2024 Watchlist
**Takes deep, deep breath**
This legislative session has been a rollercoaster for the reproductive justice movement in Tennessee. We’ve had some thrilling highs and crushing lows, but most importantly we moved the needleon reproductive justice in Tennessee and seized opportunities presented to us for maximum impact.
This year, Healthy and Free Tennessee brought bills that demonstrate the breadth of reproductive justice–bills to change the definition of child abuse to exclude prenatal cannabis use, ensure TennCare coverage of community-based doulas, and decriminalize pregnancy outcomes. We also led our statewide repro coalition in drafting, filing, and advocating on 4 key bills: a visionary bill to finally realize the human right to choose to have a child or not have a child in Tennessee (our North Star abortion bill); a visionary bill to guarantee our human right to use or refuse the birth control method of our choosing and to have real access to those methods; a bill to ensure that TennCare recipients can access a 12 month supply of birth control at one time; and a bill to clarify that abortion does not include the use of birth control or fertility care. We brought our strong RJ analysis, bold messaging, fierce advocacy, and passionate testifiers to advance these bills, garnering media attention and growing our reputation as experts on reproductive justice policy issues. We are so excited that the 12 month supply bill passed, and are even more excited to come back next year to fight for this policy for all Tennesseans!
Seizing the opportunity provided by Alabama’s Supreme Court infuriating decision proclaiming an embryo is a person, we moved quickly to advance our bill protecting birth control and fertility care. While the House committee ultimately voted the bill down, as well as a supermajority of House and Senate members when the bill was reintroduced as an amendment on the floor, supporters showed up in full force, and we heard moving testimony from partner, Kelli Nowers, AWAKE Executive Director. Make no mistake: legislators are coming for birth control and fertility care in Tennessee - and we’re ready to fight!
This year also brought its fair share of attack bills including bills that criminalize helping young people access abortion and gender affirming care. These bills are attacks on what makes our state what it is: neighbors volunteering to support neighbors. Legislators continued attacks on families by passing outrageous and unconstitutional laws making it easier for the state to terminate parental rights and adopt out kids from their communities. But we’ve also seen a growing bipartisan interest in pushing back against these bills, even having our talking points mirrored in conservative publications. We were able to stop a provision in a bill that would have allowed the state to initiate dependency and neglect proceedings against a parent solely because their child had a mental health or substance use issue.
We’re tired of the state trying to police our families. We need real support, not surveillance and punishment.
While this year saw the passing of bills to arm teachers, we also saw the defeat of Governor Lee’s voucher scheme. One of the biggest upsets this year was the legislature divesting from maternal health services to invest in anti-abortion pregnancy centers even as they approved new members to Tennessee’s Maternal Mortality Review Team. It was a tough year, but our favorite part was learning and growing together at our 2024 Day on the Hill. We hosted advocates from across the state to talk with legislators, learn about sex education and doulas from a reproductive justice lens . We also hosted the first self-managed abortion training at the Tennessee legislature ever! We’re so proud to be part of such an incredible community of advocates.
Here’s to nurturing, growing, creating, and dreaming this summer and fall.
Warmly,
Healthy and Free Tennessee
Below you will find the final updates to our 2024 watchlist. Note that all bills that have not "passed" will have to be reintroduced next session. Please also check out the legislative watchlists of our partner organizations: Disability Rights TN (disability and juvenile justice issues) and Tennessee Equality Project (queer and trans justice issues).
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HFTN’s Proactive Bills:
SB 2777 / HB 2495: Removes a positive test for cannabinoids at birth as a form of child abuse.
Sponsors: Senator Janice Bowling; Representative Chris Hurt
Position: Support
Latest Action: Failed in Senate Judiciary
SJR 351: First of its kind resolution in the country that reaffirms the legislature’s intent that the laws of Tennessee are not used to criminalize people for their or their loved one’s pregnancy outcomes.
Sponsors: Senator London Lamar; Representative Torrey Harris
Position: Support
Latest Action: Sent to Summer Study on 3/12
Link to Advocacy Toolkit
SB 1739 / HB 2225: Allows TennCare to cover doula services
Sponsors: Senator London Lamar; Representative Harold Love
Position: Support
Latest Action: Was not taken up this year
Statewide Repro Coalition Bills:
The statewide repro coalition is a group of advocates and organizations convened and led by Healthy and Free Tennessee. We are introducing our first slate of bills this year.
SB 1590 /HB 1626: North Star Abortion Bill: We are putting forth the vision we have for abortion justice in our state. A Tennessee where everyone has the right to decide to continue or end a pregnancy and the right to use or refuse the contraception of their choosing. We’re also repealing all the harmful anti-abortion laws on the books.
Sponsors: Senator London Lamar; Representative Aftyn Behn
Position: Support
Latest Action: Failed in Population Health Subcommittee
Link to Advocacy Toolkit
SB 1804 / HB 1943: Freedom to Birth Control: This legislation requires the state to recognize our fundamental human right to use or refuse the contraceptive method of one’s own choosing. It also requires insurance carriers and the state to make contraception accessible to all Tennesseans by covering the method they want to use.
Sponsors: Senator Charlane Oliver; Representative Gloria Johnson
Position: Support
Latest Action: Failed in Population Health Subcommittee
Link to Advocacy Toolkit
SB 1919 / HB 2635: Requires health insurers to cover and pharmacists to dispense a 12 month supply of birth control at one time. As amended, the 12 month supply only applies to TennCare beneficiaries.
Sponsors: Senator Raumesh Akbari; Representative Sam McKenzie
Position: Support
Latest Action: Signed into law By Gov. Bill Lee
SB 1918 / HB 2227: Clarifies that Tennessee’s abortion ban does not apply to the provision of birth control or fertility care.
Sponsors: Senator Raumesh Akabrari; Representative Harold Love
Position: Support
Latest Action: Failed in Population Health Subcommittee
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The Right to Choose Not to Have a Child
SB 1971 / HB 1895: Youth Travel Ban: Creates criminal and civil penalties for any non parent or guardian who helps a minor access abortion care out of state.
Sponsors: Senator Paul Rose
Position: Oppose
Latest Action: Passed
SB 2482 / HB 2773: Requires that parents have access to all children’s medical records, including record of prescriptions.
Sponsors: Senator Paul Rose; Representative Mark Cochran
Position: Oppose
Latest Action: Passed and Signed by the Governor
SB 2747 / HB 2935: Allows healthcare providers to skirt the ethical, criminal, and civil consequences of failing to provide the care they are required to provide their patients.
Sponsors: Senator Ferrell Haile; Representative Jeremy Faison
Position: Oppose - This would impact the ability to hold medical professional accountable for failing to provide life-saving reproductive and sexual healthcare
Latest Action: Introduced
The Right to Choose To Have a Child
SB1797/ HB 1986: Prohibits DCS from receiving anonymous reports of child abuse and neglect.
Sponsors: Senator Joey Hensley; Representative Jody Barrett
Position: Support - Multiple studies have found that anonymous reporting does not make kids and their communities safer. Similar laws have passed in Texas with wide support.
Latest Action: Failed
SB 2888/ HB 2965: Expands the definition of child endangerment to include committing an act of domestic violence in the home of a child.
Sponsors: Senator Sara Kyle; Representative G.A. Hardaway
Position: Oppose - This law can and will be used against survivors of domestic violence who are defending themselves and their children.
Latest Action: Was not taken up this year
SB 2571 / HB 1930: Fines parents $1,000 per incident their child is delinquent.
Sponsors: Senator Brent Taylor; Representative John Gillespie
Position: Oppose - Charging families money or requiring community service only exacerbates systemic problems that lead to youth being involved with the juvenile justice system.
Latest Action: Passed
HJR 856: Recognizes the impact on children of having a parent incarcerated.
Sponsors: Representative Susan Lynn
Position: Neutral - While it is important to recognize the impact of incarceration on both parents and children, we fear this might be setting the stage for punishing parents, up to and including loss of parental rights, for being incarcerated. That’s why we’re watching this bill closely.
Latest Action: Passed the House, but was not taken up in the Senate
SB 2349 / HB 2404: Redefines the criteria for a dependency and neglect case for child’s mental health or substance use issues even when the parent is not at fault.
Sponsors: Senator Ferrell Haile; Representative William Slater
Position: Oppose - This bill makes it easier to separate disabled kids from their families and communities.
Latest Action: Amended to remove most concerning language - Passed
SB 2662 / HB 1817: Expands definition of child endangerment and increases child endangerment from a misdemeanor to a felony.
Sponsors: Senator Dawn White; Representative Mary Littleton
Position: Oppose - the definition of child endangerment is much too broad and can include things like witnessing domestic violence in the home. When criminal laws are broad, we know they are enforced in a way that disproportionately impacts Black and brown and poor people.
Latest Action: Amended to remove most concerning language - Passed
SB 1587 / HB 1727: Creates a specific crime for a parent or guardian knowingly allowing their child to be in the presence of someone on the sex offender registry.
Sponsors: Senator Ferrell Haile; Representative Ron Gant
Position: Oppose - Laws that criminalize parents disproportionately impact women and domestic violence survivors. There are many reasons people may be required to be listed on the sex offender registry, and this law will be used to further harass and criminalize parents.
Latest Action: Passed
SB 2660 / HB 1808: Among other changes, lowers the amount of time to six months where a parent must be substantially compliant with a parenting plan before DCS can file for termination of parental rights.
Sponsors: Senator Dawn White; Representative Ed Butler
Position: Oppose - 6 months is not enough time for parents to meet the often onerous and demanding parenting plans set forth by the department.
Latest Action: Passed and Signed by the Governor
SB 1832 / HB 2226: Creates the Maternal Health Equity committee to report on and make recommendations to improve maternal health in minority communities. As amended, adds 4 community members to the Maternal Mortality Review Team
Sponsors: Senator London Lamar; Representative Harold Love
Position: Support
Latest Action: Passed
The Right to Raise Children in Safe and Healthy Communities
SB 2065 / HB 2234: Creates a program of universal pre-kindergarten for all Tennessee kids.
Sponsors: Senator Charlane Oliver; Representative Aftyn Behn
Position: Support
Latest Action: Failed
SB 2097 / HB 1891: Requires social media companies to require photo identification in order to use them.
Sponsors: Senator Jack Johnson; Representative William Lamberth
Position: Oppose - This bill is something we have seen across several states and is part of a larger campaign to limit access to the internet for youth, undocumented people, sex workers, and queer and trans people.
Latest Action: Passed
SB 1926 / HB 1869: Creates a task force to study and propose a plan for reparations for African Americans.
Sponsors: Senator Raumesh Akbari; Representative Justin Jones
Position: Support
Latest Action: Introduced
SB 2078 / HB 1886: Makes various changes to TANF funds including deleting the exception for the work requirement and increasing penalties for suspected fraud.
Sponsors: Senator Jack Johnson; Representative William Lamberth
Position: Oppose - While this bill does make a modest change when it comes to pregnant people on TANF, overall it makes it harder for those receiving assistance to get the assistance they need.
Latest Action: Passed
SB 1823 / HB 1971: Makes administrative changes that make it easier to dispense the Tennessee Opportunity Grants, which is how the government has decided to spend down the TANF surplus they withheld from beneficiaries.
Sponsors: Senator Bo Watson; Representative David Hawk
Position: Oppose - We have always opposed the grant program model for spending down the TANF surplus. We believe that payments through TANF should increase and limitations and restrictions should be removed.
Latest Action: Passed and Signed by Governor
SB 2125 / HB 2557: Creates the presumption of continuous eligibility for children under six who are enrolled in TennCare.
Sponsors: Senator Sara Kyle; Representative Johnny Shaw
Position: Support
Latest Action: Failed in Senate Health and Welfare
SB 2387 / HB 2500: Prohibits a utility company from shutting off utilities for non payment in a heat advisory.
Sponsors: Senator Sara Kyle; Representative Justin Jones
Position: Support
Latest Action: Was not taken up this year
SB1754 / HB 1947: Expands criminal penalties when fentanyl is detected.
Sponsors: Sen. Adam Lowe; Representative Dan Howell
Position: Oppose - Laws that criminalize drug use do more harm than good and contribute to our state’s overdose crisis.
Latest Action: Sent to Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee
SB 2572 / HB 1931: Nullifies any local ordinance or policy that could limit law enforcement’s ability to conduct a criminal investigation.
Sponsors: Senator Brent Taylor; Representative John Gillespie
Position: Oppose - Impacts the ability of local governments to fund their safety programs and deprioritize certain offenses.
Latest Action: Passed and Signed by Governor
SB 2043 / HB 2572: Expands crime of aggravated rape to include rape while HIV+
Sponsors: Senator London Lamar; Representative G.A. Hardaway
Position: Oppose - Laws that specifically criminalize behavior while HIV+ do nothing to promote public health and safety and stigmatize all people living with HIV in our state.
Latest Action: Passed
SB 2566 / HB 1718: Rolls back efforts from grassroots advocates to improve bail systems in Tennessee. Will require release monitoring.
Sponsors: Senator Brent Taylor; Representative John Gillespie
Position: Oppose
Latest Action: Passed
SB 2728 / HB 2207: Use the taxes collected from the sale of menstrual hygiene products to pay for all Tennessee schools to provide these products free of charge to their students
Sponsors: Senator Raumesh Akbari; Representative Elaine Davis
Position: Support
Latest Action: Sent to Finance, Ways, and Means
SJR 805: Resolution that condemns the use of the phrase "From the River to the Sea" and organizations and individuals speaking out about Israel's human rights abuses in Palestine.
Sponsors: Senator Mark Pody
Position: Oppose - Reproductive justice calls on us to recognizes the human rights of all people. Especially, when the U.S. government is providing support to a government committing human rights abuses, we must speak out. Vilifying those speaking out about these injustices harms us all.
Latest Action: Introduced