Debate has heated up at the state Capitol, as contentious bills targeting immigration and same-sex marriage stirred public demonstrations and prompted outbursts throughout the week.
Rep. Bulso argues SCOTUS ‘invented’ same-sex marriage right in 2015
On Tuesday, protesters filled committee rooms as a group of immigration bills that would require local cooperation with ICE, increase reporting requirements and impose restrictions on driver’s license testing and eligibility sped through the committees — all with opposition from Democrats but ultimately passing along party lines.
In the House, the Republican supermajority passed a bill sponsored by Rep. Gino Bulso (R-Brentwood) that would allow private individuals and organizations to disregard Obergefell v. Hodges, the U.S. Supreme Court decision that legalized same-sex marriage.
Meanwhile, legislation related to health care, school curriculum and incarcerated people advanced in committees. Here’s the rundown of this week at the state legislature.
School Curriculum and Policy Changes Advance
The House Education Committee moved forward with a bill sponsored by Rep. Jody Barrett (R-Dickson) to require public schools to “provide age- and grade-appropriate instruction to students on the history of communism.” The proposal was objected to by Democrats in the committee, who argue the subject is already included in school curriculum. Rep. Sam McKenzie (D-Knoxville) called the legislation “troubling” and worried about which historical figures might be referred to as communists.
After hearing testimonies from parents whose elementary-age children accessed inappropriate online content through their school-issued devices and emails, a bill passed in the House Education Committee that would establish requirements for internet-use policies in schools.
In the Senate Education Committee, Republican-sponsored legislation received bipartisan support and advanced that would allow the state’s board of education to waive teaching license requirements for a person who does not have a bachelor’s degree but has at least five years of experience teaching at a private school or church-related school in Tennessee.
NES Takeover Still in Limbo
State Republican leaders told reporters this week they’re still interested in legislation to implement a potential takeover of Nashville Electric Service, but there aren’t yet details on when the potential bill could be presented.
“How NES responded is a big question mark,” said Lt. Gov. Randy McNally (R-Oak Ridge). “I think Three Stooges could have done a better job in preparing for the ice storm.”
Also: Metro Council passes winter-storm-related resolutions aimed at financial relief
This comes as Mayor Freddie O’Connell, who has said he wants to maintain local control over NES, recently announced his appointments to a commission — which includes former Gov. Phil Bredesen and former state House Speaker Beth Harwell — tasked with investigating NES’ preparation and response to Winter Storm Fern. The commission’s initial report is due Aug. 23.
“We appreciate [O’Connell] putting the board together, but we're not dictated by their timeline — they're not dictated by our timeline,” said House Speaker Cameron Sexton (R-Crossville) when asked if lawmakers would allow the commission to make its recommendations before introducing a takeover bill.
House Majority Leader William Lamberth (R-Portland) and Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson (R-Franklin) each took issue with the fact that there are residents of Sumner and Williamson counties who are served by NES. They feel non-Nashvilian customers don’t have proper representation on the NES board.
Health Care Legislation Progresses
A bill that would prohibit TennCare from covering gender-affirming care moved forward in the House this week. In 2023, a similar bill that would have prohibited TennCare from contracting with insurers that cover gender-affirming treatment failed. That year, the Tennessee General Assembly also passed a ban on gender-affirming care for minors, which was upheld after reaching the U.S. Supreme Court.
A bipartisan bill from Sen. Raumesh Akbari (D-Memphis) and Rep. Esther Helton-Hayes (R-East Brainerd) that would allow insured Tennesseans to purchase a 12-month supply of birth control has passed the Senate and is headed to the governor’s desk for a final signature.
Sen. London Lamar (D-Memphis) saw two bills pass on the Senate floor this week. The first is her bill allowing parents to challenge a suicide ruling related to a minor, and the second seeks to require hospitals to care for pregnant women experiencing emergency medical conditions or active labor. Another bill from Lamar that removes a blanket delay in divorce proceedings when one of the parties is pregnant failed in the Senate.
Rep. Dan Howell (R-Cleveland) and other state lawmakers spoke to reporters on Wednesday about a slate of new health care bills that are still in the early stages of the legislative process. Several address aspects of insurance coding, cancer treatment and prescription medication, and many of them stem from a lack of appropriate health care infrastructure in rural areas of the state.
Rep. Joe Towns salutes photographers as he enters in the Capitol rotunda, Feb. 19, 2026
Prison Visitation Bill Moves Forward
The “Proximity Placement and Family Visitation Incentive Act” received bipartisan support and passed in the House Departments and Agencies Subcommittee this week. The legislation, sponsored by Rep. Harold Love Jr. (D-Nashville) and Sen. Raumesh Akbari (D-Memphis), grants eligible incarcerated people the opportunity to transfer to a correctional facility closer to their family.
Robot Delivery Bill Heads to Governor’s Desk
A bill passed the House that allows robot delivery vehicles to operate on bike lanes, shoulders, parking lots and certain road edges and permits them to move at 20 mph. While the legislation has received support from both Democrats and Republicans, it has also seen bipartisan opposition. It passed the House 80-11 on Thursday and is now en route to the governor’s desk.
