All Roll Calls
Yes: 495 • No: 132
TennesseeSB 0468114th General Assembly (2025-2026)Senate
AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4; Title 37; Title 41; Title 49 and Title 68, relative to public safety.
Sponsored By: Sponsor information unavailable
Signed by Governor
Safety
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
5 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 4 mixed.
Shelter residents get sex-separated shared spaces
Beginning July 1, 2026, domestic violence shelters must label shared restrooms, changing rooms, and sleeping areas for females, males, or families. Use is limited to the designated sex or members of the same family. Shelters must take reasonable steps to protect privacy from people of the opposite sex. Exceptions allow cleaning, maintenance, medical help, law enforcement, emergency or disaster response, and entry to prevent serious safety threats. Shelters may adopt accommodation policies for people protected by disability law, young children, or elderly people needing physical help.
Public college students get sex-separated housing options
Beginning July 1, 2026, public colleges must designate shared restrooms and changing rooms for females, males, or families, limiting opposite-sex use. Colleges must protect privacy and provide separate, sex-designated private areas in other settings where people may undress. Students cannot be required to share rooms with opposite-sex people, and colleges offering housing must provide same-sex room-sharing options. During approved activities, opposite-sex family sharing is allowed for adult students; minors need parent or guardian approval. Entry exceptions cover maintenance, medical help, law enforcement, emergency or disaster response, and athletic coaching or training. Colleges may adopt disability, school-law, and physical-assistance accommodations; schools on campus are covered, but college-owned or on-campus hotels are excluded.
Detention residents get sex-separated shared spaces
Beginning July 1, 2026, correctional and juvenile detention facilities must label shared bathrooms, changing rooms, and sleeping areas by sex or family. Use is limited to the designated sex or members of the same family, with reasonable steps required to protect privacy. Exceptions allow maintenance, medical help, law enforcement, emergency or disaster response, and work needed for order and safety. Employees and contractors may enter opposite-sex spaces for their job duties, with privacy protections. Facilities may adopt accommodation policies for people protected by disability law, young children, or elderly people needing physical help.
Tennessee defines sex and protects sex-separated spaces
Beginning July 1, 2026, Tennessee defines sex as unchanging, male or female, based on anatomy and genetics at birth. Gender identity is not a substitute, and state laws and covered agency rules using sex must follow this definition. Agencies cannot ban sex distinctions in athletics and listed public settings when substantially tied to health, safety, and privacy. State residential training facilities are exempt from that agency restriction. Covered facilities can offer single-user spaces without sex labels and redesignate shared restrooms or sleeping areas for another sex. Courts apply intermediate scrutiny: covered sex distinctions must serve an important government purpose and be substantially related to it. The act ties its start date to a gubernatorial finding that public welfare requires it.
Facility users can sue over violations
Beginning July 1, 2026, users of covered shelters, detention facilities, and public colleges can sue over specified sex-separation violations. Bathroom or changing-room claims require an opposite-sex encounter that violates the law. The facility must have intentionally allowed entry while others were present or failed to take reasonable steps to prevent use. Claims also cover being required to share sleeping quarters with an opposite-sex non-family member in violation of the law. Lawsuits must be filed within two years and can seek court declarations or orders stopping violations. Successful claimants may recover reasonable attorney fees and costs from offending shelters, correctional facilities, or juvenile detention facilities.
Sponsors & Cosponsors
Sponsors
There is no primary sponsor on record.
Cosponsors
Paul Bailey
Republican • Senate
Rusty Crowe
Republican • Senate
Todd Gardenhire
Republican • Senate
Joey Hensley
Republican • Senate
Adam Lowe
Republican • Senate
Mark Pody
Republican • Senate
Steve Southerland
Republican • Senate
Stevens
Affiliation unavailable
White
Affiliation unavailable
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 PREVIOUS QUESTION AS AMENDED PASSAGE ON THIRD CONSIDERATION 4/15/2025
Yes: 71 • No: 20
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
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
Effective date(s) 07/01/2026
5/27/2026Pub. Ch. 1052
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
4/22/2026HouseH. Placed on Message Calendar for 4/22/2026
4/21/2026HouseConference Committee report adopted, Ayes 25, Nays 5
4/21/2026SenateSponsor(s) Added.
4/17/2026SenateConf. comm. appointed. (Reps. Bulso, Barrett, Reneau and Reedy)
4/2/2026HouseH. Placed on Message Calendar for 4/2/2026
3/30/2026HouseConference Committee appointed. (Stevens, Bowling, Gardenhire, Lamar, Kyle)
3/26/2026SenateSenate refused to recede from its non-concurrence.
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
3/16/2026HouseSponsor(s) Added.
3/12/2026SenateSenate refused to concur in amendment
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
2/25/2026SenateSponsor(s) Added.
4/21/2025SenateRe-refer to Senate Judiciary Committee
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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