In 2024, WFGC ran their annual Period Poverty Awareness Drive, started five years ago through a CGLA student concerned about student access to period products. This year, we collected over 1500 period products, which would cover 75 girls for ONE cycle. No woman or girl should miss on school, work, or life experiences due to period poverty! See coverage of this issue, including efforts to remove the item tax as a luxury, at the link: Tennessee advocates battling to scrap tax on feminine products.
Chattanooga-area policy and advocacy-focused nonprofit, the Women’s Fund of Greater Chattanooga (WFGC), brings in new leadership and experience with the selection of Melody Shekari as the organization’s executive director.
Shekari has extensive experience managing teams, working with notable stakeholders and advocating for policy issues. Most recently, she worked as an attorney and consultant at her own firm, Shekari Law PLLC, where she consulted with local officials and worked on federal grant applications.
“Our board is thrilled to have Melody lead the Women’s Fund of Greater Chattanooga in this new chapter,” said WFGC hiring committee chair and past board chair Rachel Sauceman. “As we focus on increasing positive outcomes for women and girls across the state, Melody brings a deep understanding of advocacy and policy to our organization.”
Her leadership experience includes managing the Shekari Law PLLC office, with over 800 clients served in five years, and running a large organization at the University of Southern California, with a budget of $2 million and 18 employees.
Melody earned a Bachelor of Science in Managerial Economics from Bentley University, a Master in Public Administration from the University of Washington and a Juris Doctor (JD) from the University of Southern California.
The new executive director will be supported in meeting the organization’s goals by the 2024 board of directors, led by the recently appointed board chair Stefanie Crowe.
“I’m beyond excited to serve as the 2024 chair of the Women’s Fund, following Rachael Sauceman’s exceptional leadership this past year,” said Crowe. “It was an honor to work alongside current and past board members on the executive search committee to choose Melody as our new leader, and I look forward to supporting her, alongside our board, as we work to make life better for every woman and girl in Tennessee.”
2023 Legislative Outcomes
Please keep in mind this is year 1 of the 2 year session!
WINS
SB 979/HB 944 | Financial Abuse | Senator Gardenhire & Representative Alexander | WFGC | Defines Financial Abuse and attributes that definition to domestic abuse and abuse against those who are considered “vulnerable adults.” (Written and lobbied for by the WFGC as our proactive legislation.) Chaptered.
Special thanks to the following Co-Sponsors, Underlined Co-Sponsors signify our Hamilton County Delegation:
Senate: Campbell, Yarbro, Briggs, Jackson, Massey, Rose, Walley, Watson
House: Hardaway, Crawford, Helton-Haynes, Littleton, Davis, Vital, Hakeem
SB 1458/HB 983 | Maternity Leave for Local Education Agencies | Senator White & Rep/Spkr Sexton | A Better Balance | Expands leave for adoption or birth for education employees. Passed. To Become Law.
SB 276/ HB 324| Paid Family Leave | Senator Lamberth & Rep Johnson | A Better Balance | Expands leave options for adoption or birth for state employees. Chaptered.
SB 745/HB 883 | Medical Procedures for Pregnant Women | Senator Briggs and Representative Helton-Haynes"| Replaces the affirmative defense of “proving an abortion was necessary to prevent the death of the pregnant woman or to prevent serious risk of substantial and irreversible impairment of a major bodily function of the pregnant woman”'; and instead provides that it is not an offense for a physician to perform an abortion under circumstances that are substantially similar to those required to establish the affirmative defense under present law. Chaptered.
A note about the following legislation:
*SB 187 | Maternal and Infant Mortality Prevention Act | Senator Lamar | Would create a doula services advisory committee to promote core competencies and standards for doula services.
*This bill was substituted by SB 394/HB738 | Senator Lamar & Representative Love | Creates the Doula Advisory Committee, which will advise on training requirements for doulas to be TennCare providers and on equitable reimbursement rates. Chaptered.
SB 1205/ HB 686| Victim Confidentiality | Senator Campbell & Senator Freeman | Senator Campbell & Representative Freeman | Prohibits an advocate from disclosing any communication received from a victim, or the location of their shelter, unless the victim waives this right by written consent. Chaptered.
SB 419/HB 557 | Increase Age for Forensic Youth Interviews | Senator Haile & Representative Littleton | Children’s Advocacy Centers| Increases the age for the admissibility of statements during a forensic interview from 13 to 17 and would allow statements describing abusive or violent contact with or on the child, instead of just sexual contact. Chaptered.
SB 346/ HB 933 | Highschool Heads-up for Voter Eligibility | Senator Campbell & Representative McKenzie | This bill was promoted by high schoolers!| Requires each high school to inform each high school senior that upon reaching the age of 18 the student may be eligible to vote and provide information from the secretary of state about voter eligibility and how to register to vote. Passed. To Become Law.
We are glad the following bills did not progress as we are opposed to them:
SB 603/HB 571 | Mandating Cultural Incompetence in Medical Education and Practice | Senator Hensley & Representative Carringer | Would, among other things, prohibit medical education institutions from requiring diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) training and education for purposes of the issuance of a degree. Taken off notice for cal in s/c Higher Education Subcommittee of Education Administration.
SB 1222/HB 267 | State Mandated Mental Health Barriers to Economic Success | Senator White & Senator Terry | Would require a child seeking to expunge their record to undergo a favorable mental health evaluation. Held in committee (some sponsors withdrew!)
TO BE CONTINUED - For one or more reasons, these bills didn’t run this year, but we anticipate their continued efforts next session.
SB 227/HB 442 | Paid Family Leave for State Employees | Senator Yarbro & Representative Shaw | A Better Balance | Would expand paid leave for State employees. Taken off notice for cal in s/c Public Service Subcommittee of State Government Committee.
SB 16/HB 547 | Paid Family Medical Leave for State Employees | Senator Lamar & Representative Harris | A Better Balance Would expand paid medical leave of State employees. Failed in Senate State and Local Government Committee.
SB 885 / HB 1084| Decriminalizing Contraceptive Care| Senator Akbari & Representative Chism | Would clarify use of contraceptive care is not considered a crime. Failed in Senate Judiciary Committee.
SB 177/HB 567| Maternal Health TennCare Telehealth Pilot | Senator Massey & Representative Carringer | Would direct Tenncare to create and implement a three-year pilot program to provide remote maternal health services to eligible Tenncare recipients. Taken off notice for cal in s/c Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee of Finance, Ways, and Means Committee.
SB 983/ HB 778 | Authorizing Lifesaving Medical Procedures for Pregnant Women | Senator Yager & Representative Helton - Haynes Limits the offense of criminal abortion to only apply to elective abortions. Taken off notice for cal in s/c Population Health Subcommittee of Health Committee.
SB 719/HB 1140 | Human Trafficking Victim Confidentiality | Senator Lamar & Representative Miller Would specify that a communication between a human trafficking victim advocate or trained volunteer and a human trafficking victim is confidential if it is not intended to be disclosed to a third party. Held in committee.
SB 875/ HB 546 Removing Barriers From Fines and Fees | Senator Akbari & Representative Harris | Would suspend payment of criminally assessed fines and fees within the first 180 days of someone reentering society. Taken off notice for cal in s/c Criminal Justice Subcommittee of Criminal Justice Committee.
A Special Note:
**SB 128/HB 576 | Doula Pilot for High Risk Pregnancy TennCare recipients | Senator Lamar & Representative Hemmer Would require Tenncare to establish a pilot program to provide payment for doula care services for high-risk pregnant women enrolled in TennCare. This bill did not pass. However, Governor Lee set aside $1,000,000 (non-recurring) for implementing a doula pilot program in the 2023-2024 Revised Budget.
This year was very full. With the historic events transpiring from the Covenant School shooting through to the reinstatement of two Representatives of the Tennessee House, we are very fortunate to have written passed a proactive piece of legislation and to have a successful list of wins. Thank you for your advocacy.
A note: The Governor’s Special Session on Public Safety will occur in August of 2023.
Questions or comments can be directed to Joanna Theolene, Manager of Policy and Advocacy, Advocacy@chattanoogawomensfund.org
Legislative Outcomes - 2022*
WINS
1. PASSED SB1670(Gardenhire)/HB2341(Carringer) - Human Trafficking Education - This bill requires that all school personnel, instead of only teachers, be trained at least once every three years on the detection, intervention, prevention, and treatment of human trafficking in which the victim is a child. (Proactive Legislation led by WFGC)
2. STOPPED SB562(Bowling)/HB233(Leatherwood) - Ending Forced & Coerced Marriage in TN - This bill, as amended, created a means of “common law marriage” that did not provide protections against forced or coerced marriage, marriage as a form of trafficking, or preservation of marital rights.
3. PASSED SB2793(Massey)/HB2113(Eldridge) - Human Trafficking Education & Awareness - This bill requires the department of correction, the department of mental health and substance abuse services, and the department of human services to provide mandatory annual training to in the identification, intervention, prevention, and treatment of human trafficking.
4. PASSED SB2303(Massey)/HB2234(Littleton) - Expunction for Survivors of Trafficking - This bill removes a conviction for prostitution as a requirement for a person to be eligible for expunction of multiple, nonviolent convictions for offenses that resulted from the person's status as a victim of human trafficking.
5. PASSED SB136(Akbari)/HB204(Camper) - CROWN Act - This bill, the "CROWN Act: Create a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair," defines race and protective hairstyle for purposes of the Tennessee Human Rights Act.
6. PASSED SB2769(Akbari)/HB2875(Camper) - Anti-Shackling - This bill prohibits a corrections official from using restraints on a prisoner or detainee known to be pregnant, including during labor, transport to a medical facility, delivery, and postpartum, unless the corrections official makes an individualized determination that the prisoner or detainee presents an extraordinary circumstance. (led by our partners at Healthy & Free TN)
7. PASSED SB2150(Massey)/HB2109(Love) - Doula Insurance Study - This bill was amended to require a study on doula certification programs. (led by our partners at Healthy & Free TN)
8. PASSED SB2377(Haile)/ HB2367(Curcio) - Victim Notification System - This bill requires the Tennessee sheriffs' association to provide a criminal proceedings notification system for the purpose of increasing the transparency and efficiency of the criminal justice process by providing timely information about each stage of the criminal process to interested parties; requires the criminal proceedings notification system to be available 24 hours a day over the telephone, through the internet, or by email. (led by our partners at the Tennessee Coalition to End Domestic and Sexual Violence)
9. PASSED SB2771(Massey)/HB2544(Alexander) - Breast Cancer Preventative Care - This bill requires a health benefit plan that provides coverage to a patient who is 35 years of age or older to include coverage for an annual screening by all forms of low-dose mammography for the presence of breast cancer; requires a health benefit plan that provides coverage for a screening mammogram to provide coverage for diagnostic imaging and supplemental breast screening.
SETBACKS
1. SB1762(Campbell)/HB1929(Hodges) - Eliminating Local Paid Leave Preemption - This bill deletes prohibition on local governments mandating that employers who do business with the local government or within its jurisdictional boundaries maintain certain sick and family leave policies. (FAILED in Senate Committee)
2. OPPOSED SB2476(Bowling)/HB2575(Doggett) - Protecting Anonymous Reporting of Abuse - This bill specifies that if an anonymous report of harm is made to the department, a juvenile court must not order the parents or person responsible for the care of the child, or the person in charge of any place where the child may be, to allow the department entrance for purposes of interview, examination, and investigation unless the department has presented evidence corroborating the anonymous report of harm. (PASSED)
3. SB624(Bell)/HB673(Freeman) - Advocate Confidentiality - This bill prohibits disclosure of certain information by an advocate in regard to a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, or human trafficking in a judicial, legislative, or administrative proceeding unless the victim gives express written consent. (FAILED in House Committee)
TO BE CONTINUED - For one or more reasons, these bills didn’t run this year, but we anticipate their continued efforts next session.
1. SB1678(Gardenhire)/HB1736(Alexander) - Adding Economic Abuse to the Definition of Domestic Abuse - This bill adds economic abuse to the definition of domestic abuse. (Proactive Legislation)
2. SB1816(Campbell)/HB1951(Freeman) - Firearms Surrender Process - This bill requires a domestic assault offender who transferred possession of a firearm to a third party in order to dispossess the firearm to submit to the court an affidavit of firearms receipt in which the third party attests that the third party may lawfully possess a firearm, has received the firearm from the defendant, and accepts responsibility for possession of the firearm.
* Two bills from our original priority list were amended in committee to no longer address Women’s Fund priority issues and are not on this document.
Questions or comments can be directed to Jeannine Carpenter, Director of Research and Policy, jeannine@chattanoogawomensfund.org
Legislative Priorities - 2022
April 21, 2022
Proactive Legislation
1. SB1670(Gardenhire)/HB2341(Carringer) - Human Trafficking Education - This bill requires that all school personnel, instead of only teachers, be trained at least once every three years on the detection, intervention, prevention, and treatment of human trafficking in which the victim is a child.
Status: PASSED
2. SB1678(Gardenhire)/HB1736(Alexander) - Adding Economic Abuse to the Definition of Domestic Abuse - This bill adds economic abuse to the definition of domestic abuse.
Status: Off notice
Maintaining Past Gains
3. OPPOSE SB562(Bowling)/HB233(Leatherwood) - Ending Forced & Coerced Marriage in TN - This bill deletes statutes on marriage licensing and ceremonies; limits the jurisdiction of circuit courts and chancery courts in cases involving the definition of common law marriage to the principles of common law marriage.
Status: STOPPED! HB: Sent to Summer Study; SB: Final Bill on Final Floor Vote
4. SB2793(Massey)/HB2113(Eldridge) - Human Trafficking Education & Awareness - This bill requires the department of correction, the department of mental health and substance abuse services, and the department of human services to work with a nonprofit charitable organization to provide mandatory annual training to appropriate personnel in the identification, intervention, prevention, and treatment of human trafficking victims, and in the proper action that should be taken when dealing with a known or suspected victim of human trafficking.
Status: PASSED
5. SB2303(Massey)/HB2234(Littleton) - Expunction for Survivors of Trafficking - This bill removes a conviction for prostitution as a requirement for a person to be eligible for expunction of multiple, nonviolent convictions for offenses that resulted from the person's status as a victim of human trafficking.
Status: HB on Consent Calendar for Monday, April 25; SB Passed
6. FOLLOWING SB2001(Bell)/HB2102(Curcio) - Expunction for Survivors of Trafficking - CAPTION BILL filed as changes the number of days in which a district attorney general may submit recommendations to the court regarding a petition for expunction for offenses related to status as a victim of human trafficking from 60 days to 65 days.
Status: NOT RELEVANT AFTER CAPTION
Partner Priorities
7. (A Better Balance) SB1762(Campbell)/HB1929(Hodges) - Eliminating Local Paid Leave Preemption - This bill deletes prohibition on local governments mandating that employers who do business with the local government or within its jurisdictional boundaries maintain certain sick and family leave policies.
Status: FAILED in Senate Committee
8. OPPOSE (Children’s Advocacy Center) SB2476(Bowling)/HB2575(Doggett) - Protecting Anonymous Reporting of Abuse - This bill specifies that if an anonymous report of harm is made to the department, a juvenile court must not order the parents or person responsible for the care of the child, or the person in charge of any place where the child may be, to allow the department entrance for purposes of interview, examination, and investigation unless the department has presented evidence corroborating the anonymous report of harm.
Status: PASSED
9. (Women’s Funding Network) SB136(Akbari)/HB204(Camper) - CROWN Act - This bill, the "CROWN Act: Create a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair," defines race and protective hairstyle for purposes of the Tennessee Human Rights Act.
Status: PASSED
10. (AWAKE) SB624(Bell)/HB673(Freeman) - Advocate Confidentiality - This bill prohibits disclosure of certain information by an advocate in regard to a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, or human trafficking in a judicial, legislative, or administrative proceeding unless the victim gives express written consent.
Status: SB PASSED; HB FAILED in House Committee
11. (Healthy & Free Tennessee) SB2769(Akbari)/HB2875(Camper) - Anti-Shackling - This bill prohibits a corrections official from using restraints on a prisoner or detainee known to be pregnant, including during labor, transport to a medical facility, delivery, and postpartum, unless the corrections official makes an individualized determination that the prisoner or detainee presents an extraordinary circumstance; establishes other restrictions on the manner in which a pregnant prisoner or detainee may be restrained under certain circumstances.
Status: PASSED
12. (Healthy & Free Tennessee) SB2150(Massey)/HB2109(Love) - Doula Insurance Study - This bill requires that doula services be provided to recipients of TennCare; requires that the doula services be performed by a person who has received certification from the department of health.
Status: HB in Calendar on Final Calendar; SB Passed
13. (Tennessee Coalition to End Domestic & Sexual Violence) SB2032(Massey)/ HB2006(Gillespie) - Order of Protection Notification - This bill requires the law enforcement agency responsible for enforcing an order of protection to provide a person who has obtained an order of protection issued pursuant to title 36, chapter 3, part 6, with information and a request form to receive notification of any arrest for a violation of the order of protection and subsequent release from custody of the individual against whom the order was entered; requires a jailer or sheriff to maintain a record of the person's request for notification and give immediate and prompt notice of such an arrest or release.
Status: taken off notice; following SB2377/HB2367 instead: HB: in Finance on Tuesday, April 26; SB: in Finance on Tuesday April 26
49 to One Priorities
14. SB2771(Massey)/HB2544(Alexander) - Breast Cancer Preventative Care - This bill requires a health benefit plan that provides coverage to a patient who is 35 years of age or older to include coverage for an annual screening by all forms of low-dose mammography for the presence of breast cancer; requires a health benefit plan that provides coverage for a screening mammogram to provide coverage for diagnostic imaging and supplemental breast screening.
Status: HB: in Finance sub on Tuesday, April 26; SB in Finance on Tuesday, April 26
15. SB1816(Campbell)/HB1951(Freeman) - Firearms Surrender Process - This bill requires a domestic assault offender who transferred possession of a firearm to a third party in order to dispossess the firearm to submit to the court an affidavit of firearms receipt in which the third party attests that the third party may lawfully possess a firearm, has received the firearm from the defendant, and accepts responsibility for possession of the firearm.
Status: Introduced, but never ran
16. SB2519(Gilmore)/HB2280(Powell) - Political Participation of Parents - This bill authorizes the use of campaign funds for the child care expenditures of a candidate that are incurred by the candidate as a direct result of the candidate's participation in campaign-related events and activities.
Status: FAILED in House Subcommittee
Questions or comments can be directed to Jeannine Carpenter, Director of Research and Policy, jeannine@chattanoogawomensfund.org
The Women’s Fund of Greater Chattanooga (“The Women’s Fund”) hosted the annual Voices luncheon on October 6, 2021, during which it awarded a $10,000 grant to Family Promise of Greater Chattanooga. Family Promise plans to use the funds to support their Stabilizing Single Mothers program.
Executive Director of the Women’s Fund Erika Burnett shared, “We are proud to continue to partner with phenomenal organizations across our community such as Family Promise. Their Stabilizing Single Mothers initiative is comprehensive and robust; not only are they meeting the immediate needs of women and their families, but they are providing wrap-around services and support to remove systemic and environmental barriers. When we consider the potential impact of addressing the root causes of these disparities, Family Promise us a shining example of a true change agent.”
Eleven area organizations applied for the grant, which was narrowed to three finalists: Beloved Woman, the Chattanooga Area Food Bank and Family Promise of Chattanooga. The Women’s Fund’s Nightingale Network, a collective philanthropy membership group that uses dues to fund annual grants, voted to select the grant recipient. In addition to the grant awarded to Family Promise of Chattanooga, Beloved Woman and the Chattanooga Area Food Bank each received $2,700 grants thanks to a private donor.
More than 250 people attended the event, themed “The Power of One,” which was held virtually. Sponsors included BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee, EPB Fiber Optics, First Horizon and Truist.
The Women’s Fund also announced the creation of the Women’s Fund Advocacy Institute. I Am an Advocate, a series of five monthly sessions to educate area residents in advocacy action and engagement, is the first program of the Advocacy Institute. Beginning November 2, participants will explore and demystify local and statewide advocacy efforts and opportunities.
The first session Why be an Advocate? will explore why people engage in advocacy and what the outcomes of advocacy can be. Registration is free and open for all sessions at chattanoogawomensfund.org/events.
“It’s no coincidence that the theme of the Voices luncheon was ‘The Power of One’,” Burnett said. “Each of us has the potential to improve the lives of women and girls in our region. When we combine our voices, we can impact life-changing policy in our state, which is the type of work the Advocacy Institute intends to do exponentially.”
The Women’s Fund has a history of influencing policy change since its founding in 2008. During the 2021 Tennessee legislative session, a record 10 bills from the Women’s Fund priority list passed in the first year of Tennessee’s 112th General Assembly. Last session, the Women’s Fund wrote a bill to protect donors and distributors of menstrual hygiene products from frivolous liability lawsuits, the reason that many manufacturers gave for not making donations to help fight period poverty. The bill (sponsored by Senator Bo Watson and Representative Rebecca Alexander) passed unanimously through the Tennessee General Assembly and became law on July 1, 2021. The Women’s Fund immediately began work by informing partners and period product manufacturers.
During Voices, it was announced that Kotex made a pledge to the National Alliance for Period Supplies, of which the Women’s Fund is a member, to donate 8 million tampons across the states of Tennessee and Maine, the only two states with laws of this kind. With 1 in 5 women and girls report missing school or work because they don’t have access to or cannot afford period products, this donation will change lives across Tennessee.
Overall, Tennessee ranks 49 out of 50 for issues that affect women and girls, according to the Institute for Women’s Policy Research, which ranks the status of women in all 50 states. Tennessee ranks among the worst in the nation in seven areas: political participation, employment and earnings, work and family, poverty and opportunity, reproductive rights, health and well-being, and violence and safety.
A RECORD TEN BILLS FROM OUR PRIORITY LIST PASSED
Our Proactive Legislation - Increasing Access to Menstrual Hygiene Products (SB974(Watson)/HB640(Alexander)) - This bill specifies that a good faith donor of apparently usable feminine hygiene products to a bona fide charitable or nonprofit organization for distribution to persons in need of the product is not subject to criminal or civil liability in the absence of gross negligence or intentional misconduct.
Domestic Violence Awareness Education for Tennessee Licensed Cosmetologists & Barbers - in partnership with the YWCA (SB216(Massey)/HB120(Whitson)) - This bill requires applicants for a technician certificate of registration, master barber certificate of registration, barber instructor certificate of registration, cosmetologist license, manicuring license, cosmetology instructor license, aesthetician license, or natural hair styling license to obtain up to one hour of online or in-person training by a nonprofit on domestic violence.
Recognition of Doulas as Vital Health Workers - in partnership with Healthy & Free Tennessee (HJR4(Lamar)) - This resolution recognizes doulas as vital birth and community health workers.
Creation of Lifetime Orders of Protection - in partnership with Tennessee Voices for Victims (SB621(Bell)/HB434(Lamberth)) - This bill permits service of ex parte orders of protection for up to one year from issuance; creates a lifetime order of protection that can be issued to a victim of certain felony offenses to prohibit the offender from coming near or communicating with the victim.
Child Care Strategic Plan Task Force - in partnership with Tennesseans for Quality Early Education (SB677(Massey)/HB598(Hazlewood)) - This bill creates the Tennessee child care task force, a critical step in meeting the dire needs of our child care system.
Preventing Human Trafficking (SB337(Gilmore)/HB117(Lamar)) - This bill increases, from one time to once every three years, the required in-service training for a teacher employed by a local board of education in regard to the detection, intervention, prevention, and treatment of human trafficking in which the victim is a child.
Streamlining the Rape Kit Process (SB1035(Bell)/HB39(Freeman)) - This bill enacts the "Jim Coley Rape Survivors Protection Act.” It creates new provisions regarding the process of collecting, storing, and tracking evidence from forensic medical examinations and rights of victims of sexually oriented crimes.
Eliminating Barriers to Secondary Education (SB229(Hensley)/HB6(Cepicky)) - This bill requires the commission to establish a four-year pilot program to award completion grants to Tennessee Promise scholarship students who have an immediate financial need or who are experiencing a financial hardship that may prevent the student from completing a postsecondary degree or credential. (Aligns with Poverty and Opportunity measures from 49 to One report.)
Equal Pay for Tennessee Women (SB114(Gardenhire)/HB130(Hazlewood)) - This bill requires DIDD to increase over a three-year period the wage for direct care professionals employed by contracted agencies of the department to $15 per hour; requires annual increases in the hourly wage thereafter. (Aligns with both the Employment & Earnings and Poverty & Opportunity measures from 49 to One report.)
Ensuring Access to Mental & Behavioral Health Treatment (SB429(Gardenhire)/HB620(Rudder)) - This bill includes as a qualified site for the provision of behavioral health services provided via telehealth, a patient’s home or remote location of choice; includes audio-only conversation within the definition of “telehealth” when providing behavioral health services if certain means of communication are unavailable. (Aligns with the Health & Wellness measures from the 49 to One report.)
BILLS WE’LL STILL BE FOLLOWING IN 2022 (the second year of the 112th General Assembly)
Advocate Confidentiality - in partnership with AWAKE (SB624(Bell)/HB673(Freeman)) - This bill prohibits disclosure of certain information by an advocate in regard to a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, or human trafficking in a judicial, legislative, or administrative proceeding unless the victim gives express written consent. (Aligns with Violence & Safety measures from 49 to One report and supports our victim advocate partners locally and statewide.)
Improving the Health Outcomes of Incarcerated Women and Their Pregnancies - in partnership with Healthy & Free Tennessee (SB1412(Akbari)/HB1579) - This bill restricts the use of physical restraints on pregnant inmates; prohibits the use of solitary confinement for pregnant inmates and inmates who have given birth within the past eight weeks. (Aligns with Health & Wellness and Reproductive Rights measures from 49 to One report.)
Public Employees Paid Leave - in partnership with A Better Balance
Ending Child Marriage and Forced Marriage in Tennessee - OPPOSE (SB562(Bowling)/HB233 (Leatherwood)) - This bill deletes the statutes on marriage licensing and ceremonies, effectively rolling back the strides we made to end child marriage and to impose penalties for forced or coerced marriage. The elimination of marriage licenses would also significantly reduce funding for child abuse, sexual assault, and domestic violence services across Tennessee.
Protecting Tennessee Infants and Mothers (SB830(Jackson)/HB441(Lamar)) - This bill creates a task force to study and report on pre-term births and infant mortality as it relates to African-American mothers (Aligns with Health & Wellness and Reproductive Rights measures from 49 to One report.)
Proactive Legislation
Increasing Access to Menstrual Hygiene Products
1. SB974(Watson)/HB640(Alexander) - Tort Liability & Reform
This bill specifies that a good faith donor of apparently usable feminine hygiene products to a bona fide charitable or nonprofit organization for distribution to persons in need of the product is not subject to criminal or civil liability in the absence of gross negligence or intentional misconduct.
Status: PASSED
Partner Priorities
Advocate Confidentiality - in partnership with AWAKE
2. SB624(Bell)/HB673(Freeman) - Victims’ Rights
This bill prohibits disclosure of certain information by an advocate in regard to a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, or human trafficking in a judicial, legislative, or administrative proceeding unless the victim gives express written consent. (Aligns with Violence & Safety measures from 49 to One report and supports our victim advocate partners locally and statewide.)
Status: PASSED; HB rolling to 2022
Domestic Violence Awareness Education for Tennessee Licensed Cosmetologists & Barbers - in partnership with the YWCA
3. SB216(Massey)/HB120(Whitson) - Barbers &/or Cosmetologists
This bill requires applicants for a technician certificate of registration, master barber certificate of registration, barber instructor certificate of registration, cosmetologist license, manicuring license, cosmetology instructor license, aesthetician license, or natural hair styling license to obtain up to one hour of online or in-person training by a nonprofit on domestic violence. (Aligns with Violence & Safety measures from 49 to One report.)
Status: PASSED
Improving the Health Outcomes of Incarcerated Women and Their Pregnancies - in partnership with Healthy & Free Tennessee
4. SB1412(Akbari)/HB1579 - Prisons and Reformatory Institutions
This bill restricts the use of physical restraints on pregnant inmates; prohibits the use of solitary confinement for pregnant inmates and inmates who have given birth within the past eight weeks. (Aligns with Health & Wellness and Reproductive Rights measures from 49 to One report.)
Status: deferred to 2022
Public Employees Paid Leave - in partnership with A Better Balance
5. SB926(Yarbro)/HB1391(Shaw) - Public Employees
This bill provides paid family and medical leave for state employees and teachers. (Aligns with Work & Family measures from 49 to One report.)
Status: SB: assigned to State & Local Government; HB: assigned to Public Service subcommittee
Recognition of Doulas as Vital Health Workers - in partnership with Healthy & Free Tennessee
6. HJR4(Lamar) - General Assembly Statement of Intent or Purpose
This resolution recognizes doulas as vital birth and community health workers.
Status: PASSED by both Chambers, signed by Governor
Creation of Lifetime Orders of Protection - in partnership with Tennessee Voices for Victims
7. SB621(Bell)/HB434(Lamberth) - Orders of Protection
This bill permits service of ex parte orders of protection for up to one year from issuance; creates a lifetime order of protection that can be issued to a victim of certain felony offenses to prohibit the offender from coming near or communicating with the victim.
Status: PASSED
Child Care Strategic Plan Task Force - in partnership with Tennesseans for Quality Early Education
8. SB677(Massey)/HB598(Hazlewood) - General Assembly, Directed Studies
This bill creates the Tennessee child care task force, a critical step in meeting the dire needs of our child care system.
Status: SB: PASSED; HB: Floor Vote 5/3
Maintaining Past Gains
Ending Child Marriage and Forced Marriage in Tennessee
9. OPPOSE: SB562(Bowling)/HB233 (Leatherwood) - Marriage
This bill deletes the statutes on marriage licensing and ceremonies, effectively rolling back the strides we made to end child marriage and to impose penalties for forced or coerced marriage. The elimination of marriage licenses would also significantly reduce funding for child abuse, sexual assault, and domestic violence services across Tennessee.
Status: SB: assigned to Judiciary; HB: assigned to Children & Family Affairs Subcommittee
Preventing Human Trafficking
10. SB337(Gilmore)/HB117(Lamar) - Teachers, Principals, & School Personnel
This bill increases, from one time to once every three years, the required in-service training for a teacher employed by a local board of education in regard to the detection, intervention, prevention, and treatment of human trafficking in which the victim is a child.
Status: PASSED
Streamlining the Rape Kit Process
11. SB1035(Bell)/HB39(Freeman) - Tennessee Bureau of Investigation
This bill enacts the "Jim Coley Rape Survivors Protection Act.” It creates new provisions regarding the process of collecting, storing, and tracking evidence from forensic medical examinations and rights of victims of sexually oriented crimes.
Status: PASSED
49 to One Strategic Priorities
Eliminating Barriers to Secondary Education
12. SB229(Hensley)/HB6(Cepicky) - Tennessee Higher Education Commission
This bill requires the commission to establish a four-year pilot program to award completion grants to Tennessee Promise scholarship students who have an immediate financial need or who are experiencing a financial hardship that may prevent the student from completing a postsecondary degree or credential. (Aligns with Poverty and Opportunity measures from 49 to One report.)
Status: SB: on Finance, Ways, & Means calendar for 5/3; HB: on Finance, Ways, & Means subcommittee calendar for 5/3
Equal Pay for Tennessee Women
13. SB635(Kyle)/HB816(Clemmons) - Sex Discrimination
This bill enacts the "Tennessee Pay Equality Act" to revise present law concerning sex-based discrimination in compensation for employment. (Aligns with both the Employment & Earnings and Poverty & Opportunity measures from 49 to One report.)
Status: FAILED in House Subcommittee
14. SB114(Gardenhire)/HB130(Hazlewood) - Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities, Dept
This bill requires the department to increase over a three-year period the wage for direct care professionals employed by contracted agencies of the department to $15 per hour; requires annual increases in the hourly wage thereafter. (Aligns with both the Employment & Earnings and Poverty & Opportunity measures from 49 to One report.)
Status: SB: on Finance, Ways, & Means calendar for 5/3; HB: on Finance, Ways, & Means subcommittee calendar for 5/3
Protecting Tennessee Infants and Mothers
15. SB830(Jackson)/HB441(Lamar) - Public Health
This bill creates a task force to study and report on pre-term births and infant mortality as it relates to African-American mothers (Aligns with Health & Wellness and Reproductive Rights measures from 49 to One report.)
Status: sent to Summer Study
Ensuring Access to Mental & Behavioral Health Treatment
16. SB429(Gardenhire)/HB620(Rudder) - Insurance, Health, Accident
This bill includes as a qualified site for the provision of behavioral health services provided via telehealth, a patient’s home or remote location of choice; includes audio-only conversation within the definition of “telehealth” when providing behavioral health services if certain means of communication are unavailable. (Aligns with the Health & Wellness measures from the 49 to One report.)
Status: PASSED