HFTN’s Proactive Bills:

SB 560 / HB 347: Poverty is NOT Neglect: Excludes conditions solely due to financial hardship from the definitions of child abuse, severe abuse, abandonment, and dependent and neglected child
Sponsors: Senator Ed Jackson and Representative Chris Hurt
Position: Support - Leading
Latest Action: Introduced in the Senate and House
Take Action on this Bill - Sign the Petition to Join our Poverty is NOT Neglect Campaign

SB 589 / HB 169: 12 Month Supply for All: Allows all Tennesseans to receive a 12 month supply of birth control at one time
Sponsors: Senator Raumesh Akbari and Representative Esther Helton-Haynes
Position: Support - Leading
Latest Action: Introduced in the Senate and House

SB 1039 / HB 1102: Requires healthcare facilities to get informed consent before screening or testing pregnant and postpartum patients and their newborns for drugs and alcohol
Sponsors: Senator Janice Bowling and Representative Gabby Salinas
Position: Support - Leading
Latest Action: Introduced in the Senate and House
Take Action on this Bill - Thank Senator Bowling and Representative Salinas for Introducing This Important Legislation

SB 463 / HB 595: Freedom to Grow Our Tennessee Families Act: Requires both private and public health insurance plans to cover fertility care and preservation services, updates the definitions of fertility care and infertility patient, and adjusts the requirements to receive transitional childcare assistance when exiting public benefits programs.
Sponsors: Senator Richard Briggs and Representative Caleb Hemmer
Position:  Support - Leading
Latest Action: Introduced in the Senate and House

SB 44 / HB 295: TennCare Coverage of Doula Services
Sponsors: Senator London Lamar and Representative Harold Love Jr.
Position: Support - Leading
Latest Action: Passed Senate Health and Welfare Committee; Introduced in the House

Statewide Repro Coalition Bills:

SB 187 / HB 27: Reproductive Freedom Act (Our South Star): Creates the right to continue or end a pregnancy, use or refuse the contraceptive method of one's own choosing, and the right to give birth in a setting that works best for you. This bill also requires the state to provide the necessary resources for Tennesseans to fully access and exercise these rights.
Sponsors: Senator London Lamar and Rep. Aftyn Behn
Position: Support - Leading
Latest Action: Introduced in the Senate and House

SB 1010 / HB 1220: Tennessee Contraceptive Freedom Act: Creates the right to use or refuse the contraceptive method of one's own choosing and requires coverage for that contraceptive method
Sponsors: Senator Charlane Oliver and Representative Gloria Johnson
Position: Support
Latest Action: Introduced in the Senate and House

SB 449 / HB 533: Fertility Treatment and Contraceptive Protection Act: Creates legal protection for fertility treatment and contraception.
Sponsors: Senator Becky Massey and Representative Iris Rudder
Position: Support - our partner, AWAKE, is leading on this bill
Latest Action:  Introduced in the Senate and the House

Priority Defensive (Bad) Bills:

SB 194 / HB 26: Allows some people to sue someone for over $1 million for bringing abortion pills into Tennessee that result in a pregnancy loss
Sponsors: Senator Joey Hensley and Representative Gino Bulso
Position: Oppose
Latest Action: Hearing planned for 2/25 in House Population Health Subcommittee; Introduced in the Senate

SB 1241 / HB 1360: Makes it harder for parents experiencing domestic violence to have their children returned to their home after a DCS removal
Sponsors: Senator Ed Jackson and Representative Mary Littleton
Position: Oppose
Latest Action: Introduced in the Senate and the House

SB 1283 / HB 111: Adds syphilis and hepatitis C to the list of tests prenatal care providers must perform on their pregnant patients
Sponsors: Senator Jack Johnson and Representative William Lamberth
Position: Oppose - While testing is important, legislating standards of care, especially without protections for informed consent and funding to provide treatment, is dangerous and harmful to patient-provider relationships.
Latest Action: Hearing scheduled in House Health Committee on 2/25; Hearing scheduled in Senate Health and Welfare Committee 2/26

SB 139 / HB 144: Requires hospitals to collect immigration status of all patients and report anonymized data to the state
Sponsors: Senator Adam Lowe and Representative Jason Zachary
Position:  Oppose
Latest Action: Introduced in the Senate and the House

SB 1274 / HB 124: Changes the regulation of toxic coal ash, a known reproductive health toxin
Sponsors: Senator Jack Johnson and Representative William Lamberth
Position: Oppose
Latest Action: Introduced in the Senate and the House

SB 113 / HB 199: Allows the commissioner to overrule local wastewater authorities on zoning issues, potentially allowing for unsafe wastewater management practices, which can negatively impact reproductive health. 
Sponsors: Senator Jack Johnson and Representative Lee Reeves
Position: Oppose
Latest Action: On Senate Floor on 2/24; Hearing Scheduled in House Agriculture and Natural Resources Subcommittee on 2/26

SB 527 / HB 809: Limits civil liability of pesticide companies for harm, including reproductive harm.
Sponsors: Senator John Stevens and Representative Rusty Grills
Position: Oppose
Latest Action: Introduced in the Senate and the House

The Right to Have a Child

SB 3 / HB 14:  Excludes contraception and fertility care from the definition of criminal abortion
Sponsors: Senator Raumesh Akbari, Representative Harold Love Jr. 
Position: Support
Latest Action: Introduced in the Senate and the House

SB 485: Incorporates the federal Indian Child Welfare Act into Tennessee law, including provisions that require placement within one's own tribe and ensuring tribal authorities have jurisdiction over child welfare cases involving indigenous youth. 
Sponsors: Senator Janice Bowling
Position: Support
Latest Action: Introduced in the Senate **NOTE: This bill does not have a House sponsor, so the legislature cannot vote on it. We wanted to include it on our watchlist because we are excited about this bill and hopeful that there will be a House sponsor next year.

SB 849 / HB 960: Requires medical boards to develop and offer course in maternal mental health
Sponsors: Senator London Lamar and Representative Harold Love Jr.
Position: Support
Latest Action: Introduced in the Senate and the House

SB 898 / HB 867: Creates a pilot program for remote patient monitoring for pregnant Tennesseans on TennCare at risk for gestational diabetes and hypertension
Sponsors: Senator Becky Massey and Representative Tim Hicks
Position: Support
Latest Action: Introduced in the Senate and the House

SB 205 / HB 70: Requires TennCare to cover biomarker testing for preeclampsia
Sponsors: Senator Becky Massey and Representative Helton-Haynes
Position: Support
Latest Action: Introduced in the Senate and the House

SB 575/ HB 572: Requires facilities where births take place to share post-birth warning signs prior to discharge
Sponsors: Senator London Lamar and Representative Caleb Hemmer
Position: Support
Latest Action: Hearing Scheduled for House Health Committee on 2/25; Hearing Scheduled for Senate Health and Welfare Committee on 2/26

SB 190/HB 827: Requires an employer to provide healthcare coverage to a pregnant person who is terminated until the pregnancy ends 
Sponsors: Senator London Lamar; Representative Ronnie Glynn 
Position: Neutral but concerned - We have concerns about the amount of information a pregnant person needs to share with their employer about their pregnancy, especially when it is likely that a person in this situation would be eligible for TennCare and coverage up to 12 months postpartum.
Latest Action: Introduced in the Senate and the House

The Right to Not Have a Child

HJR 7: Proposes an amendment to the Tennessee state constitution that life begins at conception
Sponsor: Representative Gino Bulso
Position: Oppose - This change would not only further restrict abortion but also potentially restrict contraception, fertility care, and civil liberties of pregnant people
Latest Action: Hearing Scheduled for Civil Justice Subcommittee on 3/5

SB 319/ HB 368: Requires family life curriculum to cover safe haven laws that allow people who have recently given birth to drop off their newborn without penalty.
Sponsors: Senator Becky Massey and Representative Tom Stinnett
Position: Neutral but concerned - For too long anti-abortion advocates have claimed that safe haven laws, which allow birth parents to surrender unharmed newborns, act as a sufficient solution to abortion bans. They do not. While there is nothing inherently wrong with safe haven laws, they often fail to account for coercion or make it difficult for people who need help or are experiencing a crisis to change their minds. 
Latest Action: Hearing Scheduled in Senate Education Committee on 2/26; Introduced in the House

SB 262 / HB 386: Changes time frame from 15 to 45 days for surrendering an unharmed newborn
Sponsors: Senator Ferrell Haile and Representative Ed Butler
Position: Neutral - See above
Latest Action: Hearing Scheduled for House Health Committee on 2/25; Introduced in the Senate

SB 471 / HB 178: Requires the family life curriculum to endorse and instruct on the following life path: getting a high school diploma, entering the workforce or further education, entering into marriage, and having children
Sponsor: Senator Janice Bowling and Representative Gino Bulso
Position: Oppose
Latest Action: Introduced in the Senate and the House

Caption Bills: A caption bill is a bill that on its face makes a very minor change, while opening up for change a large section of the law. These types of bills are often used as placeholders that will be amended when they are brought up in committee. These amendments then rewrite the bill entirely. The following is a list of caption bills we believe may be placeholders for anti-abortion legislation. We will update this list with more information when amendments are proposed. 

SB 331 / HB 204: Senator Rusty Crowe and Representative Bryan Terry

SB 935 / HB 345: Senator Paul Rose and Representative Debra Moody

SB 565 / HB 914: Senator Mark Pody and Representative Mike Sparks

SB 738 / HB 570: Senator Mark Pody and Representative Jody Barrett

SB 793 / HB 945: Senator Paul Bailey and Representative Ryan Williams

The Right to Raise Families in Safe and Healthy Communities

SB 147 / HB 60: Requires the Tennessee Department of Transportation to label rest areas if they include a family restroom
Sponsor: Senator Adam Lowe and Representative Kevin Raper
Position: Support
Latest Action: Hearing in House Government Operations Committee on 2/24; Introduced in the Senate

SB 861 / HB 910: Removes some of the power of the Tennessee Human Rights Commission and reassigns their work on enforcing certain anti-discrimination laws to the state Attorney General’s Office
Sponsors: Senator John Stevens and Representative Johnny Garrett
Position: Oppose
Latest Action: Introduced in the Senate and the House

SB 322 / HB 915: Expands the public employee paid leave program to include caring for a family member with a serious health condition
Sponsors: Senator Becky Massey and Representative Mike Sparks
Position:  Support
Latest Action: Introduced in the Senate and the House

SB 230/ HB 223: Prohibits reporting of medical debt judgment on credit reports
Sponsors: Senator Heidi Campbell and Representative John Ray Clemmons
Position: Support
Latest Action: Introduced in the Senate and the House

SB 155 / HB 39: Menstrual Hygiene Products Accessibility Act - makes period products available for free to all students
Sponsor: Senator Raumesh Akbari and Representative Elaine Davis
Position: Support
Latest Action: Introduced in the Senate; Hearing in House Education Administration Subcommittee on 2/25

SB 259 / HB 853: Requires that parents have access to all minor’s medical records
Sponsors: Senator Mark Pody and Representative Michele Reneau
Position: Oppose
Latest Action: Introduced in the Senate and the House

SB 1290 / HB 113: Removes test strips from list of drug paraphernalia under criminal law
Sponsors: Senator Jack Johnson and Representative William Lamberth
Position: Support
Latest Action: Hearing Scheduled in House Criminal Justice Subcommittee for 2/26; Introduced in the Senate

SB 465 / HB 464: Removes limitation on first time overdose as exemption from crime for seeking help
Sponsors: Senator Todd Gardenhire and Representative Esther Helton-Haynes
Position: Support
Latest Action: Introduced in the Senate and the House

SJR 3: Definition of Antisemitism to include criticism of the state of Israel
Sponsors: Senator Mark Pody
Position: Oppose
Latest Action: Introduced in the Senate

HJR 49: Introduces an amendment to the Tennessee Constitution that removes right to bail in certain cases
Sponsor: Representative Cameron Sexton
Position: Oppose
Latest Action: Hearing in House Judiciary Committee 2/26

SB 1303 / HB120: Creates new crime for failure to comply with legislator security
Sponsor: Senator Jack Johnson and Representative William Lamberth
Position: Oppose
Latest Action: Hearing Scheduled in Finance, Ways, and Means on 2/26; Introduced in the Senate

SB 324 / HB 1200: Creates a publicly available domestic violence registry
Sponsors: Senator Becky Massey and Representative Sabi Kumar
Position: Oppose - these registries disproportionately impact criminalized survivors of domestic violence and do not make people safer from domestic violence.
Latest Action: Introduced in the Senate and the House

SB 841 / HB 473: Requires collection of a DNA sample for anyone arrested for a felony
Sponsors: Senator Page Walley and Representative John Crawford
Position: Oppose
Latest Action: Introduced in the Senate and the House

SB 1154 / HB 1236: Prohibits using SNAP benefits from purchasing candy or soft drinks
Sponsors: Senator Rusty Crowe and Representative Jason Zachary
Position: Oppose - Adding restrictions to SNAP when so many Tennesseans already cannot access the benefits they are entitled to is wrong. We know that public benefits are the first targets for cuts, and we can’t accept further restrictions and cuts, especially when we know this will pave the way for more. We should be ensuring that all Tennesseans can get the groceries they need without additional burdens or restrictions.
Latest Action: Referred to House Health Committee; Introduced in the Senate

SB 1287 / HB 107: Removes certain requirements for Families First assistance (Tennessee’s Temporary Assistance for Needy Families or TANF program) like requirements about keeping kids in school, attending wellness visits, and vaccination requirements
Sponsors: Senator Jack Johnson and Representative William Lamberth
Position: Neutral - While keeping kids in school and vaccines are important, we believe that there should be less not more restrictions on public benefits. Unfortunately, this bill leaves Tennessee’s work requirements and requirements to pursue child support still intact.
Latest Action: Scheduled for House Floor 2/24; Introduced in the Senate

SB 1286 / HB 105: Allows for-profit entities to apply for child care improvement program grants
Sponsors: Senator Jack Johnson and Representative William Lamberth
Position: Oppose - There are no guarantees that this money will go to small and community-run childcare businesses. It seems like yet another handout to corporations that regular Tennesseans are stuck paying.
Latest Action: Scheduled for House Floor 2/24; Introduced in the Senate

SB 836 / HB 793: Allows local school districts to refuse to enroll undocumented students
Sponsors: Senator Bo Watson and Representative William Lamberth
Position: Oppose
Latest Action: Introduced in the Senate and the House