Next Week - Bill info, action, and breakdown.
SB 228/HB 3 (Hensley/Cepicky): “Anti-Trans Student-Athlete Bill”
A bill to require that a student's gender for purposes of participation in a public middle school or high school interscholastic athletic activity or event be determined by the student's sex at the time of the student's birth, as indicated on the student's original birth certificate.
Status: Senate Passed 03/01/21; Advanced to House Calendar & Rules Committee. Once scheduled the House will vote on the bill. The Governor is expected to sign. This could happen towards the end of next week.
ACTION- TEP has an email campaign. We are urging businesses to directly contact the Governor and House members to voice opposition.
We spoke at length about this bill this week, please see coverage below.
SB 657/HB 578 (Bowling/Ragan): “Trans-Youth Healthcare Ban Bill”
A bill to prohibit facilitating sexual identity change therapy to a minor who has not entered puberty, and to prohibit 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. Violations are treated as child abuse.
Status: Referred to Senate Judiciary Committee; Scheduled for House Criminal Justice Subcommittee on Wednesday, 03/10/21.
ACTION- TEP has an email campaign. Businesses should reach out to any and all legislators, especially in leadership, to express concerns and opposition to this bill.
This bill stands out nationally in the criminal penalties it places on doctors and parents if they help trans-youth. Tennessee could become the first state to pass a bill like this. This bill is extreme and could bring devastating economic repercussions to the state, not to mention the impact that it would have on thousands of trans-youth.
SB 1224/HB 1182 (Rose/Rudd): “Bathroom Signage Bill”
A bill to require entities that operate a building or facility open to the general public that allow a member of either biological sex to use any public restroom post notice of the policy at the entrances to the restrooms and the building. Establishes regulations for the required signage.
Status: Referred to Senate Judiciary Committee; Scheduled for House Public Service Subcommittee on Wednesday 03/10/21.
This bill is another attempt to institute a statewide anti-trans bathroom bill. This version requires you to post a sign at your entrance and on your bathrooms if you have inclusive bathroom usage policies and allow people to use the bathroom of the gender they identify as. Private businesses should be very concerned with the cost of this bill, the intrusive nature of this bill on business practices, and the blatant discrimination and issues it would cause in a business.
SB 1367/HB 1233 (Bell/Zachary): “Bathroom Bill 2.0”
A bill to require public schools to provide a reasonable accommodation to a person who is unwilling or unable to use a multi-occupancy restroom or changing facility designated for the person’s sex located within a public school building or multi-occupancy sleeping quarters while
attending a public school-sponsored activity. “Reasonable accommodation” is defined as including but not limited to access to a single-occupancy restroom or changing facility. “Sex” is a person's biological sex determined at the time of birth. Establishes that a person who is denied reasonable accommodation has a private right of action against the public school.
Status: Referred to Senate Education Committee; Scheduled for House K-12 Subcommittee on Tuesday 03/09/21.
Another attempt on the bathroom and locker room bill with regard to public schools. If you are not provided a private bathroom to use you can sue the school. We think... This bill is very confusing but clearly discriminatory, and unneeded.
