Take action on discriminatory bills week of March 21
Discriminatory bills are advancing, stalling, and getting amended. Your advocacy matters. Take action with these campaigns and events for the week of March 21. More campaigns will be added in coming days.
MARCH 21
Attend: Zoom phone bank at 6:30 p.m. Central Time. Facebook event linked here with Zoom link.
MARCH 22
The good birth certificate gender amendment bill and the bad parental bill of rights bill are up in the House Health Subcommittee at Noon Central Time in House Hearing Room 2.
Email: Send a message to the subcommittee on both bills using this easy form.
Attend: Go to the subcommittee meeting. Facebook event linked here.
The strange anti-marriage equality bill is up in Senate Judiciary Committee at 1:30 p.m. Central Time in Senate Hearing Room 1 on March 22 and the House Children & Family Affairs Subcommittee on March 23 at 2:00 p.m. Central Time in House Hearing Room 2.
Email: Send a message to both committees on the marriage bill using this easy form.
MARCH 23
The Senate Health & Welfare Committee is taking the so-called parent bill of rights legislation at 10:00 a.m. Central Time in Senate Hearing Room 1.
Email: Send a message to the committee urging them to vote NO.
The Senate Education Committee is taking up five key bills at 1:00 p.m. Central Time in Senate Hearing Room 1.
Email: Send a message to the committee urging them to vote NO on all these bills with this easy form.
Attend: Go to the hearing on the bills in the Cordell Hull Building. Facebook event linked here.
Call: Leave messages for the members of the Senate Education Committee on all the bills. Best to call nights and weekends!
Any Evening
Call: Leave a message for Governor Lee and urge him to oppose discriminatory bills.
Take action on discriminatory bills week of March 14
Anti-LGBTQ bills are still moving in the Legislature. Take action using the campaigns and events below. More campaigns may be added over the coming days.
MARCH 14 at 6:30 p.m. Central Time
Attend: Zoom phone bank against discrimination. Bring your phone. We supply the scripts. Facebook event with Zoom link.
MARCH 15
Attend: House Health Subcommittee Bills at Noon Central Time Facebook Event
Email: Send a message to the members of the subcommittee on 2 bills using this easy form.
MARCH 16
Attend: Senate Education Committee Bills at 1:00 p.m. Central Time Facebook Event
Email: Send a message to the members of the committee on 6 bills using this easy form.
Attend: House Education Administration Committee Bills at 3:30 p.m. Central Time Facebook Event.
Email: Send a message to the members of the committee on 2 bills using this easy form.
Email: Send a message to the members of the committee on the school library censorship bill.
NOTE: HB233, the strange anti-marriage equality bill that had been sent to summer study, was resurrected on March 14. Take action against the bill with this campaign.
Take action on discriminatory bills week of March 7
Key bills affecting Tennessee's LGBTQ community continue to move the week of March 7. Take action with these campaigns and events. We will continue to add campaigns and events as available over the coming days.
MARCH 7 at 6:30 p.m. Central Time
*Zoom phone bank against discrimination. Bring your phones; we supply the scripts and numbers. Facebook event with Zoom link located here.
MARCH 8
1. HB2835, the attack on gender-affirming care for trans youth is back in the House Health Subcommittee. HB2451, which represents itself as a parental bill of rights, is also up in the same subcommittee. Noon Central Time. Note: These bills are far down on the calendar and the subcommittee may not get to them.
*Use this easy form to send an email to the members of the House Health Subcommittee.
*Attend the subcommittee meeting. Facebook event link is here.
2. HB2691, which allows people to change the gender marker on their birth certificate, is also on the House Health Subcommittee calendar, along with the items in the entry above. Noon Central Time.
*Use this easy form to send an email to the members of the House Health Subcommittee.
*Attend the subcommittee meeting. Facebook event link is here.
*Make calls for the bill using the scripts and office numbers linked here.
3. HB2316, which bans transgender college student athletes, is back before the House Higher Education Subcommittee. Noon Central Time.
*Use this easy form to send an email to the members of the House Higher Education Subcommittee.
*Attend the committee meeting. Facebook event is linked here.
*Make calls against the bill using the scripts and office numbers linked here.
4. HB800, which bans LGBTQ materials in our public schools, is up for a vote in House Finance. 3:00 p.m. Central Time.
*Use this easy form to send an email to the members of the House Finance Committee.
*Attend the committee meeting. Facebook event is linked here.
5. HB2633, which allows school personnel to disregard student pronouns, is back before the House K-12 Subcommittee. 4:30 p.m. Central Time.
*Use this easy form to send an email to the members of the House K-12 Subcommittee.
*Attend the subcommittee meeting. Facebook event is linked here.
*Make calls against the bill using the scripts and office numbers linked here.
6. SB2440/HB2569, which would would have many negative effects such as gutting local government programs for women and minority contracting, is up before Senate and House committees on the same day.
MARCH 9
1. SB2360, which represents itself as a parental bill of rights, is up in the Senate Education Committee. 1:00 p.m. Central Time in Senate Hearing Room 1 of the Cordell Hull Building.
2.HB233, which is a caption bill that will carry anti-marriage equality language, is up for a vote in the House Children & Family Affairs Subcommittee. 2:00 p.m. Central Time.
*Use this easy form to send a message to the subcommittee.
*Attend the subcommittee meeting. Facebook event is linked here.
*Make calls against the bill using the scripts and office numbers linked here.
3. SB2696, the attack on gender-affirming care for trans youth, is back in the Senate Health & Welfare Committee. 3:00 p.m. Central Time.
*Use this easy form to send an email to the members of the Senate Health & Welfare Committee.
*Attend the committee meeting. Facebook event is linked here.
*Make calls against the bill using the scripts and office numbers linked here.
4. HB1944, which attempts to label school library materials as obscenity, is before the House Criminal Justice Committee. 3:30 p.m. Central Time.
*Use this easy form to send an email to the members of the Criminal Justice Committee.
*Attend the committee meeting. Facebook event is linked here.
*Make calls against the bill using the scripts and office numbers linked here.
MARCH 10 at 4:30 p.m. Central Time
Happy Hour Advocacy Social at Alchemy in Memphis. Facebook event is linked here.
Take action on discriminatory bills week of Feb 28
Discriminatory bills are moving the week of February 28. Take action with these campaigns and events. More campaigns may be added on February 24 and 25.
FEBRUARY 28
*Zoom phone bank against discriminatory bills at 6:30 p.m. Central Time. Facebook event with Zoom link here.
MARCH 1
1. HB2835 by Rep. Ragan in House Health Subcommittee at Noon Central Time.
*Send a message to the members of the subcommittee using this easy form.
*Show up for the hearing on the bill. Facebook event is linked here.
*Make calls against the bill using the scripts and phone numbers at the link.
2. HB2316 by Rep. Ragan in House Higher Education Subcommittee at Noon Central Time. Update: The bill is being deferred for one week. So we will redo the campaigns for next week.
*Send a message to the members of the subcommittee using this easy form.
*Show up for the hearing on the bill. Facebook event is linked here.
*Make calls against the bill using the scripts and phone numbers at the link.
3. HB2633 by Rep. Cochran back in the House K-12 Subcommittee at 4:30 p.m. Central Time.
*Send a message to the members of the subcommittee using this easy form.
*Show up for the hearing on the bill. Facebook event is linked here.
*Make calls against the bill using the scripts and phone numbers at the link.
MARCH 2
1. HB800 by Rep. Griffey in House Finance Subcommittee at 11:00 a.m. Central Time.
*Send a message to the members of the subcommittee using this easy form.
*Show up for the hearing on the bill. Facebook event is linked here.
2. SB2696 by Sen. Bowling in Senate Health and Welfare Committee at 1:00 p.m. Central Time.
*Send a message to the members of the committee using this easy form.
*Show up for the hearing on the bill. Facebook event is linked here.
*Make calls against the bill using the scripts and phone numbers at this link.
3. HB1895 by Rep. Ragan in House Education Administration Committee at 3:30 p.m. Central Time.
*Send a message to the members of the committee using this easy form.
*Show up for the hearing on the bill. Facebook event is linked here.
Fight back the week of February 21
Several discriminatory bills are up for a vote the week of February 21. Here are some ways to fight back.
February 21: Phone bank against discrimination. We provide the scripts and the phone numbers. You leave messages with legislators on key pieces of legislation. 6:30 p.m. Central Time on Zoom. Find the Facebook event with Zoom link here.
February 22: Two bills are up for a vote in the House K-12 Subcommittee. One would allow school personnel to disregard a student's pronouns. The other directs the TN Education Commissioner to withhold funds from school districts that do not discriminate against transgender student athletes.
*Use this easy form to send an email to the members of the House K-12 Subcommittee.
*Make phone calls to members of the subcommittee using the office numbers and scripts at the link.
*Attend the subcommittee meeting at 4:30 p.m. Central Time in the Cordell Hull Building. Facebook event linked here.
February 23:
1. The bill attacking gender-affirming care for transgender youth is up for a vote in the Senate Health and Welfare Committee.
*Use this easy form to send an email to the members of the Senate Health and Welfare Committee.
*Attend the committee meeting at 1:00 p.m. Central Time in the Cordell Hull Building. Facebook event linked here.
*Make phone calls to members of the committee using the office numbers and scripts at this link.
2. HB1944, a bill that attempts to label materials in school libraries obscene, is up for a vote in the House Criminal Justice Subcommittee.
*Use this campaign from the Tennessee Library Association to urge the subcommittee to oppose the bill.
TEP Legislative Watch 2022
2022 may set a record for the number of discriminatory bills affecting Tennessee's LGBTQ community. There are also some positive bills to track this year. For questions, additions, or corrections, contact us at [email protected] . This list is a first draft; bills may be added or removed as the legislative session continues.
Note: The language used to describe each bill comes from the General Assembly's legislative summary.
Bills from 2021 that could move in the 2022 session
SB562/HB233 by Sen. Bowling and Rep. Leatherwood
As introduced, deletes statutes on marriage licensing and ceremonies; limits the jurisdiction of circuit courts and chancery courts in cases involving the definition of common law marriage to the principles of common law marriage. Deferred to summer study.
SB193/HB372 by Sen. Bowling and Rep. Casada
As introduced, prohibits a government entity from requiring an employee of the entity to attend or participate in a training, seminar, or continuing education which the employee objects to on the basis of the person's morals, ethics, values, or religious beliefs. Taken off notice on March 17, 2021.
SB657/HB578 by Sen. Bowling and Rep. Ragan
As introduced, prohibits the provision of sexual identity change therapy to prepubescent minors; prohibits the provision of sexual identity change therapy to minors who have entered puberty unless a parent or guardian has written recommendations for the therapy from at least three physicians; punishes violations as child abuse; designates violations by healthcare professionals as professional misconduct. Deferred to Special Calendar to be Published with Final Calendar in Health Committee.
SB1216/HB800 by Sen. Niceley and Rep. Griffey
As introduced, prohibits the state textbook and instructional materials quality commission from recommending or listing, the state board of education from approving for local adoption or from granting a waiver for, and LEAs and public charter schools from adopting or using textbooks and instructional materials or supplemental instructional materials that promote, normalize, support, or address lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, or transgender issues or lifestyles. Assigned to Senate General Subcommittee on March 23, 2022.
SB1238/HB1177 by Sen. Pody and Rep. J. Sexton
As introduced, specifies, for the offense of observation without consent, that a person has a reasonable expectation of privacy from members of the opposite sex in a single-sex multi-person use bathroom, locker room, dressing room or shower; defines a person's sex as the sex listed on the person's birth certificate and makes other related changes. Has not moved in 2022.
SB659/HB1535 by Sen. Bowling and Rep. Weaver
As introduced, prohibits teachers from using supplemental materials that are not approved by the state board. Failed in Senate Education Committee on February 23, 2022.
New constructive bills in the 2022 session
SB2066/HB2257 by Sen. Campbell and Rep. Harris
As introduced, authorizes an applicant who files a petition for a name change and who reasonably believes that publication of the petition would result in harassment, embarrassment, or abuse of the applicant to file the petition under seal and use a pseudonym for publication purposes. Failed in Senate Judiciary Committee on March 22, 2022.
SB2603/HB2691 by Sen. Campbell and Rep. G. Johnson
As introduced, allows amendments of birth certificates to reflect the individual's gender identity. Failed in House Health Subcommittee on March 22, 2022.
New bills in the 2022 session that are directly discriminatory or could have discriminatory implications
SB2696/HB2835 by Sen. Bowling and Rep. Ragan
As introduced, enacts the “Youth Health Protection Act.” Assigned to Senate General Subcommittee on March 9, 2022.
HB1758 by Rep. Ragan
As introduced, prohibits healthcare providers from providing medical treatment to minors without parental consent; provides exceptions for minors seeking treatment under certain conditions. WITHDRAWN
SB1861/HB1895 by Sen. Hensley and Rep. Ragan
As introduced, requires the commissioner of education to withhold a portion of the state education finance funds that an LEA is otherwise eligible to receive if the LEA fails or refuses to determine a student's gender, for purposes of participation in school sports, by the student's sex at the time of birth; exempts an LEA that fails or refuses to determine a student's gender, for purposes of participation in school sports, by the student's sex at the time of birth if the LEA's failure or refusal to do so is required by a court or other legally binding order. Signed into law by the Governor.
SB2153/HB2316 by Sen. Hensley and Rep. Ragan
As introduced, prohibits males from participating in public higher education sports that are designated for females; creates a cause of action for violations that deprive a student of an athletic opportunity or that cause direct or indirect harm to a student at the middle school, high school, or postsecondary level. Passed by both House and Senate, heading to the Governor for his action.
SB1862/HB1894 by Sen. Hensley and Rep. Ragan
As introduced, prohibits males from participating in public higher education sports that are designated for females; creates a cause of action for violations that deprive a student of an athletic opportunity or that cause direct or indirect harm to a student at the middle school, high school, or postsecondary level. WITHDRAWN
SB2777/HB2633 by Sen. Bell and Rep. Cochran
As introduced, specifies that a teacher or other employee of a public school or LEA is not required to refer to a student using the student's preferred pronoun if the pronoun does not align with the student's biological sex; insulates a teacher or other employee of a public school or LEA from civil liability and adverse employment action for referring to a student using the pronoun aligned with the student's biological sex instead of the student's preferred pronoun. Passed House on April 25, 2022, on notice in Senate Finance on April 26.
SB2006/HB1723 by Sen. Bell and Rep. Casada
As introduced, requires an LEA's policy on the inspection of school instructional materials by parents and legal guardians of students enrolled in the LEA to allow a student's parent or legal guardian to check out from the student's school one set of the instructional materials used in the student's classroom for a period of no less than 48 hours to allow the parent or legal guardian time to inspect the materials. Assigned to Senate General Subcommittee on March 23, 2022.
SJR862 by Sen. Bowling
Constitutional Amendments - Proposes an amendment to Article I of the Constitution of Tennessee to protect fundamental parental rights. No action since January 2022.
SB1944/HB1944 by Sen. Hensley and Rep. Cepicky
As introduced, excludes local education agencies, public schools, and employees and private contractors of LEAs or public schools from the exception to certain obscenity offenses if the LEA, public school, employee, or private contractor possesses obscene material that is harmful to minors on public school premises; prohibits an LEA or public school from making obscene materials or materials harmful to minors available to students in the school libraries controlled by the LEA or public school. Deferred to summer study on April 6, 2022.
SB2407/HB2154 by Sen. Johnson and Rep. Lamberth
As introduced, enacts the "Age-Appropriate Materials Act of 2022"; requires each public school to maintain, and post on the school's website, a list of the materials in the school's library collection; requires each local board of education and public charter school governing body to adopt a policy to establish procedures for the development and review of school library collections. Signed by the Governor.
SB2360/HB2451 by Sen. Bowling and Rep. Weaver
As introduced, enacts the "Parent Bill of Rights Act," which requires LEAs to permit parents to have access to certain information, including the names of instructors, titles available in the school library, teacher manuals, and curriculum; requires parents to provide written consent before a student can participate in any extracurricular activity, family life lesson, field trip, school assembly, or guest speaker event; prohibits certain healthcare practitioners from providing medical treatment to a minor without parental consent or an appropriate court order. Assigned to Senate General Subcommittee on March 23, 2022.
SB2292/HB2454 by Sen. Bell and Rep. Weaver
As introduced, redefines "obscene" to include material that has educational value; makes various changes to the internet acceptable use policy LEAs are required to adopt; requires providers of digital and online resources to ensure that users cannot access certain obscene material; requires a local board of education to establish a mechanism for parents, legal guardians, or students to report failures of the technology selected by the LEA to filter, block, or otherwise prevent access to pornography or obscenity through online resources and to submit an annual report to the state board of education regarding same. Transmitted to the Governor for his action on April 26, 2022.
SB2283/HB2417 by Sen. Bell and Rep. Smith
As introduced, prohibits employees of, and courses of instruction or units of study at, public institutions of higher education from compelling or addressing certain tenets; creates a cause of action and loss of state funding for violations. Taken off notice on February 22, 2022.
SB2290/HB2670 by Sen. Bell and Rep. C. Sexton
As introduced, prohibits a public institution of higher education from taking certain actions with regard to divisive concepts and the ideologies or political viewpoints of students and employees; revises the duties of an institution's employees whose primary duties include diversity; requires each institution to conduct a survey of its students and employees to assess the campus climate with regard to diversity of thought and the respondents' comfort level in speaking freely on campus and to publish the results on the institution's website. Signed by the Governor.
SB2440/HB2569 by Sen. Bell and Rep. Ragan
As introduced, prohibits the state from discriminating against, or granting preferential treatment to, an individual or group based on the individual's or group's race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin in the operation of any aspect of public employment, public education, or public contracting. Assigned to General Subcommittee on March 23. 2022.
SB2298/HB2313 by Sen. Pody/Rep. Griffey
As introduced, prohibits a person from requiring an individual, employee, or applicant for employment to complete or participate in training, orientation, or any other instructional or informational program that promotes certain discriminatory concepts. Deferred to summer study on February 23, 2022.
HB2584 by Rep. Leatherwood
As introduced, redefines secondary education from including grades seven through 12 to including grades nine through 12. This bill has no Senate sponsor at this time. We are tracking it because of the effect on GSAs in public schools.
Legislation attacking student pronouns filed
Today Rep. Cochran filed HB2633. According to the legislative summary, the bill "specifies that a teacher or other employee of a public school or LEA is not required to refer to a student using the student's preferred pronoun if the pronoun does not align with the student's biological sex; insulates a teacher or other employee of a public school or LEA from civil liability and adverse employment action for referring to a student using the pronoun aligned with the student's biological sex instead of the student's preferred pronoun."
In other words, this bill protects school personnel who discriminate against transgender and non-binary students. Research shows that school policies that affirm a student's gender identity yield better health and academic outcomes.
Putting a target on school libraries in Tennessee
There has been a growing effort to label content about race, sexuality, and gender in school libraries as obscene and remove it from the shelves. See this compelling piece from The 19th.
Tennessee now joins the ranks of states where these battles will rage in 2022. Rep. Scott Cepicky has filed HB1944, which, according to the official summary, "excludes local education agencies, public schools, and employees and private contractors of LEAs or public schools from the exception to certain obscenity offenses if the LEA, public school, employee, or private contractor possesses obscene material that is harmful to minors on public school premises; prohibits an LEA or public school from making obscene materials or materials harmful to minors available to students in the school libraries controlled by the LEA or public school."
We will have to watch to see how the discussion unfolds about what counts as obscene. But if action around the country is any guide, LGBTQ materials are among the targets.
January 31 update: Rep. Willaim Lamberth has filed HB2154. Here's the summary: "As introduced, enacts the 'Age-Appropriate Materials Act of 2022'; requires each public school to maintain, and post on the school's website, a list of the materials in the school's library collection; requires each local board of education and public charter school governing body to adopt a policy to establish procedures for the development and review of school library collections."
New anti-trans athlete bills filed
The Tennessee General Assembly's new session has just started and, to no one's surprise, discriminatory bills are back.
There are a number of bills we are already watching, but there are two new anti-transgender student athlete bills that were filed today.
HB1894 and HB1895 by Rep. John Ragan would bar trans women and girls from participating in women and girls' athletics and would punish school districts that refused to comply.
We will need everyone's help to fight discriminatory legislation this year. If you would like to volunteer as a district captain, use this quick form to let us know. District captains meet with their own legislators to advocate for the LGBTQ community.
February 1 update: Yesterday HB1894 was withdrawn. But it has been refiled as SB2153/HB2316 by Sen. Hensley and Rep. Ragan.
Notes from the TN Dept of Health: June and the history of the fight against HIV
This information in this post was written by and is provided through a partnership with the Tennessee Department of Health:
For people living with, affected by, or working to fight HIV, June is a month of historical and personal significance. June 5, 1981 was the day when the first five cases of what would later be known as AIDS were reported in the United States. Every year on June 5th, people around the world celebrate HIV Long-Term Survivors Awareness Day. On June 27, 1982 the first “safer sex” pamphlet in response to the AIDS epidemic was created by a gay activist group in San Francisco and distributed at the International Lesbian and Gay Freedom Day Parade. June 27th is now recognized as National HIV Testing Day, which is both a day when many people get their annual HIV test and when staff and volunteers gear up to run large outreach and testing events.
June is a month when our HIV history and present collide, making it an ideal time to reflect on how far we’ve come and where we are going. This year, the theme for HIV Long Term Survivors’ Day was “What Now?” In four decades, a lot has changed.
Treatment for HIV has certainly come a long way. What started as palliative care to make people comfortable with a disease without a name is now treatment that is so effective, people can live with HIV without symptoms and without fear of passing it to another person during sex.
“The science is clear. Numerous studies have shown that people living with HIV who take their medications as prescribed and get and keep and undetectable viral load have effectively no risk of transmitting HIV.” - Pamela Talley, MD, MPH, Medical Director of the HIV/STD/Viral Hepatitis section at Tennessee Department of Health, World AIDS Day 2019 Press Release
Treatment has evolved significantly, becoming easier to take over time. What was many pills a day in a complicated regimen is now one pill a day for many people. For people new to living with HIV, there is a network of professional case managers, health care providers, and community-based organization staff trained to help arrange medical appointments, assist in the transition to daily medication, and support people in sharing their status with friends and loved ones.
Access to treatment has expanded dramatically in the four decades since we first discovered HIV. The Ryan White Care Act was first passed into law in 1990 and has grown significantly since then to include medical care and other services to help people living with HIV achieve and sustain an undetectable viral load for years at a time. Ryan White Part B funds the Insurance Assistance Program, which allows eligible people living with HIV access to medical coverage for their whole health---not just their HIV. Through the Insurance Assistance Program, people living with HIV who qualify for Ryan White can pick from a set of insurance coverage options and then Ryan White will help cover the costs of their premium, copays, and deductible. This allows people living with HIV to access their healthcare the same way other Americans do, supports other aspects of their health, and gives them additional privacy related to their health. For Tennessee residents who receive Ryan White Part B benefits, the special enrollment period for the Insurance Assistance Program runs until August 15th. Click here for more information or ask your Ryan White Part B case manager.
As we approach National HIV Testing Day (June 27) we can all celebrate how much has changed when it comes to getting an HIV test. People who want to know their HIV status can find a provider in their area who will give them a no-cost rapid HIV test and support if the result is positive. Many of these providers are now able to give people the choice to either take a rapid test in the office, or to take a test with them to do in the privacy of their own home. While HIV tests used to mean weeks of waiting on a result, rapid tests can now tell a person their HIV status in 20 minutes or less. For those people looking to celebrate National HIV Testing Day with others at an event, signing up for the statewide HIV weekly email and following testing providers on social media are great ways to learn more about upcoming celebrations.
How we think about HIV has changed dramatically in the four decades since we named it. AIDS was an unknown syndrome, but is now known, screened for, and treated worldwide. HIV was once a death sentence but is now a chronic condition. HIV was an illness people were so afraid of sharing that receiving a diagnosis meant a fundamental life change. It is now a part of a person’s health that does not stop them from starting new relationships, having children, and making future plans. It was once the case that people living with HIV could receive world class treatment for it but still not have access to care for their other health concerns. It is now a health issue that people can manage while getting access to standard health insurance coverage. A person’s HIV status was a question that required searching through providers to make an appointment for a test that would take weeks to yield a result, but is now as easy as signing up for a rapid test at a local agency or picking up a test to take at home.
This June as many of us get our vaccines and leave our homes to enjoy Pride events and gatherings with friends and family, we can all take some pride in the part we’ve played in changing what it means to live with HIV in Tennessee.