2023 TN Legislative Scorecard
The following scorecard lists several key votes in the Tennessee General Assembly in 2023 and ranks state representatives and senators based on their fidelity to (U.S.) constitutional and limited-government principles.
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House Votes
HRJ5 applies to the Congress of the United States pursuant to Article V of the United States Constitution to call a convention for proposing amendments to set a limit on the number of terms to which a person may be elected as a Member of the United States House of Representatives and to set a limit on the number of terms to which a person may be elected as a Member of the United States Senate.
The Tennessee State House of Representatives passed HJR5 on March 23, 2023 by a vote of 66 to 27. We have assigned pluses to the nays because a so-called “Convention of the States” would not be of “limited” purpose. The vague and contradictory text contained in this joint resolution dangerously permits what Article V of the U.S. Constitution describes as a “Convention for proposing Amendments” or second constitutional convention. Notably, Article V of the U.S. Constitution was designed to correct structural deficiencies in the federal government, not the behavior of its elected officials. HJR5 should be opposed in favor of less risky, more precise, and immediate solutions that would restore power back to the states and to the people, such as clear-cut proposals in Congress to repeal bad amendments or state nullification of specific unauthorized federal laws.
HB1479 allows the state treasurer to purchase and sell physical gold and precious metal.
The Tennessee State House of Representatives passed HB1479 on March 6, 2023 by a vote of 98 to 0. We have assigned pluses to the ayes because this bill is a necessary step toward restoring sound money and enforcing the U.S. Constitution’s monetary provisions. According to Article 1, Section 10, of the Constitution, “No State shall…make any Thing but gold and silver Coin a Tender in Payment of Debts.” The States can and must act now to protect Americans’ financial freedom and privacy by both ending the Federal Reserve’s unconstitutional monopoly on money and thwarting government plans to impose a Central Bank Digital Currency.
SB600 prohibits local governments from expending funds for the purposes of assisting a person in obtaining a criminal abortion.
The Tennessee State House or Representatives passed SB600 on March 30, 2023 by a vote of 65 to 23. We have assigned pluses to the ayes because states should continue to act to ban abortion and guarantee the right to life for all persons. The right to life is the most fundamental, God-given, and unalienable right asserted in the Declaration of Independence and protected by the 5th and 14th Amendments to the U.S. Constitution. Taxpayer dollars at any level of government should not be used to kill babies.
HB252 eliminates the obligation for parents or teachers of homeschooled students to provide proof of immunizations and health services to the local education agency.
The Tennessee State House of Representatives passed HB252 on March 2, 2023 by a vote of 68 to 25. We have assigned pluses to the ayes because an individual’s personal healthcare decisions should not be the object of government, nor be under its federal, state, or local jurisdictions in the United States. Additionally, no level of government should be interfering with any aspect of homeschool or private-school education.
HB1085 extends the allocation of state sales tax revenue to Memphis, specifically for the Memphis Grizzlies and events at the FedExForum, until June 30, 2059. During this period, revenue from admissions, sales of food and drink, and other authorized products at the FedExForum will be exclusively directed to Memphis and its sports authority.
The Tennessee State House of Representatives passed HB1085 on April 21, 2023 by a vote of 78 to 11. We have assigned pluses to the nays because privately-owned billion-dollar organizations, such as the Memphis Grizzlies, should be expected to pay for their own facilities, which they can more than afford. Forcing people to furnish profligate amounts of taxpayer money when attending games or concerts to fund crony, corporate-sponsored projects violates their individual liberties guaranteed by the Bill of Rights and the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
SB1147 prohibits the state and its subdivisions from enacting policies that violate private property rights without due process, particularly those linked to "Agenda 21," the 2030 Agenda, U.N. net-zero emission goals by 2050, or any international law conflicting with the U.S. or state constitution.
The Tennessee State House of Representatives passed SB1147 on April 21, 2023 by a vote of 66 to 22. We have assigned pluses to the ayes because eminent domain or other infringements on an individual's property violates the U.S. Constitution, specifically the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments. The Fifth Amendment explicitly states, “nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.” Furthermore, the Fourteenth Amendment declares, “nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law.”
How did your legislators vote?
Average Freedom Score by Party
| Party | Score |
|---|---|
| Democrat | 34.3% |
| Republican | 69.5% |
