Updated Legislative Priority List
Women’s Fund’s Proactive Legislative Priority
Post Conviction Relief for Survivors of Human Trafficking (Expungement)
HB193 (Carter)/SB577 (Gardenhire) - Expunction
This bill permits an eligible survivor of human trafficking to have multiple, nonviolent convictions for offenses that resulted from his/her status as a victim of human trafficking expunged, easing access to basic necessities like employment, education, and housing. (Aligns with Poverty & Opportunity, Violence & Safety, and Employment & Earnings measures from 49 to One report.)
Update: PASSED
Partner Organizations’ Proactive Legislative Priorities
Intimate Partner Violence Emergency Screening - led by AWAKE
HB682 (Helton)/SB826 (Akbari) - Health Care
This bill requires facilities that employ licensed healthcare providers and deliver emergency care to patients to adopt protocols requiring training in the detection and treatment of victims of domestic abuse, sexual assault, and human trafficking; it also provides immunity from liability for the failure to detect, identify, or refer victims to local resources. (Aligns with Violence & Safety and Health & Wellness measures from 49 to One report.)
Update: deferred to 2020 session
Handgun Permit Surrender by Domestic Violence Offenders - led by AWAKE
HB1447 (Moody)/SB865 (Bowling) - Domestic Violence
This bill requires a handgun carry permit holder convicted of domestic assault to surrender the permit to the court within 48 hours of conviction to be forwarded to the department of safety for revocation. Currently offenders are asked to transfer possession of guns only. (Aligns with Violence & Safety measures from 49 to One report.)
Update: FAILED in Senate
Pregnant Workers Fairness Act - led by A Better Balance
HB986 (Shaw)/SB758 (Yarbro) - Employees/Employers
The original intent of this bill prohibits employers from discriminating against applicants and employees with pregnancy-related conditions by not providing them with reasonable accommodations. It has since been amended to weaken the bill beyond what would protect women. We will still follow this bill, but we will advocate for the bill below. (Aligns with Work & Family measures from 49 to One report.)
Update: HB: taken off notice until 2020
HB978 (Cooper)/SB57 (Gilmore) - Public Employees
This bill is a Pregnant Workers Fairness Act directed at public employers. We will pursue calls to action on this bill as it/ if it moves through committee.
Update: HB: taken off notice until 2020
Improving the Health Outcomes of Incarcerated Women and Their Pregnancies - led by Healthy & Free Tennessee
HB1240 (Camper)/SB1150 (Akbari)- Prisons and Reformatory Institutions
This bill restricts the use of physical restraints on pregnant inmates, requires regular prenatal and postpartum medical care for pregnant inmates, and prohibits the use of solitary confinement for pregnant inmates and inmates who have given birth within the past eight weeks. (Aligns with both Health & Wellness and Reproductive Rights measures from 49 to One report.)
Update: HB: FAILED in House.
Maintaining Past Gains
Ending Child Marriage in Tennessee
HB189 (Carter)/SB1376 (Yager)
This is simply a clean-up bill clarifying the definition of parent in the 2018 legislation eliminating child marriage and removing obsolete language about the marriage of minors from the code.
Update: PASSED
Combating Suicide in Tennessee
HB159 (Sexton)/SB1465 (Bailey)
As introduced, extends the Suicide Prevention Act of 2018 indefinitely; requires the department of health to compile data on the medications that were prescribed to those dying from suicide; requires that a report be made to the health committee of the house of representatives and the health and welfare committee of the senate no later than June 30, 2020, and by June 30 every two years thereafter.
Update: HB: moved to first calendar of 2020; SB: Finance, Ways, & Means on April 23
Supporting Victims of Human Trafficking
HB397 (Moody)/SB447 (Bell)
As introduced, establishes a victims of human trafficking fund in the state treasury to provide comprehensive treatment and support services to victims of human trafficking.
Update: HB: Floor Vote April 22; SB: PASSED.
49 to One Strategic Priorities
Firearms Restrictions for Offenders
HB1119 (Freeman)/SB1415 (Jackson) - Firearms and Ammunition
As introduced, creates a Class A misdemeanor of possessing a firearm if a person has a prior conviction of stalking. This was the number one priority issue in our 2018 Advocacy survey. (Aligns with Violence and Safety measures from 49 to One Report.)
Update: HB: deferred to 2020
HB1224 (Potts)/SB1025 (Yarbro) - Domestic Violence
This bill requires the court to order that a defendant convicted of domestic violence who transfers possession of firearms to a third party must have the third party complete and return to the court an affidavit certifying that the third party is not prohibited from possessing firearms, acknowledges receipt of firearms from the defendant, and accepts their responsibility under this section. This was our Voices priority issue. (Aligns with Violence and Safety measures from 49 to One report.)
Update: FAILED in Senate
Sexual Harassment Protections for Contract Workers
HB387 (Freeman)/SB380 (Yarbro) - Employees,Employers
This bill makes it a discriminatory practice for a person who is paying a non-employee for labor or services to engage in harassment of the non-employee because of the non-employee's sex; holds such persons liable for the actions of their employees in engaging in such harassment under certain circumstances. (Aligns with both the Employment and Earnings and Violence and Safety measures from 49 to One report.) (Follow also: HB81/SB986.)
Update: HB pushed to summer study; nothing will happen before 2020.
HB81 (Johnson)/SB986 (Gilmore) has very similar intentions, also off notice until 2020.
Sexual Harassment in Tennessee Government
HB594 (Beck)/SB1262 (Gresham)- Tort Liability and Reform
This bill declares settlement agreement provisions that have purpose or effect of concealing details relating to claim of sexual harassment or sexual assault as void and unenforceable and contrary to public policy of this state if settlement agreement is entered into by governmental entity; maintains confidentiality of victim's identity. (Aligns with Violence and Safety measures from 49 to One report.)
Update: HB: PASSED; SB: Judiciary April 23
Equal Pay for Tennessee Women
HB216 (Clemmons)/SB255 (Kyle)- Sex Discrimination
This bill forbids discrimination by an employer on the basis of sex by paying any employee a wage rate less than than that paid to any employee of the opposite sex for comparable work, performance, skill and responsibility in similar working conditions. (Aligns with both the Employment & Earnings and Poverty & Opportunity measures from 49 to One report.)
Update: HB: FAILED
Family Leave Legislation
HB514 (Johnson)/SB647 (Kyle)- Employees, Employers
As introduced, enacts the "Tennessee State Family Leave Act." (Aligns with Work & Family measures from 49 to One report.)
Update: HB: FAILED
Preventing Suspension of Drivers Licenses
HB839 (Lamberth)/SB1143 (Akbari)- Driver Licenses
This bill prevents suspension of a driver license for failure to pay fines or costs imposed for a driving offense if the person is indigent or enters into payment plan; requires person be issued restricted driver license until moneys owed the court are fully paid. (Aligns with Poverty and Opportunity measures from 49 to One report.)
Update: HB: PASSED; SB: Finance, Ways, & Means April 23
Childcare Expenses for Candidates for Public Office
HB7 (Powell)/SB86 (Akbari) - Campaigns and Campaign Finance
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. (Aligns with both Work & Family and Political Participation measures from 49 to One report.)
Update: HB: FAILED
Restrictions on Public Vaping
HB97 (Howell)/SB26 (Gardenhire) - Tobacco, Tobacco Products
This bill limits the places in which one may use vapor products. (Aligns with Health & Wellness measures from the 49 to One report.)
Update: PASSED
Additional Priority
Removing Statutes of Limitations on Child Sexual Assault Victims
HB286 (Coley)/SB368 (Massey) - was absorbed into HB565 (Dunn)/SB1252 (Gresham) - now following
This bill extends civil and criminal statutes of limitation for certain acts of abuse against minors and increases the penalty for intentional failure to report child sexual abuse.
Update: HB: Finance, Ways, & Means April 23; SB: sent to Calendar for final vote
Limiting Firearms Possession for At Risk Individuals
HB754 (Smith)/SB1402 (Bell)- Firearms and Ammunition
This bill has been significantly amended, but we are still in strong support of this legislation. As amended, this bill prohibits the transfer of a firearm to a person who is mentally ill or in treatment as required for being a danger to oneself or to others.
Update: HB: PASSED; SB: Judiciary April 23