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TennesseeSB 1665114th General Assembly (2025-2026)Senate

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 8, Chapter 50; Title 49, Chapter 7, Part 24 and Title 49, Chapter 6, Part 51, relative to the use of honorifics.

Sponsored By: Sponsor information unavailable

Signed by Governor

Civil Procedure

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

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

College title rules follow a person's sex

Tennessee's public college and university rules now cover honorifics, such as Mr. and Ms., alongside names and pronouns. Covered students, faculty, employees, and contractors may use an honorific matching another person's sex, even against that person's preference. The law protects covered people from being required to use identifiers inconsistent with a person's sex. For unemancipated minor students, staff need written parental consent to use identifiers inconsistent with the student's sex. Staff cannot ask students to use pronouns or honorifics inconsistent with the staff member's sex. The law took effect immediately upon becoming law.

Parents control certain school names and titles

Tennessee's public school rules now cover honorifics, such as Mr. and Ms., alongside names and pronouns. Teachers, employees, and contractors need written parent or legal guardian consent before knowingly using certain identifiers for an unemancipated minor. These include names other than the student's legal name or a derivative, and pronouns, titles, or honorifics inconsistent with the student's sex. Staff cannot ask students to use pronouns or honorifics inconsistent with the staff member's sex. The law took effect immediately upon becoming law.

State workers gain sex-based title protections

Tennessee's state-employment rules now cover honorifics, such as Mr. and Ms., alongside names and pronouns. They apply when state employees and contractors communicate within the scope of their state work, including with people outside government. Covered workers are protected from being required to use identifiers inconsistent with a person's sex. They may use an honorific matching that person's sex, even when it is not the person's preferred title. The law took effect immediately upon becoming law.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsors

There is no primary sponsor on record.

Cosponsors

  • Janice Bowling

    Republican • Senate

  • Ferrell Haile

    Republican • Senate

  • Mark Pody

    Republican • Senate

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 193 • No: 47

Senate vote • 4/22/2026

FLOOR VOTE: Motion to Concur House Amendment # 1 4/22/2026

Yes: 22 • No: 4

House vote • 4/21/2026

FLOOR VOTE: REGULAR CALENDAR PREVIOUS QUESTION AS AMENDED PASSAGE ON THIRD CONSIDERATION 4/21/2026

Yes: 67 • No: 18

House vote • 4/21/2026

FLOOR VOTE: REGULAR CALENDAR AS AMENDED PASSAGE ON THIRD CONSIDERATION 4/21/2026

Yes: 70 • No: 18

Senate vote • 3/9/2026

FLOOR VOTE: Third Consideration 3/9/2026

Yes: 26 • No: 6

Senate vote • 3/4/2026

SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE

Yes: 8 • No: 1

Actions Timeline

  1. Effective date(s) 05/22/2026

    5/27/2026

  2. Pub. Ch. 1076

    5/27/2026

  3. Signed by Governor.

    5/22/2026Senate

  4. Transmitted to Governor for action.

    5/11/2026Senate

  5. Signed by H. Speaker

    5/7/2026House

  6. Signed by Senate Speaker

    4/30/2026Senate

  7. Enrolled and ready for signatures

    4/29/2026Senate

  8. Concurred, Ayes 22, Nays 4 (Amendment 1 - HA1079)

    4/22/2026Senate

  9. Placed on Senate Message Calendar for 4/22/2026

    4/21/2026Senate

  10. Passed H., as am., Ayes 70, Nays 18, PNV 1

    4/21/2026House

  11. H. adopted am. (Amendment 1 - HA1079)

    4/21/2026House

  12. Subst. for comp. HB.

    4/21/2026House

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

    3/12/2026House

  14. Engrossed; ready for transmission to House

    3/9/2026Senate

  15. Sponsor(s) Added.

    3/9/2026Senate

  16. Passed Senate, Ayes 26, Nays 6

    3/9/2026Senate

  17. Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 3/9/2026

    3/6/2026Senate

  18. Recommended for passage, refer to Senate Calendar Committee

    3/4/2026Senate

  19. Placed on Senate Education Committee calendar for 3/4/2026

    2/26/2026Senate

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

    1/21/2026Senate

  21. Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

    1/15/2026Senate

  22. Filed for introduction

    1/14/2026Senate

Bill Text

  • HA1079 (Substitute)

    4/21/2026

    PDF

  • Enrolled / Public Chapter

    PDF

  • Fiscal Note

    PDF

  • Introduced

    PDF

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