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TennesseeSB 1084114th General Assembly (2025-2026)Senate

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4; Title 5; Title 6; Title 7; Title 8 and Title 49, Chapter 7, relative to the "Dismantling DEI Departments Act."

Sponsored By: Jack Johnson (Republican)

Became Law

Human Rights

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

4 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 3 mixed.

One-year waivers to keep federal funds

State agencies, counties, cities, metro governments, and public colleges can ask the comptroller for a waiver if following the ban would cost them federal funds. Requests must be in writing and include the details the comptroller requires. If granted, the waiver lasts one calendar year and can be renewed once for one more year. The unit must tell the comptroller within 14 days when the reason for the waiver ends.

Governments and colleges must end diversity preferences

The law bans state, county, city, and metro governments and public colleges from using demographic preferences to boost diversity. They cannot set up or keep offices or departments for those purposes. Any conflicting policies are void. Health or research outreach that targets a group is allowed only when medically needed. Neutral, equal-access outreach is allowed when it uses objective rules, no quotas, and does not change selection criteria.

New merit-first rules for public appointments

The Governor cannot give appointment preference based on race. Appointments must focus on merit and the needs of each board. The law also sets new guidelines: one residence commission member should live in Oak Hill; one governor appointee must have governmental finance experience and not be a state employee; and a council should include sports, accounting, and law-enforcement experience. City leaders should strive for boards that are diverse in job and school background, where members live, views, and experience. Board of appeals members must come from the public at large, and an older appointment statute is repealed.

Removes diversity rules from many laws

The law deletes or rewrites many code sections to remove authority for diversity-based preferences in state and local programs. It changes statutes across several titles that govern agency operations, local boards, utilities, economic development, and emergency communications. These are legal and administrative edits; they do not add new taxes or benefits. The updates align older laws with the statewide merit-based rules.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • Jack Johnson

    Republican • Senate

Cosponsors

  • Paul Bailey

    Republican • Senate

  • Janice Bowling

    Republican • Senate

  • Rusty Crowe

    Republican • Senate

  • Todd Gardenhire

    Republican • Senate

  • Joey Hensley

    Republican • Senate

  • Paul Rose

    Republican • Senate

  • John Stevens

    Republican • Senate

  • Brent Taylor

    Republican • Senate

  • Bo Watson

    Republican • Senate

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 344 • No: 369

House vote • 4/22/2025

FLOOR VOTE: REGULAR CALENDAR REREFER TO COMMITTEE PASSAGE ON THIRD CONSIDERATION 4/22/2025

Yes: 24 • No: 71

House vote • 4/22/2025

FLOOR VOTE: REGULAR CALENDAR PASSAGE ON THIRD CONSIDERATION 4/22/2025

Yes: 72 • No: 25

House vote • 4/22/2025

FLOOR VOTE: REGULAR CALENDAR MOTION TO CONSIDER AMENDMENT # 6 BY JONES J PASSAGE ON THIRD CONSIDERATION 4/22/2025

Yes: 23 • No: 73

House vote • 4/22/2025

FLOOR VOTE: REGULAR CALENDAR MOTION TO CONSIDER AMENDMENT # 5 BY POWELL PASSAGE ON THIRD CONSIDERATION 4/22/2025

Yes: 23 • No: 73

House vote • 4/22/2025

FLOOR VOTE: REGULAR CALENDAR MOTION TO CONSIDER AMENDMENT # 4 BY PEARSON PASSAGE ON THIRD CONSIDERATION 4/22/2025

Yes: 24 • No: 72

House vote • 4/22/2025

FLOOR VOTE: REGULAR CALENDAR LAY ON THE TABLE MOTION TO ADOPT AMENDMENT # 2 BY MILLER PASSAGE ON THIRD CONSIDERATION 4/22/2025

Yes: 71 • No: 25

House vote • 4/22/2025

FLOOR VOTE: REGULAR CALENDAR LAY ON THE TABLE MOTION TO ADOPT AMENDMENT # 3 BY SALINAS PASSAGE ON THIRD CONSIDERATION 4/22/2025

Yes: 73 • No: 22

Senate vote • 4/22/2025

FLOOR VOTE: as Amended Third Consideration 4/22/2025

Yes: 27 • No: 6

Senate vote • 4/2/2025

SENATE STATE & LOCAL GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE

Yes: 7 • No: 2

Actions Timeline

  1. Pub. Ch. 458

    5/15/2025

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

    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

    4/28/2025Senate

  8. Sponsor(s) Added.

    4/23/2025Senate

  9. Senate adopted Amendment (Amendment 1 - SA0330)

    4/22/2025Senate

  10. Passed Senate as amended, Ayes 27, Nays 6

    4/22/2025Senate

  11. Engrossed; ready for transmission to House

    4/22/2025Senate

  12. Subst. for comp. HB.

    4/22/2025House

  13. Am. withdrawn. (Amendment 1 - HA0347)

    4/22/2025House

  14. Am. tabled. (Amendment 3 - HA0473)

    4/22/2025House

  15. Am. tabled. (Amendment 2 - HA0437)

    4/22/2025House

  16. Passed H., Ayes 72, Nays 25, PNV 0

    4/22/2025House

  17. Senate Reset on calendar for 4/22/2025

    4/21/2025Senate

  18. Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 4/22/2025

    4/21/2025Senate

  19. Senate Reset on calendar for 4/21/2025

    4/17/2025Senate

  20. Sponsor(s) Added.

    4/17/2025Senate

  21. Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 4/21/2025

    4/17/2025Senate

  22. Senate Reset on calendar for 4/17/2025

    4/16/2025Senate

  23. Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 4/17/2025

    4/16/2025Senate

  24. Sponsor(s) Added.

    4/16/2025Senate

  25. Senate Reset on calendar for 4/16/2025

    4/15/2025Senate

Bill Text

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