2026HouseSenate refused to concur in amendment
3/12/2026SenateSponsor(s) Added.
3/12/2026SenatePlaced on Senate Message Calendar for 3/12/2026
3/10/2026SenateRecommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 7, Nays 1 PNV 1
3/3/2026SenatePlaced on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 3/3/2026
2/25/2026SenateRe-refer to Senate Judiciary Committee
4/21/2025SenateSponsor(s) Added.
4/21/2025Senate
Bill Text
HA0370 (Substitute)
4/15/2025
Enrolled / Public Chapter
Fiscal Note
HA0416
HA0417
HA0418
Introduced
SA0143
SA0559
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