This week at the state Capitol was marked by protests over abortion-related legislation, intraparty disagreement between Democrats and continued debates over immigration bills, school vouchers, the grocery tax and more.
Here’s a roundup of what legislation advanced — and didn’t advance — in the Tennessee General Assembly this week.
Abortion Death Penalty Bill Dies
A bill that would have allowed homicide charges including first-degree murder to be brought against a woman for obtaining an abortion failed in a House committee this week. Rep. Jody Barrett (R-Dickson) was denied by his Republican colleagues the opportunity to share his testimony, but confirmed he plans to bring the same bill next year.
Packed house of Christian leaders shows support for fetal personhood bill; maternal care legislation also fails
While anti-abortion groups from out of state came in to support the bill, House Republicans noted during a Thursday press conference that pro-life group Tennessee Right to Life was not in favor of the bill, and that Barrett opted at the last minute to put House Bill 570 up for vote after previously planning to take it off notice.
“We banned abortion in this state … but there's not much more we can do to make it crystal clear we're not going to allow doctors to perform abortions that kill babies in this state,” said House Majority Leader William Lamberth (R-Portland). “The only exception is to save the life of the mother. We don't punish mothers here in this state. We've been very clear about that. We did away with abortion by saying, ‘Look, a doctor could get arrested for killing a baby, a doctor could lose their license, a doctor could be sued.’”
Grocery Tax Relief Bill Revived
Rep. Behn proposes making up lost revenue ‘by closing corporate tax loopholes’
This week Rep. Aftyn Behn (D-Nashville) confirmed that Tennessee Democrats are renewing their call to end the state’s grocery tax, with plans to replace the revenue by taxing corporations. House Majority Leader William Lamberth (R-Portland) has co-sponsored a related bill, but it stalled last year as Republicans remain divided on the issue.
Immigration Debate Continues
Republican legislation that would make certain records related to immigration enforcement confidential, including the names of ICE and law enforcement officers, passed in the Senate on Monday.
The House Democratic Caucus announced Thursday that, in a rare move, it has taken a caucus position against a slate of anti-immigration bills. This means every member of the House Democratic Caucus is unified behind a certain position and will vote as such.
School Voucher Expansion Clears First Hurdle
Some Republicans join Democrats in questioning legislation that would double public funds for children to attend private schools
Republican bills to expand the state's school voucher program passed their first committee votes in the House and Senate this week, paving the way for further debate. Both Democrats and Republicans have filed legislation seeking to hold the “Education Freedom Scholarship” program accountable. Those bills are set to be heard in committees in coming weeks.
‘Alyssa Lokits Safety Act’ Advances
The “Alyssa Lokits Safety Act,” named in honor of a Nashville woman who was shot and killed on the Mill Creek Greenway in 2024, unanimously passed the Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Wednesday.
The amended bill would create a “statewide safety plan for Tennessee’s parks.”
“Our vision of creating a safer world is only possible when changemakers unite with us in the pursuit,” Abby Lokits, director of Free to Move and Alyssa's sister-in-law, says in a news release. “If passed, the bill would affirm Tennessee as a pioneer in establishing a nationwide standard for safer parks and greenways. This is the kind of legislation that creates real change to usher in a safer future for all.”
Americans for Prosperity Tennessee Hosts Lara Trump
Conservative political advocacy group Americans for Prosperity Tennessee hosted Lara Trump at the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum on Wednesday evening. Trump is the daughter-in-law of President Donald Trump, a former Republican National Committee co-chair and a current Fox News personality. The event drew dozens of Republican lawmakers and saw remarks from U.S. Rep. Matt Van Epps and Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs, neither of whom spoke about specific policy issues.
Lara Trump appears at an Americans for Prosperity event in Nashville, March 11, 2026
Trump played the role of cheerleader for the president, who she claimed “ended eight wars.” She did not mention the United States’ major war with Iran, which began less than two weeks ago and has already resulted in the deaths of seven Americans, with more than 100 injured.
She also advocated for the passage of the “Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act” and hinted at an unconstitutional third Trump term. She also advocated for a resurgence of national pride, calling back to a post-World War II America.
“We have to have that pride and we have to let it shine, and we have to bring back that American spirit,” Trump said. “And I’ve got to tell you that there’s no better person to have in the White House to inspire us to be able to put up a fight and ensure that we have the greatest country on earth, that we are the freest country on earth, that we are the beacon of hope for those facing tyranny, communism and oppression.”
Rep. Dave Wright gleefully shows off a chocolate Moon Pie during a House Cities and Counties Subcommittee meeting, March 11, 2026
Voting Rights for Formerly Incarcerated Tennesseans
Democrat-sponsored legislation that would restore voting rights for formerly incarcerated people passed with bipartisan support in the Senate. Senate Bill 336 would repeal what legislation sponsor Sen. Raumesh Akbari (D-Memphis) calls modern-day “poll taxes.”
The bill would remove a current requirement that individuals returning from incarceration have to pay off outstanding court fees in order to restore their voting rights. It also restructures a current requirement that those individuals must be caught up on any child support payments. Under the legislation, they would be required only to be compliant with child support orders within the past year.
