We are tracking 30 anti-trans bills in Tennessee in 2025. The legislation impacts 9 categories:
BATHROOM
OTHER
MARRIAGE
RELIGIOUS EXEMPTIONS
HEALTHCARE
PERFORMANCE
EDUCATION
EMPLOYMENT
PRONOUNS
As enacted, requires all residential educational programs in this state that allow minors to participate or to access residential facilities, including staying overnight in such facilities, to segregate certain restrooms, changing areas, and showers by immutable biological sex. - Amends TCA Title 49.
All residential educational programs in this state, regardless of type or duration, that allow minors to participate or to access residential facilities must segregate all restrooms, changing areas, and showers by sex.
As introduced, prohibits state and local government entities from displaying or allowing display of flags other than Tennessee and U.S. flags on courthouses and public roads and sidewalks; prohibits LEAs and public charter schools from displaying in public schools flags other than the official United States flag and the official Tennessee state flag. - Amends TCA Title 4; Section 5-5-114; Section 6-54-144; Title 7; Section 15-2-116; Title 49; Title 55; Title 58 and Title 65, Chapter 31, Part 1.
(c)(1) An LEA or public charter school shall not display, nor permit any of its employees or agents to display, a flag other than the following on or in a public school: (A) The United States flag; (B) The official Tennessee state flag; (C) A flag that cannot be disturbed or altered pursuant to § 4-1- 412; (D) The POW/MIA flag; (E) A flag that represents an Indian tribe, as defined in 25 U.S.C. § 5304; (F) A flag that represents a city, county, metropolitan government, or other political subdivision of this state; (G) A flag that represents any unit, branch, or other division of the armed forces, including, but not limited to, an ROTC program; (H) The current, official flag of a country or political subdivision thereof; (I) A flag that represents a college or university; (J) A flag that is displayed temporarily as part of a bona fide course curriculum; (K) An official school flag; or (L) The flag of an organization duly authorized to use a public school building;
As introduced, enacts the "Tennessee Covenant Marriage Act" to create covenant marriage, which is entered into by one male and one female, who understand and agree that marriage is a lifelong relationship; permits a spouse in a covenant marriage to obtain a judgment of divorce under certain circumstances. - Amends TCA Title 8; Title 10; Title 16; Title 36; Title 39; Title 67 and Title 68.
The following statement made by both parties: We do solemnly declare that marriage is a covenant between a man and a woman who agree to live together as husband and wife for so long as we both may live.
As introduced, designates the new swimming pool at Henry Horton State Park as the "Riley Gaines Aquatic Center."
The department of environment and conservation is directed to erect suitable signs or affix suitable markers designating such swimming pool as the "Riley Gaines Aquatic Center". [...] This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.
As introduced, enacts the "Tennessee Professionals' Freedom of Religion Act." - Amends TCA Title 4.
Unlawful practices against professional licenses prohibited. (a) It is unlawful for a governmental entity to deny, revoke, suspend, or take other adverse action against an individual's license for the following: (1) Refusing to affirm a statement or oath that is contrary to the individual's sincerely held religious beliefs or moral convictions; (2) Expressing sincerely held religious beliefs or moral convictions in any context, including a professional context, as long as the services provided otherwise meet the standard of care or practice for that profession
As introduced, enacts the "Women's Safety and Protection Act." - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 37; Title 41; Title 49 and Title 68.
A governmental agency shall not prohibit distinctions between the sexes with respect to athletics, correctional facilities, juvenile detention facilities, domestic violence shelters, or other accommodations where biology, safety, or privacy is implied and that result in separate accommodations that are substantially related to the important government interest of protecting the health, safety, and privacy of individuals in such circumstances.
As introduced, requires gender clinics accepting funds from this state to perform gender transition procedures to also perform detransition procedures; requires insurance entities providing coverage of gender transition procedures to also cover detransition procedures; requires certain gender clinics and insurance entities to report information regarding detransition procedures to the department of health. - Amends TCA Title 1; Title 4; Title 33; Title 56; Title 63; Title 68 and Title 71.
A gender clinic that uses funds provided by this state to directly or indirectly provide or pay for gender transition procedures must, as a condition of receiving such funds, agree to provide or pay for the performance of detransition procedures.
As introduced, expands the definition of "adult-oriented establishment", for purposes of imposing certain requirements, to include commercial establishments that offer sexually oriented material, devices, or paraphernalia, adult cabaret entertainment, or specified sexual activities, but for which such materials, devices, paraphernalia, entertainment, or activities are not the principal or predominant stock or trade. - Amends TCA Title 7, Chapter 51, Part 14.
Adult-oriented establishment means a facility, establishment, business, or service, or portion thereof, that offers sexually oriented material, devices, or paraphernalia; adult cabaret entertainment; or specified sexual activities, or any combination or form thereof, whether printed, filmed, recorded, or live, and that restricts or purports to restrict admission to adults or to any class of adults.
As introduced, enacts the "Dismantling DEI Departments Act." - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 5; Title 6; Title 7; Title 8 and Title 49, Chapter 7.
A county government shall not maintain or authorize an office or department that promotes or requires discriminatory preferences in an effort to increase diversity, equity, or inclusion. All mandates, policies, programs, activities, guidance, regulations, enforcement actions, consent orders, or other declarations by such office or department are void.
As introduced, enacts the "Medical Ethics Defense Act." - Amends TCA Title 63.
A healthcare provider must not be required to participate in or pay for a healthcare procedure, treatment, or service that violates the conscience of the healthcare provider. [...] "Healthcare provider" means a healthcare professional, healthcare institution, or healthcare payer;
As introduced, requires the attorney general to report to the speaker of the senate and the speaker of the house of representatives certain information regarding violations of the prohibition against using medical procedures to enable a minor to identify with, or live as, a purported identity inconsistent with the minor's sex or to treat purported discomfort or distress from discordance between the minor's sex and asserted identity. - Amends TCA Title 9; Title 14; Title 28; Title 29; Title 33; Title 34; Title 36; Title 37; Title 39; Title 40; Title 49; Title 50; Title 56; Title 63; Title 68 and Title 71.
As introduced, requires the attorney general to report to the speaker of the senate and the speaker of the house of representatives certain information regarding violations of the prohibition against using medical procedures to enable a minor to identify with, or live as, a purported identity inconsistent with the minor's sex or to treat purported discomfort or distress from discordance between the minor's sex and asserted identity.
As introduced, makes various changes to the categories of individuals who are not required to use a preferred pronoun, and for whom a preferred pronoun can be disregarded, if the pronoun is inconsistent with the person's biological sex; makes various changes to the civil liability and adverse action protections as it relates to the use of, or the refusal to use, a pronoun or preferred pronoun. - Amends TCA Title 49.
Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 49-6-5102(b)(1), is amended by deleting "a student's preferred pronoun" and substituting instead "the preferred pronoun of a teacher, school employee, or student", deleting "the student" and substituting instead "the teacher, school employee, or student", and deleting "the student's" and substituting instead "the biological sex of the teacher, school employee, or student".
As introduced, specifies that certain individuals are not required to use another's preferred name or pronoun, if the preferred name or pronoun is not consistent with the individual's legal name or sex; insulates certain individuals from civil liability for using, or refusing to use, certain names or pronouns in reference to another; allows a civil action to be filed against certain employers and public schools that implement certain preferred pronoun policies or that allow certain names or pronouns to be used in reference to an unemancipated minor without first obtaining parental consent. - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 8; Title 9, Chapter 8; Title 29, Chapter 20 and Title 49.
A student, teacher, employee, or contractor of a public school or LEA is not: (1) Required to use the: (A) Preferred name of a student, teacher, employee, or contractor of a public school or LEA, if the individual's preferred name is not the individual's legal name or a derivative thereof; or (B) Preferred pronoun of a student, teacher, employee, or contractor of a public school or LEA, if the individual's preferred pronoun is not consistent with the individual's sex;
As introduced, declares that the policy of this state is that there are only two sexes, a biological male and a biological female. - Amends TCA Title 1; Title 3; Title 4; Title 5; Title 6; Title 7 and Title 8.
It is the policy of this state that there are only two (2) sexes, a biological male and a biological female.
Riley Gaines
Riley Gaines campaigns against the inclusion of men in the women's division of sports, including lobbying her state representatives to pass a law that would prohibit transgender individuals from women's sports. [...] Ms. Gaines made a national and global impact by taking a courageous stand by publicly speaking about her beliefs that only women should be competing in women's sports.
As introduced, enacts the "Tennessee Professionals' Freedom of Religion Act." - Amends TCA Title 4.
Unlawful practices against professional licenses prohibited. (a) It is unlawful for a governmental entity to deny, revoke, suspend, or take other adverse action against an individual's license for the following: (1) Refusing to affirm a statement or oath that is contrary to the individual's sincerely held religious beliefs or moral convictions; (2) Expressing sincerely held religious beliefs or moral convictions in any context, including a professional context, as long as the services provided otherwise meet the standard of care or practice for that profession
As introduced, prohibits state and local government entities from displaying or allowing display of flags other than Tennessee and U.S. flags on courthouses and public roads and sidewalks; prohibits LEAs and public charter schools from displaying in public schools flags other than the official United States flag and the official Tennessee state flag. - Amends TCA Title 4; Section 5-5-114; Section 6-54-144; Title 7; Section 15-2-116; Title 49; Title 55; Title 58 and Title 65, Chapter 31, Part 1.
(c)(1) An LEA or public charter school shall not display, nor permit any of its employees or agents to display, a flag other than the following on or in a public school: (A) The United States flag; (B) The official Tennessee state flag; (C) A flag that cannot be disturbed or altered pursuant to § 4-1- 412; (D) The POW/MIA flag; (E) A flag that represents an Indian tribe, as defined in 25 U.S.C. § 5304; (F) A flag that represents a city, county, metropolitan government, or other political subdivision of this state; (G) A flag that represents any unit, branch, or other division of the armed forces, including, but not limited to, an ROTC program; (H) The current, official flag of a country or political subdivision thereof; (I) A flag that represents a college or university; (J) A flag that is displayed temporarily as part of a bona fide course curriculum; (K) An official school flag; or (L) The flag of an organization duly authorized to use a public school building;
As introduced, enacts the "Women's Safety and Protection Act." - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 37; Title 41; Title 49 and Title 68.
A governmental agency shall not prohibit distinctions between the sexes with respect to athletics, correctional facilities, juvenile detention facilities, domestic violence shelters, or other accommodations where biology, safety, or privacy is implied and that result in separate accommodations that are substantially related to the important government interest of protecting the health, safety, and privacy of individuals in such circumstances.
As enacted, requires all residential educational programs in this state that allow minors to participate or to access residential facilities, including staying overnight in such facilities, to segregate certain restrooms, changing areas, and showers by immutable biological sex. - Amends TCA Title 49.
All residential educational programs in this state, regardless of type or duration, that allow minors to participate or to access residential facilities must segregate all restrooms, changing areas, and showers by sex.
As introduced, requires gender clinics accepting funds from this state to perform gender transition procedures to also perform detransition procedures; requires insurance entities providing coverage of gender transition procedures to also cover detransition procedures; requires certain gender clinics and insurance entities to report information regarding detransition procedures to the department of health. - Amends TCA Title 1; Title 4; Title 33; Title 56; Title 63; Title 68 and Title 71.
That the government shall not deny or infringe upon a parent's fundamental right to participate in and direct the education of his or her child. Such right shall include, but shall not be limited to, the following: [...] (b) Diversity-equity-inclusion [...] or any concept that promotes differential treatment of individuals based on race, gender, religion, ethnicity, or sexual preference
As introduced, requires the attorney general to report to the speaker of the senate and the speaker of the house of representatives certain information regarding violations of the prohibition against using medical procedures to enable a minor to identify with, or live as, a purported identity inconsistent with the minor's sex or to treat purported discomfort or distress from discordance between the minor's sex and asserted identity. - Amends TCA Title 9; Title 14; Title 28; Title 29; Title 33; Title 34; Title 36; Title 37; Title 39; Title 40; Title 49; Title 50; Title 56; Title 63; Title 68 and Title 71.
As introduced, requires the attorney general to report to the speaker of the senate and the speaker of the house of representatives certain information regarding violations of the prohibition against using medical procedures to enable a minor to identify with, or live as, a purported identity inconsistent with the minor's sex or to treat purported discomfort or distress from discordance between the minor's sex and asserted identity.
As introduced, enacts the "Tennessee Covenant Marriage Act" to create covenant marriage, which is entered into by one male and one female, who understand and agree that marriage is a lifelong relationship; permits a spouse in a covenant marriage to obtain a judgment of divorce under certain circumstances. - Amends TCA Title 8; Title 10; Title 16; Title 36; Title 39; Title 67 and Title 68.
A covenant marriage is a marriage entered into by one (1) male and one (1) female [...] The following statement made by both parties: We do solemnly declare that marriage is a covenant between a man and a woman who agree to live together as husband and wife for so long as we both may live.
As introduced, declares that the policy of this state is that there are only two sexes, a biological male and a biological female. - Amends TCA Title 1; Title 3; Title 4; Title 5; Title 6; Title 7 and Title 8.
It is the policy of this state that there are only two (2) sexes, a biological male and a biological female.
As introduced, specifies that certain individuals are not required to use another's preferred name or pronoun, if the preferred name or pronoun is not consistent with the individual's legal name or sex; insulates certain individuals from civil liability for using, or refusing to use, certain names or pronouns in reference to another; allows a civil action to be filed against certain employers and public schools that implement certain preferred pronoun policies or that allow certain names or pronouns to be used in reference to an unemancipated minor without first obtaining parental consent. - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 8; Title 9, Chapter 8; Title 29, Chapter 20 and Title 49.
The general assembly finds that local governments are at their most effective when the employees of the local government are the most highly qualified candidates for employment with the local government and that hiring decisions should be based on merit rather than any other metric. (b) A county government shall not: [...] Decide to hire a particular candidate in order to achieve any goals to increase diversity, equity, or inclusion in the workplace.
As introduced, enacts the "Medical Ethics Defense Act." - Amends TCA Title 63.
A healthcare provider must not be required to participate in or pay for a healthcare procedure, treatment, or service that violates the conscience of the healthcare provider. [...] "Healthcare provider" means a healthcare professional, healthcare institution, or healthcare payer;
As introduced, designates the new swimming pool at Henry Horton State Park as the "Riley Gaines Aquatic Center."
The department of environment and conservation is directed to erect suitable signs or affix suitable markers designating such swimming pool as the "Riley Gaines Aquatic Center". [...] This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.
As introduced, enacts the "Dismantle DEI Act," which prohibits local governments and public institutions of higher education from basing hiring decisions on any metrics that consider an applicant's race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, or disability, or hiring a particular candidate in order to achieve any goals to increase diversity, equity, or inclusion in the workplace. - Amends TCA Title 5; Title 6; Title 7; Title 8 and Title 49.
The general assembly finds that local governments are at their most effective when the employees of the local government are the most highly qualified candidates for employment with the local government and that hiring decisions should be based on merit rather than any other metric. (b) A county government shall not: [...] Decide to hire a particular candidate in order to achieve any goals to increase diversity, equity, or inclusion in the workplace.
As introduced, enacts the "Dismantling DEI Departments Act." - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 5; Title 6; Title 7; Title 8 and Title 49, Chapter 7.
A county government shall not maintain or authorize an office or department that promotes or requires discriminatory preferences in an effort to increase diversity, equity, or inclusion. All mandates, policies, programs, activities, guidance, regulations, enforcement actions, consent orders, or other declarations by such office or department are void.
As introduced, makes various changes to the categories of individuals who are not required to use a preferred pronoun, and for whom a preferred pronoun be disregarded, if the pronoun is inconsistent with the person's biological sex; makes various changes to the civil liability and adverse action protections as it relates to the use of, or the refusal to use, a pronoun or preferred pronoun. - Amends TCA Title 49.
Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 49-6-5102(b)(1), is amended by deleting "a student's preferred pronoun" and substituting instead "the preferred pronoun of a teacher, school employee, or student", deleting "the student" and substituting instead "the teacher, school employee, or student", and deleting "the student's" and substituting instead "the biological sex of the teacher, school employee, or student".
As introduced, makes various changes to the categories of individuals who are not required to use a preferred pronoun, and for whom a preferred pronoun can be disregarded, if the pronoun is inconsistent with the person's biological sex; makes various changes to the civil liability and adverse action protections as it relates to the use of, or the refusal to use, a pronoun or preferred pronoun. - Amends TCA Title 49.
Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 49-6-5102(b)(1), is amended by deleting "a student's preferred pronoun" and substituting instead "the preferred pronoun of a teacher, school employee, or student", deleting "the student" and substituting instead "the teacher, school employee, or student", and deleting "the student's" and substituting instead "the biological sex of the teacher, school employee, or student".