Tennessee Vote Reports
2026 Tennessee Legislative Scorecard
The following scorecard lists several key votes in the Tennessee Legislature in 2026 and ranks state representatives and senators based on their fidelity to (U.S.) constitutional and limited-government principles.
Senate Votes
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Contraceptive Insurance Coverage
Requires certain health-insurance plans that cover prescription contraceptives to allow an insured person to obtain a 12-month supply at one time.
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Con-Con Delegate Bill
SB1567 Con-Con Delegate Bill (Passed 26 to 5 on 3/5/2026). "Strengthens" Tennessee's "faithful delegate" rules for an Article V constitutional convention.
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Abortion Drugs
SB2412 Abortion Drugs (Passed 26 to 6 on 4/13/2026). Strengthens enforcement of Tennessee's Abortion-Inducing Drug Risk Protocol Act.
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Education Scholarships
HB2532 Education Scholarships (Passed 18 to 14 on 4/16/2026). Expands Tennessee's Education Freedom Scholarship program by increasing the maximum number of scholarships available for the 2026-27 school year.
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DEI Restrictions
SB1713 DEI Restrictions (Passed 26 to 5 on 4/22/2026). Strengthens enforcement of Tennessee's restrictions on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in government and public higher education.
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Property Defense
SB1847 Property Defense (Passed 23 to 5 on 4/23/2026). Lowers the legal threshold for using deadly force to protect property.
House Votes
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Con-Con Delegate Bill
SB1567 Con-Con Delegate Bill (Passed 74 to 16 on 3/26/2026). "Strengthens" Tennessee's "faithful delegate" rules for an Article V constitutional convention.
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Biological Sex
HB1271 Biological Sex (Passed 72 to 16 on 3/30/2026). Requires Tennessee state and local governments to define sex and gender as male or female based on anatomy and genetics at birth.
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Gun Rights
SB2459 Gun Rights (Passed 72 to 23 on 4/15/2026). Prohibits the Department of Children's Services from asking foster parents or prospective foster parents about their firearms or ammunition or demanding access to them.
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Abortion Drugs
SB2412 Abortion Drugs (Passed 74 to 20 on 4/16/2026). Strengthens enforcement of Tennessee's Abortion-Inducing Drug Risk Protocol Act.
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Childcare Spending
HB1979 Childcare Spending (Passed 73 to 8 on 4/22/2026). Creates new state-funded childcare-assistance programs.
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Property Defense
SB1847 Property Defense (Passed 62 to 24 on 4/23/2026). Lowers the legal threshold for using deadly force to protect property.
2025 Tennessee Legislative Scorecard
The following scorecard lists several key votes in the Tennessee General Assembly in 2025 and ranks state representatives and senators based on their fidelity to (U.S.) constitutional and limited-government principles.
Senate Votes
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Disaster Recovery Fund
Establishes two new funding sources to support disaster recovery.
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Property Rights Protection
Replaces Tennessee's vague "blighted area" definition with a case-by-case standard based on specific code violations, ensures property owners get notice and time to fix issues, limits eminent-domain use, and promotes due process and voluntary sales for redevelopment.
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Protecting Online Schools
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.
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Illegal Migrants from Education
Authorizes Local Education Agencies (LEAs) and public charter schools to refuse to enroll students who are unlawfully present in the United States.
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Global Entities Ban
Bans Tennessee state and local government entities from enforcing or recognizing any mandates or requirements from the World Health Organization, United Nations, or World Economic Forum.
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Right to In Vitro Fertilization and Contraception
Officially recognizes and protects the right of individuals to access and receive fertility treatments—such as in vitro fertilization (IVF), egg/sperm preservation, genetic testing, and artificial insemination—as well as contraceptives.
House Votes
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Government Private School Vouchers
Creates a state-funded scholarship program offering up to 20,000 K-12 vouchers for private-school tuition and related expenses.
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Privilege Tax Extension
Extends by six years the authority for Nashville-Davidson County to continue collecting a hotel occupancy tax of up to $2.50 per room, instead of $2.00. The extra $0.50 will continue to fund the county's Event and Marketing Fund.
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Illegal Immigrant Driver's License Enforcement
Makes it a Class B misdemeanor to drive in Tennessee using an out-of-state driver's license issued exclusively to illegal aliens.
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Race-based Membership Ban
Ends the ability of state regulatory and health-related boards to use race, color, ethnicity, or national origin as factors in their membership decisions.
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Conservation Easements
Creates a $25 million Farmland Preservation Fund managed by the Department of Agriculture.
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Global Entities Ban
Bans Tennessee state and local government entities from enforcing or recognizing any mandates or requirements from the World Health Organization, United Nations, or World Economic Forum.
2024 Tennessee Legislative Scorecard
The following scorecard lists several key votes in the Tennessee General Assembly in 2024 and ranks state representatives and senators based on their fidelity to (U.S.) constitutional and limited-government principles.
Senate Votes
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Federal Funds to Alleviate "Childhood Hunger"
Would require the Department of Human Services to actively seek and apply for federal grants and other available federal funds for the purpose of alleviating "childhood hunger.
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Grandparent "Visitation Rights" in Child Custody Cases
Specifies that a court may order "reasonable visitation" to grandparents when it is in the "best interests of the child" if such visitation is opposed by the child's custodial parent(s).
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Local Enforcement of Immigration Law
Directs local law enforcement agencies to cooperate with federal officials in the identification, apprehension, detention, or removal of aliens not lawfully present in the United States.
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Article V Convention: Term Limits
Applies to Congress to "call a convention" under Article V of the U.S. Constitution for the purpose of proposing amendments that would set term limits on members of Congress.
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Death Penalty for Child Rape
Authorizes the death penalty as a punishment for "rape" of a child, "aggravated rape" of a child, or "especially aggravated rape" of a child.
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Ban on LGBTQ+ "Pride" Flag in Schools
Would prohibit the display of any flag other than the United States flag and the official Tennessee state flag in public schools.
House Votes
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Ban on Central Bank Digital Currency
Amends the state's definition of "money" to exclude a Central Bank Digital Currency.
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U.S. Withdrawal from the United Nations
Urges "Congress and the President to withdraw the United States from the United Nations."
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Tennessee Foster and Adoptive Parent Protection Act
Prevents the Department of Children's Services from denying a parent's ability to foster or adopt based upon the parent's religious or moral beliefs regarding "sexual orientation or gender identity."
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Repeal of Child Vaccine Mandates
Would remove the provision of state law that declares "it is the responsibility" of each parent to ensure that their child receive the vaccines "recommended" by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or the American Academy of Pediatrics.
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Concealed Carry in Schools
Authorizes a faculty or staff member of a school to carry a concealed handgun on school grounds.
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Fast-Tracking Food Stamps
Requires the Department of Human Services to identify any federal regulations or state law or rules that inhibit its ability to deliver benefits for the food assistance program.
2023 Tennessee 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.
Senate Votes
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Sex Changes for Minors
Prohibits healthcare providers from performing certain medical procedures on minors or administering specific treatments if the purpose is to help the minor identify with or live as an identity that is claimed but inconsistent with the minor's biological or assigned sex at birth.
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Education Savings Accounts
Broadens the eligibility for education savings accounts (ESAs) to include students who were not enrolled in a Tennessee public school for the full year before receiving an ESA but were enrolled in and attended a Tennessee public school.
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Precious Metals
Allows the state treasurer to purchase and sell physical gold and precious metal.
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Abortion
Prohibits local governments from expending funds for the purposes of assisting a person in obtaining a criminal abortion.
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UN Agenda 2030 and Property Rights
Prohibits this state and its political subdivisions from adopting or implementing policy recommendations that deliberately or inadvertently infringe or restrict private property rights without due process.
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Juneteenth
Changes the designation of June 19, known as "Juneteenth," from a day of special observance to a legal holiday.
House Votes
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Student Vaccine Status
Eliminates the obligation for parents or teachers of homeschooled students to provide proof of immunizations and health services to the local education agency.
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Precious Metals
Allows the state treasurer to purchase and sell physical gold and precious metal.
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Con Con
Applies to the Congress of the United States pursuant to Article V of the United States Constitution to call a convention for proposing a term limits amendment.
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Abortion
Prohibits local governments from expending funds for the purposes of assisting a person in obtaining a criminal abortion.
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FedExForum
Extends the allocation of state sales tax revenue to Memphis, specifically for the Memphis Grizzlies and events at the FedExForum, until June 30, 2059.
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UN Agenda 2030 and Property Rights
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.
2021-2022 Tennessee Legislative Scorecard
The following scorecard lists several key votes in the Tennessee General Assembly in 2021 and 2022 and ranks state representatives and senators based on their fidelity to (U.S.) constitutional and limited-government principles.
This is our first state-level Scorecard; the selected votes may not be reflective of legislators' overall records. Their cumulative scores will change as we add more votes. Please check regularly for updates.
Senate Votes
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Permitless Firearm Carry
Allows permitless carry of a handgun if a person meets age requirements, lawfully possesses the handgun, and is in a place that the person is lawfully present.
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Parental Rights in Education
Requires an LEA or public charter school to notify a student's parent or guardian prior to commencing instruction of a "sexual orientation or gender identity" curriculum.
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Prenatal Right to Life
Permits a cause of action for wrongful death against someone who kills a mother and her unborn child regardless of gestational age.
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Prohibiting COVID-19 Vaccine Mandates
Prohibits state or local governments from requiring, or mandating that a private business require, proof of COVID-19 vaccination as a condition for entry or utilization of services.
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Nullifying Federal COVID-19 Restrictions
Declares the right of the Tennessee General Assembly to nullify federal COVID-19 restrictions that violate the United States Constitution.
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Budget
Serves as the Appropriations Act of Tennessee, which, as passed by the General Assembly, allocates approximately $52.8 billion for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2022, and ending June 30, 2023.
House Votes
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Permitless Firearm Carry
Allows permitless carry of a handgun if a person meets age requirements, lawfully possesses the handgun, and is in a place that the person is lawfully present.
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Article V Convention: Term Limits
Applies to Congress, under the provisions of Article V of the U.S. Constitution, to call for a convention to propose an amendment to the U.S. Constitution establishing term limits for members of Congress.
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Parental Rights in Education
Requires an LEA or public charter school to notify a student's parent or guardian prior to commencing instruction of a "sexual orientation or gender identity" curriculum.
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Prenatal Right to Life
Permits a cause of action for wrongful death against someone who kills a mother and her unborn child regardless of gestational age.
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Prohibiting COVID-19 Vaccine Mandates
Prohibits state or local governments from requiring, or mandating that a private business require, proof of COVID-19 vaccination as a condition for entry or utilization of services.
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Budget
Serves as the Appropriations Act of Tennessee, which, as passed by the General Assembly, allocates approximately $52.8 billion for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2022, and ending June 30, 2023.