2025 TN Legislative Scorecard

SB449 officially recognizes and protects the right of individuals to access and receive fertility treatments—such as IVF, egg/sperm preservation, genetic testing, and artificial insemination—as well as contraceptives. It also affirms that healthcare providers have the legal right to perform these services.

The Tennessee State Senate passed SB449 on April 14, 2025 by a vote of 27 to 3. We have assigned pluses to the nays because this bill grants broad legal protections to morally and ethically troubling practices, including IVF and embryo manipulation, which often result in the destruction of human embryos and undermine the right to life. Enshrining access to these procedures in state law exceeds the proper role of government and risks compelling taxpayer or medical support for actions that violate one's conscience. It also paves the way for future mandates under the banner of “reproductive rights.” Moreover, hormonal birth control—particularly high-dose “morning-after” pills—can act as abortifacients by preventing implantation, causing early, unseen abortions. The care of human life—not its destruction—is the highest duty of government. States should work to prohibit all methods of abortion and protect every pre-born child’s right to life, as affirmed in the Declaration of Independence and safeguarded by the Fifth and 14th Amendments to the U.S. Constitution.

SB836 authorizes Local Education Agencies (LEAs) and public charter schools to refuse to enroll students who are unlawfully present in the United States.

The Tennessee State Senate passed SB836 on April 10, 2025 by a vote of 19 to 13. We have assigned pluses to the ayes because taxpayer-funded education is not the role of government and should not be extended to those who have entered the country illegally, especially when public schools are already burdened with declining academic outcomes and rising costs. SB836 helps deter illegal migration by removing one of its incentives—"free" government education—and reinforces the principle that state resources should serve citizens and legal residents first. Education is not a legitimate function of government, and certainly not a service that should be extended to those in the United States Illegally. This bill supports state sovereignty and upholds the rule of law—and critics of the bill claim it jeopardizes federal funding, which would be a win.

SB827 exempts fully online, self-paced private schools from certain regulations. The State Board of Education can no longer mandate these schools adhere to rules on class size, school calendar, vaccination requirements, or student assessments to qualify as Category III nonpublic schools—simplifying regulatory hurdles for online private-education providers.

The Tennessee State Senate passed SB827 on March 20, 2025 by a vote of 26 to 5. We have assigned pluses to the ayes because this bill takes an important step toward reducing government overreach in education by exempting fully online, self-paced private schools from unnecessary regulations. Education is not a proper function of government, and SB827 supports the fundamental right of parents to direct their children’s education—an unalienable right protected by the U.S. Constitution. By removing state-imposed mandates on class size, calendars, testing, and vaccinations for these private institutions, the bill affirms educational freedom and encourages innovation outside the failing public system. We urge all parents to take control of their children’s education and pursue sound alternatives, such as homeschooling or independent, patriotic private schools like FreedomProject Academy, which remain free from government funding and control.

SB480 removes Tennessee’s broad definition of “blighted area” and instead defines “blighted property” case-by-case, based on specific, uncorrected safety or code violations. The bill gives property owners advance notice and time to fix issues before their land can be taken by housing authorities. It also lets those authorities purchase non‑blighted properties (even above market value) without using eminent domain. These changes narrow the scope of when and how government bodies can seize property, strengthen due-process rights, and support negotiated sales for redevelopment.

The Tennessee State Senate passed SB480 on March 6, 2025 by a vote of 30 to 0. We have assigned pluses to the ayes because this bill strengthens private-property rights and restores some proper constitutional limits on government power. By eliminating the vague and overly broad definition of "blighted area," SB480 helps prevent abuse of eminent domain—where governments seize land under the guise of redevelopment. Instead, the bill ensures that landowners are given notice and a fair opportunity to address concerns. This reinforces the due-process protections guaranteed by the fifth and 14th Amendments, which prohibit the government from depriving individuals of life, liberty, or property without due process of law and require just compensation for takings.

SB6003 establishes two new funding sources to support disaster recovery. The first is the Hurricane Helene Interest Payment Fund, which provides up to $110 million to help local governments in federally declared disaster areas cover interest costs on recovery loans, with the state paying up to 5% interest for up to three years. The second is the Governor’s Response and Recovery Fund, which allocates $100 million for emergency relief through grants or loans for expenses such as agricultural aid, unemployment support, and business recovery.

The Tennessee State Senate passed SB6003 on January 29, 2025 by a vote of 32 to 1. We have assigned pluses to the nays because, as President Grover Cleveland stated in his 1887 veto message for the Texas Seed Bill, “I can find no warrant for such an appropriation in the Constitution, and I do not believe that the power and duty of the General Government ought to be extended to the relief of individual suffering…. Though the people support the Government the, Government should not support the people.” Both that bill and SB6003 are intended to secure government assistance for local disasters. However, it is not the government’s role to solve every problem; these issues should be addressed by the private sector, the generosity of our friends and neighbors, and the principles of individualism.