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TennesseeSB 0937114th General Assembly (2025-2026)Senate

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4; Title 8; Title 9, Chapter 8; Title 29, Chapter 20 and Title 49, relative to freedom of speech.

Sponsored By: Sponsor information unavailable

Signed by Governor

Education

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

5 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 4 mixed.

School speech complaints can lead to damages

People affected by covered school name, pronoun, disclosure, or consent violations can file a written complaint with the appropriate director. Parents or guardians can act for minors who are not legally emancipated. Complaints must be filed within 10 days of the alleged violation. The director must require a remedy within 30 days of the complaint and send written notice of steps taken. After this process, an unresolved violation allows a lawsuit seeking a court order, money damages, and other available relief, plus reasonable costs and attorney fees; filing is due within two years of the director's or designee's written notice.

Parents control certain student name changes

Tennessee public school and local education agency staff and contractors must get written parent or guardian consent before knowingly using certain student references. This applies to enrolled minors who are not legally emancipated. Consent is required for a name outside the student's legal name or a form of it. It is also required for a pronoun or title inconsistent with the student's sex. Staff and contractors cannot ask students to use pronouns or titles inconsistent with the staff member's or contractor's sex.

Public college name and pronoun protections

At Tennessee public colleges, students, faculty, employees, and contractors can refuse certain preferred names or pronouns without punishment. This covers names outside a person's legal name or a form of it, and pronouns inconsistent with that person's sex. Covered people and colleges have protection from civil liability for using legal names, forms of those names, or pronouns consistent with sex, even against the person's wishes. Colleges and their faculty, employees, and contractors cannot punish covered people for refusing to provide preferred pronouns. Each college must notify students, faculty, and employees of the disclosure protection every year, separately from other notices or reports.

Public school name and pronoun protections

In Tennessee public schools and local education agencies, students, teachers, employees, and contractors can refuse certain preferred names or pronouns. They cannot be punished for refusing names outside a person's legal name or a form of it, or pronouns inconsistent with that person's sex. Covered people have protection from civil liability for using legal names, forms of those names, or pronouns consistent with sex. Schools and agencies also have protection from civil liability for staff using those references, even against the person's wishes. Schools, agencies, staff, and contractors cannot require covered people to share preferred pronouns or punish them for refusing.

State workers gain name and pronoun protections

During Tennessee state work or contracts, employees and contractors can refuse certain preferred names or pronouns without adverse action. This covers names outside a person's legal name or a form of it, and pronouns inconsistent with that person's sex. Covered workers, contractors, and the state have protection from civil liability for using legal names, forms of those names, or pronouns consistent with sex, even against the person's wishes. The state, its employees, and contractors cannot require covered people to share preferred pronouns or punish refusal. State boards, commissions, departments, agencies, and contractors must give personnel a separate annual notice of this disclosure protection; these state-work rules exclude public college employees, faculty, and contractors, who have separate protections.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsors

There is no primary sponsor on record.

Cosponsors

  • Janice Bowling

    Republican • Senate

  • Joey Hensley

    Republican • Senate

  • Ed Jackson

    Republican • Senate

  • Mark Pody

    Republican • Senate

  • Bo Watson

    Republican • Senate

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 220 • No: 314

Senate vote • 4/21/2025

FLOOR VOTE: Motion to Concur House Amendment # 1 4/21/2025

Yes: 27 • No: 6

House vote • 4/16/2025

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

Yes: 77 • No: 18

House vote • 4/16/2025

FLOOR VOTE: REGULAR CALENDAR MOTION TO CONSIDER AMENDMENT # 5 BY JONES J AS AMENDED PASSAGE ON THIRD CONSIDERATION 4/16/2025

Yes: 20 • No: 73

House vote • 4/16/2025

FLOOR VOTE: REGULAR CALENDAR MOTION TO CONSIDER AMENDMENT # 4 BY PEARSON AS AMENDED PASSAGE ON THIRD CONSIDERATION 4/16/2025

Yes: 21 • No: 72

House vote • 4/16/2025

FLOOR VOTE: REGULAR CALENDAR MOTION TO CONSIDER AMENDMENT # 2 BY PEARSON AS AMENDED PASSAGE ON THIRD CONSIDERATION 4/16/2025

Yes: 20 • No: 70

House vote • 4/16/2025

FLOOR VOTE: REGULAR CALENDAR MOTION TO CONSIDER AMENDMENT # 3 BY PEARSON AS AMENDED PASSAGE ON THIRD CONSIDERATION 4/16/2025

Yes: 22 • No: 69

Senate vote • 4/3/2025

FLOOR VOTE: as Amended Third Consideration 4/3/2025

Yes: 25 • No: 5

Senate vote • 3/26/2025

SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE

Yes: 8 • No: 1

Actions Timeline

  1. Effective date(s) 05/09/2025

    5/15/2025

  2. Pub. Ch. 453

    5/15/2025

  3. Signed by Governor.

    5/9/2025Senate

  4. Transmitted to Governor for action.

    5/1/2025Senate

  5. Signed by H. Speaker

    4/30/2025House

  6. Signed by Senate Speaker

    4/29/2025Senate

  7. Enrolled and ready for signatures

    4/23/2025Senate

  8. Sponsor(s) Added.

    4/21/2025Senate

  9. Concurred, Ayes 27, Nays 6 (Amendment 1 - HA0259)

    4/21/2025Senate

  10. Placed on Senate Message Calendar for 4/21/2025

    4/17/2025Senate

  11. Passed H., as am., Ayes 77, Nays 18, PNV 0

    4/16/2025House

  12. H. adopted am. (Amendment 1 - HA0259)

    4/16/2025House

  13. Subst. for comp. HB.

    4/16/2025House

  14. Rcvd. from S., held on H. desk.

    4/7/2025House

  15. Engrossed; ready for transmission to House

    4/3/2025Senate

  16. Sponsor(s) Added.

    4/3/2025Senate

  17. Passed Senate as amended, Ayes 25, Nays 5

    4/3/2025Senate

  18. Senate adopted Amendment (Amendment 1 - SA0275)

    4/3/2025Senate

  19. Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 4/3/2025

    4/1/2025Senate

  20. Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 8, Nays 1 PNV 0

    3/26/2025Senate

  21. Placed on Senate Education Committee calendar for 3/26/2025

    3/19/2025Senate

  22. Action deferred in Senate Education Committee to 3/26/2025

    3/19/2025Senate

  23. Placed on Senate Education Committee calendar for 3/19/2025

    3/12/2025Senate

  24. Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Education Committee

    2/12/2025Senate

  25. Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

    2/10/2025Senate

Bill Text

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