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: SB assigned to Judiciary; HB assigned to Civil Justice Subcommittee

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: SB assigned to Judiciary; HB assigned to Criminal Justice Subcommittee

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: SB: on Commerce & Labor calendar for 3/2; HB: on Business & Utilities Subcommittee calendar for 3/3

Improving the Health Outcomes of Incarcerated Women and Their Pregnancies - in partnership with Healthy & Free Tennessee

4. SB1412(Akbari)/HB1579(Camper) - 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: SB: assigned to State & Local Government; HB: Introduced

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: Introduced

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: on Health Committee calendar for 3/3

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: on Judiciary calendar for 3/2; HB: on Civil Justice calendar for 3/3

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: assigned to Government Operations; HB: on Health Subcommittee calendar for 3/2

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: SB: assigned to Senate Education; HB: on Education Instruction Subcommittee calendar for 3/2

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: SB: assigned to Judiciary; HB: assigned to Criminal Justice Subcommittee

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: passed Education, to Finance, Ways, & Means; HB: passed Education Administration, to Finance, Ways, & Means

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: SB: assigned to Commerce & Labor; HB: assigned to Banking & Consumer Affairs 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: assigned to Health & Welfare; HB: assigned to Health Subcommittee

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: SB: assigned to Government Operations; HB: on Health Subcommittee calendar for 3/2

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: SB: assigned to Commerce & Labor; HB: assigned to Insurance Subcommittee

Below are the bills that the Women’s Fund has designated as legislative priorities for this first year of the 112th session of the Tennessee General Assembly. This list includes bills that touch on 49 to One report priority areas, as well as some that continue the work that the Women’s Fund has prioritized in previous years (Maintaining Past Gains). This year’s list also includes a number of bills being led by our partner organizations across the state - if we want to move Tennessee from 49 to One, it’s going to require the collaborative efforts of all of the women working with commitment to improve lives in Tennessee. This list of bills certainly doesn’t include every bill impacting women and girls in our state, so we will be watching all of the action in our legislature and providing updates to keep you informed about what you can do to make progress for women in our state. As always, if you have any questions or if you want to join our efforts to move Tennessee from 49 to One in the Status of Women, please reach out - we’d love to meet you!

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.

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.)

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.)

Improving the Health Outcomes of Incarcerated Women and Their Pregnancies - in partnership with Healthy & Free Tennessee

4. SB1412(Akbari)/HBTBD - 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.)

Public Employees Paid Leave - in partnership with A Better Balance

5. Bill Numbers Forthcoming - Public Employees

This bill provides paid family and medical leave for certain state employees. (Aligns with Work & Family measures from 49 to One report.)

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.

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. 

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. 

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.

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.

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.

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.)

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.)

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.)

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.)

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.)

We are delighted to announce our next Executive Director is Erika R. Burnett, a long time Nashville resident, entrepreneur, founder, innovator, teacher and advocate. 

Erika’s leadership experience, strategic thinking, and passion for addressing root problems facing women and girls in our state stood out during our interview process. We’re looking forward to having her in Chattanooga as we grow the Women’s Fund and advocate for women and girls in our community and across the state. Her skills align with our key priorities: leading local and state advocacy, encouraging women-led philanthropy, and creating strong networks of women in our region.

In her most recent role, Erika served as founder and principal trainer for the Burnett Group, offering a full range of human capital training and consulting. Leveraging her years of nonprofit leadership and community engagement experience, she led professional growth, training, and development opportunities. In this role, Erika developed expertise in a wide variety of topics including volunteer management and engagement, diversity and inclusion, youth development, team building, leadership exploration, and generational differences.

In 2018, she, alongside business partner Nicole Kemp, ​launched the ​Women of Color Collaborative,​ embodying her strong commitment to advocating, empowering and securing resources for women and girls to work, play and build together.

Before starting her consultancy, Burnett served the community in a variety of roles  including Expert Workshop Facilitator at the Center for Nonprofit Management (Nashville), Affiliate Director at Communities in Schools of Tennessee, Director of Programs, Advocacy and Organizing at Leadership for Educational Equity, and Senior Director of Programs at Hands On Nashville. 

Please help us welcome Erika to the Womens’ Fund and Chattanooga. Thank you all for your continued support as we take Tennessee from 49 to One!

2020 Legislative Priorities: Updated March 16

Partner Organizations’ Legislative Priorities

Advocate Confidentiality - led by AWAKE

1. HB2171/SB2742 - Victim’s Rights - This bill prohibits an advocate from disclosing communications received from 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.)

Update:  HB on Judiciary calendar for Wednesday, March 19; SB PASSED                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

Pregnant Workers Fairness Act - led by A Better Balance

2. HB2708/SB2520 - Employees/Employers - This bill prohibits employers from discriminating against applicants and employees with pregnancy-related conditions by not providing them with reasonable accommodations. (Aligns with Work & Family measures from 49 to One report.).

Update:  HB on Government Operations calendar for Monday, March 16; SB on Floor calendar for Monday, March 16.

Improving the Health Outcomes of Incarcerated Women and Their Pregnancies - led by Healthy & Free Tennessee

3. HB1651/SB1839 - Prisons and Reformatory Institutions - This bill requires a physician to provide prenatal and postpartum medical care to pregnant prisoners and detainees; requires correctional institutions to provide pregnant prisoners nutritionally appropriate meals and supplemental provisions. (Aligns with both Health & Wellness and Reproductive Rights measures from 49 to One report.)

Update: HB on State calendar for Tuesday, March 17; SB on Floor consent calendar for Monday, March 16

Voting Rights Restoration - led by Think Tennessee

4. HB547/SB589 - Criminal Procedure - This bill restores the voting rights of persons convicted of certain crimes upon receipt of a pardon or completion of any sentence of incarceration, parole, or probation. Among other things, it removes legal/financial obligations as a barrier to voting eligibility. (Aligns with Political Participation measures from 49 to One report.)

Update: The sponsors and leading advocacy organizations are deliberating new approaches to restoration based on a recent AG opinion about the relationship between voting rights restoration and restitution payments. 

Maintaining Past Gains

Ending Child Marriage and Forced Marriage in Tennessee

5. OPPOSE: HB2310/SB2290 - 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. 

Update: HB is on Children & Families sub calendar for Wednesday, March 18. 

Combating Suicide in Tennessee

6. HB159/SB1465 - Health Care - This bill extends the Suicide Prevention Act of 2018 indefinitely and requires the department of health to compile data on the medications that were prescribed to those dying from suicide. It also includes reporting requirements. 

Supporting Victims of Human Trafficking

7. HB2093/SB2043 - Children’s Services, Department of - This bill requires the department to publish the guidelines for best practices in identifying and reporting signs of child abuse, child sexual abuse, and human trafficking in which the victim is a child on the department’s website. 

Update: HB on Judiciary calendar for Wednesday, March 18

Streamlining the Rape Kit Process - Priority of Coalition to End DV & SV

8. HB2191/SB2121 - Sexual Offenses - This bill revises and enacts various provisions regarding the rights of victims of sexually oriented crimes, including decreasing the time period within which a law enforcement agency must submit a sexual assault evidence collection (SAEC) kit to the TBI, requiring the TBI to begin analyzing an SAEC kit within 30 days of receipt, requiring the TBI to create a tracking system for SAEC kits, and prohibiting the use of forensic evidence against the victim in certain circumstances.

Update: HB on Judiciary calendar for Wednesday, March 18; SB on Judiciary calendar for Tuesday, March 17. 

49 to One Strategic Priorities

Eliminating Barriers to Secondary Education

9. HB379/SB823 - Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation - This bill requires TSAC to promulgate rules designating pregnancy as an approved medical leave of absence for purposes of the Tennessee HOPE scholarship. (Aligns with Poverty and Opportunity measures from 49 to One report.)

Update: PASSED

Firearms Restrictions for Offenders

10. OPPOSE: HB1662/SB1999 - Firearms and Ammunition - This is a bill that we opposed and stopped (with partners across the state) last session, but it’s back. This bill replaces the firearms surrender affidavit completed by those convicted of domestic violence crimes and instead requires a defendant, prior to entering a guilty plea for a domestic violence offense, to sign a domestic violence offense firearm notification form stating the requirements of lawful dispossession. 

(Aligns with Violence and Safety measures from 49 to One report.)

Equal Pay for Tennessee Women

11. HB1588/SB1721 - Sex Discrimination - This bill enacts the “Tennessee Pay Equality Act.” 

Update: SB on Commerce and Labor calendar for Tuesday, March 17.

12. HB2387/SB1853 - General Assembly, Directed Studies - This bill directs the Tennessee advisory commission on intergovernmental relations to perform a study to determine what disparities persist between equal pay for equal work between men and women of the public sector in this state. (These bills align with both the Employment & Earnings and Poverty & Opportunity measures from 49 to One report.)

Update: Failed in Employee Affairs sub. 

Family  Leave Legislation

13. HB2024/SB1786 - 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.)

14. HB2265/SB2198 - State Employees - This bill was filed as a caption, but will be a (significantly) reduced version of the Governor’s Paid Leave announcement. 

Update: HB on Public Service and Employees sub calendar for Wednesday, March 18; SB on State and Local calendar for Tuesday, March 17.

Advancing Sex Education in Tennessee

15. HB2434/SB2583 - Education, Curriculum - This bill deletes the family life curriculum that only allows students to receive education on sexual risk avoidance through abstinence and requires each LEA and public charter school that serves any of the grades kindergarten through 12 to provide students with medically accurate, age-appropriate sex education that teaches students about abstinence, contraception, consent, and how to develop healthy relationships and communication skills. 

Update: HB on Curriculum sub calendar for Tuesday, March 17; SB on Education calendar for Monday, March 16. 

16. HB2527/SB2411 - Education, Curriculum - This bill requires the state board of education to develop standards, and the department of education to develop an aligned curriculum, for instruction on healthy relationships in the lifetime wellness standards. 

(These bills align with the Reproductive Rights measures from the 49 to One report.)

Update: HB on Education calendar for Wednesday, March 18; SB on Education calendar for Monday, March 16. 

Additional Priority

17. HB2509/SB2797 - Public Funds and Financing  - This bill adds requirements to the spending, dedicating, or reserve of certain funds from the temporary assistance for needy families (TANF) program by the department of human services and the department of health.

Update: HB on Public Health sub calendar for Tuesday, March 17.

 2020 Legislative Priorities - March 9, 11:15am Update

Partner Organizations’ Legislative Priorities

Advocate Confidentiality - led by AWAKE

1. HB2171/SB2742 - Victim’s Rights: This bill prohibits an advocate from disclosing communications received from 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.)

Update: HB on Judiciary calendar for Wednesday, March 11; SB PASSED!!!

Pregnant Workers Fairness Act - led by A Better Balance

2. HB2708/SB2520 - Employees/Employers: This bill prohibits employers from discriminating against applicants and employees with pregnancy-related conditions by not providing them with reasonable accommodations. (Aligns with Work & Family measures from 49 to One report.)

Update: HB passed first committee, assigned to Government Operations next; SB in Commerce & Labor on Tuesday, March 10

Improving the Health Outcomes of Incarcerated Women and Their Pregnancies - led by Healthy & Free Tennessee

3. HB1651/SB1839 - Prisons and Reformatory Institutions: This bill requires a physician to provide prenatal and postpartum medical care to pregnant prisoners and detainees; requires correctional institutions to provide pregnant prisoners nutritionally appropriate meals and supplemental provisions. (Aligns with both Health & Wellness and Reproductive Rights measures from 49 to One report.)

Update: HB passed subcommittee, in State Committee on Tuesday, March 10; SB in Health & Welfare on March 9

Voting Rights Restoration - led by Think Tennessee

4. HB547/SB589 - Criminal Procedure: This bill restores the voting rights of persons convicted of certain crimes upon receipt of a pardon or completion of any sentence of incarceration, parole, or probation. Among other things, it removes legal/financial obligations as a barrier to voting eligibility. (Aligns with Political Participation measures from 49 to One report.)

Update: HB assigned to Judiciary; SB assigned to Judiciary general subcommittee

Maintaining Past Gains

Ending Child Marriage and Forced Marriage in Tennessee

5. OPPOSE: HB2310/SB2290: 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. 

Update: HB assigned to Children & Families subcommittee; SB assigned to Judiciary

Combating Suicide in Tennessee

6. HB159/SB1465 - Health Care: This bill extends the Suicide Prevention Act of 2018 indefinitely and requires the department of health to compile data on the medications that were prescribed to those dying from suicide. It also includes reporting requirements. 

Update: HB assigned to Finance, Ways and Means subcommittee; SB assigned to Finance subcommittee

Supporting Victims of Human Trafficking

7. HB2093/SB2043 - Children’s Services, Department of: This bill requires the department to publish the guidelines for best practices in identifying and reporting signs of child abuse, child sexual abuse, and human trafficking in which the victim is a child on the department’s website. 

Update: HB in Judiciary on Wednesday, March 11; SB assigned to Judiciary

Streamlining the Rape Kit Process - Priority Bill of Coalition to End DV and SV

8. HB2191/SB2121 - Sexual Offenses: This bill revises and enacts various provisions regarding the rights of victims of sexually oriented crimes, including decreasing the time period within which a law enforcement agency must submit a sexual assault evidence collection (SAEC) kit to the TBI, requiring the TBI to begin analyzing an SAEC kit within 30 days of receipt, requiring the TBI to create a tracking system for SAEC kits, and prohibiting the use of forensic evidence against the victim in certain circumstances.

Update: HB in Criminal Justice subcommittee on Tuesday, March 10 ; SB assigned to Judiciary

Survivor Victim Relief 

9. FOLLOW: HB2530/SB2811 - Criminal Procedure: This bill specifies that a trafficking victim filing a petition for expunction must not have been convicted of any federal offenses or offenses in any other state, or possibly is intended to extend expunction limits. (This was filed as a caption bill, so we are seeking clarification about the intent.)

Update: HB assigned to Constitutional Protections subcommittee; SB assigned to Judiciary

49 to One Strategic Priorities

Eliminating Barriers to Secondary Education

10. HB379/SB823 - Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation: This bill requires TSAC to promulgate rules designating pregnancy as an approved medical leave of absence for purposes of the Tennessee HOPE scholarship. (Aligns with Poverty and Opportunity measures from 49 to One report.)

Update: PASSED

Firearms Restrictions for Offenders

11. OPPOSE: HB1662/SB1999 - Firearms and Ammunition: This is a bill that we opposed and stopped (with partners across the state) last session, but it’s back. This bill replaces the firearms surrender affidavit completed by those convicted of domestic violence crimes and instead requires a defendant, prior to entering a guilty plea for a domestic violence offense, to sign a domestic violence offense firearm notification form stating the requirements of lawful dispossession. (Aligns with Violence and Safety measures from 49 to One report.)

Update: HB assigned to Constitutional Protections subcommittee; SB assigned to Judiciary

Equal Pay for Tennessee Women

12. HB1588/SB1721 - Sex Discrimination: This bill enacts the “Tennessee Pay Equality Act.” 

Update: HB assigned to Employee Affairs subcommittee; SB assigned to Commerce & Labor 

13. HB2387/SB1853 - General Assembly, Directed Studies: This bill directs the Tennessee advisory commission on intergovernmental relations to perform a study to determine what disparities persist between equal pay for equal work between men and women of the public sector in this state. (These bills align with both the Employment & Earnings and Poverty & Opportunity measures from 49 to One report.)

Update: HB in Employee Affairs subcommittee on Tuesday, March 10; SB assigned to Commerce & Labor

Family  Leave Legislation

14. HB2024/SB1786 - 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.)

Update: HB in Employee Affairs subcommittee on Tuesday, March 10; SB assigned to State & Local

Advancing Sex Education in Tennessee

15. HB2434/SB2583 - Education, Curriculum: This bill deletes the family life curriculum that only allows students to receive education on sexual risk avoidance through abstinence and requires each LEA and public charter school that serves any of the grades kindergarten through 12 to provide students with medically accurate, age-appropriate sex education that teaches students about abstinence, contraception, consent, and how to develop healthy relationships and communication skills. 

Update: HB assigned to Curriculum subcommittee; SB in Education committee on Wednesday, March 11

16. HB2527/SB2411 - Education, Curriculum: This bill requires the state board of education to develop standards, and the department of education to develop an aligned curriculum, for instruction on healthy relationships in the lifetime wellness standards. (These bills align with the Reproductive Rights measures from the 49 to One report.)

Update: HB in Education committee on Wednesday, March 11; SB: Education committee 

 2020 Legislative Priorities - March 2, 11:15am Update

Partner Organizations’ Legislative Priorities

Advocate Confidentiality - led by AWAKE

1. HB2171/SB2742 - Victim’s Rights: This bill prohibits an advocate from disclosing communications received from 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.)

Update: HB passed subcommittee, moving to Judiciary; SB passed Judiciary, moving to Floor Vote

Pregnant Workers Fairness Act - led by A Better Balance

2. HB2708/SB2520 - Employees/Employers: This bill prohibits employers from discriminating against applicants and employees with pregnancy-related conditions by not providing them with reasonable accommodations. (Aligns with Work & Family measures from 49 to One report.)

Update: HB passed Employee Affairs subcommittee, in Human Resources subcommittee today; SB in Commerce & Labor on Tuesday

Improving the Health Outcomes of Incarcerated Women and Their Pregnancies - led by Healthy & Free Tennessee

3. HB1651/SB1839 - Prisons and Reformatory Institutions: This bill requires a physician to provide prenatal and postpartum medical care to pregnant prisoners and detainees; requires correctional institutions to provide pregnant prisoners nutritionally appropriate meals and supplemental provisions. (Aligns with both Health & Wellness and Reproductive Rights measures from 49 to One report.)

Update: HB passed subcommittee, in State Committee on Tuesday; SB assigned to Health & Welfare 

Voting Rights Restoration - led by Think Tennessee

4. HB547/SB589 - Criminal Procedure: This bill restores the voting rights of persons convicted of certain crimes upon receipt of a pardon or completion of any sentence of incarceration, parole, or probation. Among other things, it removes legal/financial obligations as a barrier to voting eligibility. (Aligns with Political Participation measures from 49 to One report.)

Update: HB assigned to Judiciary; SB assigned to Judiciary general subcommittee

Maintaining Past Gains

Ending Child Marriage and Forced Marriage in Tennessee

5. OPPOSE: HB2310/SB2290: 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. 

Update: HB assigned to Children & Families subcommittee; SB assigned to Judiciary

Combating Suicide in Tennessee

6. HB159/SB1465 - Health Care: This bill extends the Suicide Prevention Act of 2018 indefinitely and requires the department of health to compile data on the medications that were prescribed to those dying from suicide. It also includes reporting requirements. 

Update: HB assigned to Finance, Ways and Means subcommittee; SB assigned to Finance subcommittee

Supporting Victims of Human Trafficking

7. HB2093/SB2043 - Children’s Services, Department of: This bill requires the department to publish the guidelines for best practices in identifying and reporting signs of child abuse, child sexual abuse, and human trafficking in which the victim is a child on the department’s website. 

Update: HB in Children & Families subcommittee on Wednesday; SB assigned to Judiciary

Streamlining the Rape Kit Process - Priority Bill of Coalition to End DV and SV

8. HB2191/SB2121 - Sexual Offenses: This bill revises and enacts various provisions regarding the rights of victims of sexually oriented crimes, including decreasing the time period within which a law enforcement agency must submit a sexual assault evidence collection (SAEC) kit to the TBI, requiring the TBI to begin analyzing an SAEC kit within 30 days of receipt, requiring the TBI to create a tracking system for SAEC kits, and prohibiting the use of forensic evidence against the victim in certain circumstances.

Update: HB assigned to Criminal Justice subcommittee; SB assigned to Judiciary

Survivor Victim Relief 

9. FOLLOW: HB2530/SB2811 - Criminal Procedure: This bill specifies that a trafficking victim filing a petition for expunction must not have been convicted of any federal offenses or offenses in any other state, or possibly is intended to extend expunction limits. (This was filed as a caption bill, so we are seeking clarification about the intent.)

Update: HB assigned to Constitutional Protections subcommittee; SB assigned to Judiciary

49 to One Strategic Priorities

Eliminating Barriers to Secondary Education

10. HB379/SB823 - Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation: This bill requires TSAC to promulgate rules designating pregnancy as an approved medical leave of absence for purposes of the Tennessee HOPE scholarship. (Aligns with Poverty and Opportunity measures from 49 to One report.)

Update: HB Floor Vote TODAYt; SB passed committees, moving to consent calendar

Firearms Restrictions for Offenders

11. OPPOSE: HB1662/SB1999 - Firearms and Ammunition: This is a bill that we opposed and stopped (with partners across the state) last session, but it’s back. This bill replaces the firearms surrender affidavit completed by those convicted of domestic violence crimes and instead requires a defendant, prior to entering a guilty plea for a domestic violence offense, to sign a domestic violence offense firearm notification form stating the requirements of lawful dispossession. (Aligns with Violence and Safety measures from 49 to One report.)

Update: HB assigned to Constitutional Protections subcommittee; SB assigned to Judiciary

Equal Pay for Tennessee Women

12. HB1588/SB1721 - Sex Discrimination: This bill enacts the “Tennessee Pay Equality Act.” 

Update: HB assigned to Employee Affairs subcommittee; SB assigned to Commerce & Labor 

13. HB2387/SB1853 - General Assembly, Directed Studies: This bill directs the Tennessee advisory commission on intergovernmental relations to perform a study to determine what disparities persist between equal pay for equal work between men and women of the public sector in this state. (These bills align with both the Employment & Earnings and Poverty & Opportunity measures from 49 to One report.)

Update: HB assigned to Employee Affairs subcommittee; SB assigned to Commerce & Labor

Family  Leave Legislation

14. HB2024/SB1786 - 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.)

Update: HB assigned to Public Service & Employees subcommittee; SB assigned to State & Local

Advancing Sex Education in Tennessee

15. HB2434/SB2583 - Education, Curriculum: This bill deletes the family life curriculum that only allows students to receive education on sexual risk avoidance through abstinence and requires each LEA and public charter school that serves any of the grades kindergarten through 12 to provide students with medically accurate, age-appropriate sex education that teaches students about abstinence, contraception, consent, and how to develop healthy relationships and communication skills. 

Update: HB assigned to Curriculum subcommittee; SB assigned to Education committee

16. HB2527/SB2411 - Education, Curriculum: This bill requires the state board of education to develop standards, and the department of education to develop an aligned curriculum, for instruction on healthy relationships in the lifetime wellness standards. (These bills align with the Reproductive Rights measures from the 49 to One report.)

Update: HB in Curriculum subcommittee on Tuesday; SB: Education committee 

 2020 Legislative Priorities - Feb 21 Update

Partner Organizations’ Legislative Priorities

Advocate Confidentiality - led by AWAKE

HB2171/SB2742 - Victim’s Rights: This bill prohibits an advocate from disclosing communications received from 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.)

Update: HB in Criminal Justice subcommittee on 2/25; SB in Senate Judiciary on 2/25

Pregnant Workers Fairness Act - led by A Better Balance

HB2708/SB2520 - Employees/Employers: This bill prohibits employers from discriminating against applicants and employees with pregnancy-related conditions by not providing them with reasonable accommodations. (Aligns with Work & Family measures from 49 to One report.)

Update: HB in Employee Affairs subcommittee on 2/25; SB assigned to Commerce & Labor

Improving the Health Outcomes of Incarcerated Women and Their Pregnancies - led by Healthy & Free Tennessee

HB1651/SB1839 - Prisons and Reformatory Institutions: This bill requires a physician to provide prenatal and postpartum medical care to pregnant prisoners and detainees; requires correctional institutions to provide pregnant prisoners nutritionally appropriate meals and supplemental provisions. (Aligns with both Health & Wellness and Reproductive Rights measures from 49 to One report.)

Update: HB in Correction subcommittee on 2/26; SB assigned to Health & Welfare 

Voting Rights Restoration - led by Think Tennessee

HB547/SB589 - Criminal Procedure: This bill restores the voting rights of persons convicted of certain crimes upon receipt of a pardon or completion of any sentence of incarceration, parole, or probation. Among other things, it removes legal/financial obligations as a barrier to voting eligibility. (Aligns with Political Participation measures from 49 to One report.)

Update: HB assigned to Judiciary; SB assigned to Judiciary subcommittee

Maintaining Past Gains

Ending Child Marriage and Forced Marriage in Tennessee

OPPOSE: HB2310/SB2290: 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. 

Update: HB assigned to Children & Families subcommittee; SB assigned to Judiciary

Combating Suicide in Tennessee

HB159/SB1465 - Health Care: This bill extends the Suicide Prevention Act of 2018 indefinitely and requires the department of health to compile data on the medications that were prescribed to those dying from suicide. It also includes reporting requirements. 

Update: HB assigned to Finance, Ways and Means subcommittee; SB assigned to Finance subcommittee

Supporting Victims of Human Trafficking

HB2093/SB2043 - Children’s Services, Department of: This bill requires the department to publish the guidelines for best practices in identifying and reporting signs of child abuse, child sexual abuse, and human trafficking in which the victim is a child on the department’s website. 

Update: HB assigned to Children & Families subcommittee; SB assigned to Judiciary

Streamlining the Rape Kit Process - Priority Bill of Coalition to End DV and SV

HB2191/SB2121 - Sexual Offenses: This bill revises and enacts various provisions regarding the rights of victims of sexually oriented crimes, including decreasing the time period within which a law enforcement agency must submit a sexual assault evidence collection (SAEC) kit to the TBI, requiring the TBI to begin analyzing an SAEC kit within 30 days of receipt, requiring the TBI to create a tracking system for SAEC kits, and prohibiting the use of forensic evidence against the victim in certain circumstances.

Update: HB assigned to Criminal Justice subcommittee; SB assigned to Judiciary

Survivor Victim Relief 

FOLLOWING, NO POSITION YET: HB2530/SB2811 - Criminal Procedure: This bill specifies that a trafficking victim filing a petition for expunction must not have been convicted of any federal offenses or offenses in any other state. This was filed as a caption bill, and we are working hard to determine the intended direction of the bill.

Update: HB in Constitutional Protections subcommittee on 2/25; SB assigned to Judiciary

49 to One Strategic Priorities

Eliminating Barriers to Secondary Education

HB379/SB823 - Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation: This bill requires TSAC to promulgate rules designating pregnancy as an approved medical leave of absence for purposes of the Tennessee HOPE scholarship. (Aligns with Poverty and Opportunity measures from 49 to One report.)

Update: HB in Government Operations on 2/24 (already passed Education); SB in Education on 2/26

Firearms Restrictions for Offenders

OPPOSE: HB1662/SB1999 - Firearms and Ammunition: This is a bill that we opposed and stopped (with partners across the state) last session, but it’s back. This bill replaces the firearms surrender affidavit completed by those convicted of domestic violence crimes and instead requires a defendant, prior to entering a guilty plea for a domestic violence offense, to sign a domestic violence offense firearm notification form stating the requirements of lawful dispossession.  (Aligns with Violence and Safety measures from 49 to One report.)

Update: HB assigned to Constitutional Protections subcommittee; SB assigned to Judiciary

Equal Pay for Tennessee Women

HB1588/SB1721 - Sex Discrimination: This bill enacts the “Tennessee Pay Equality Act.” 

Update: HB assigned to Employee Affairs subcommittee; SB assigned to Commerce & Labor 

HB2387/SB1853 - General Assembly, Directed Studies: This bill directs the Tennessee advisory commission on intergovernmental relations to perform a study to determine what disparities persist between equal pay for equal work between men and women of the public sector in this state. (These bills align with both the Employment & Earnings and Poverty & Opportunity measures from 49 to One report.)

Update: HB assigned to Employee Affairs subcommittee; SB assigned to Commerce & Labor

Family  Leave Legislation

HB2024/SB1786 - 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.)

Update: HB assigned to Public Service & Employees subcommittee; SB assigned to State & Local

Advancing Sex Education in Tennessee

HB2434/SB2583 - Education, Curriculum: This bill deletes the family life curriculum that only allows students to receive education on sexual risk avoidance through abstinence and requires each LEA and public charter school that serves any of the grades kindergarten through 12 to provide students with medically accurate, age-appropriate sex education that teaches students about abstinence, contraception, consent, and how to develop healthy relationships and communication skills. 

Update: HB assigned to Curriculum subcommittee; SB assigned to Education

HB2527/SB2411 - Education, Curriculum: This bill requires the state board of education to develop standards, and the department of education to develop an aligned curriculum, for instruction on healthy relationships in the lifetime wellness standards. 

Update: HB assigned to Curriculum subcommittee; SB assigned to Education

(These bills align with the Reproductive Rights measures from the 49 to One report.)

Additional Priority

HB2509/SB2797 - Public Funds and Financing : This bill adds requirements to the spending, dedicating, or reserve of certain funds from the temporary assistance for needy families (TANF) program by the department of human services and the department of health.

Update: HB assigned to Public Health subcommittee; SB assigned to Health & Welfare

Below are the bills that the Women’s Fund has designated as legislative priorities for this session of the Tennessee General Assembly. This list includes bills that touch on 49 to One report priority areas, as well as some that continue the work that the Women’s Fund has prioritized in previous years (Maintaining Past Gains). This year’s list also includes a number of bills that are being led by our partner organizations across the state - if we want to move Tennessee from 49 to One, it’s going to require the collaborative efforts of all of the women working so hard to improve lives in Tennessee. This list of bills certainly doesn’t include every bill impacting women and girls in our state, so we will be watching all of the action in our legislature and providing updates to keep you informed about what you can do to make progress for women in our state. As always, if you have any questions or if you want to join our efforts to move Tennessee from 49 to One in the Status of Women, please reach out - we’d love to meet you!

 2020 Legislative Priorities - Feb 10 Update

Partner Organizations’ Legislative Priorities

Advocate Confidentiality - led by AWAKE

HB2171/SB2742 - Victim’s Rights: This bill prohibits an advocate from disclosing communications received from 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.)

Pregnant Workers Fairness Act - led by A Better Balance

HB2708/SB2520 - Employees/Employers: This bill prohibits employers from discriminating against applicants and employees with pregnancy-related conditions by not providing them with reasonable accommodations. (Aligns with Work & Family measures from 49 to One report.)

Improving the Health Outcomes of Incarcerated Women and Their Pregnancies - led by Healthy & Free Tennessee

HB1651/SB1839 - Prisons and Reformatory Institutions: This bill requires a physician to provide prenatal and postpartum medical care to pregnant prisoners and detainees; requires correctional institutions to provide pregnant prisoners nutritionally appropriate meals and supplemental provisions. (Aligns with both Health & Wellness and Reproductive Rights measures from 49 to One report.)

Update: HB assigned to Correction subcommittee; SB assigned to Health & Welfare 

Voting Rights Restoration - led by Think Tennessee

HB547/SB589 - Criminal Procedure: This bill restores the voting rights of persons convicted of certain crimes upon receipt of a pardon or completion of any sentence of incarceration, parole, or probation. Among other things, it removes legal/financial obligations as a barrier to voting eligibility. (Aligns with Political Participation measures from 49 to One report.)

Update: HB assigned to Judiciary; SB assigned to Judiciary subcommittee

Maintaining Past Gains

Ending Child Marriage and Forced Marriage in Tennessee

OPPOSE: HB2310/SB2290: 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. 

Combating Suicide in Tennessee

HB159/SB1465 - Health Care: This bill extends the Suicide Prevention Act of 2018 indefinitely and requires the department of health to compile data on the medications that were prescribed to those dying from suicide. It also includes reporting requirements. 

Update: HB assigned to Finance, Ways and Means subcommittee; SB assigned to Finance subcommittee

Supporting Victims of Human Trafficking

HB2093/SB2043 - Children’s Services, Department of: This bill requires the department to publish the guidelines for best practices in identifying and reporting signs of child abuse, child sexual abuse, and human trafficking in which the victim is a child on the department’s website. 

Update: HB assigned to Children & Families subcommittee; SB assigned to Judiciary

Streamlining the Rape Kit Process - Priority Bill of Coalition to End DV and SV

HB2191/SB2121 - Sexual Offenses: This bill revises and enacts various provisions regarding the rights of victims of sexually oriented crimes, including decreasing the time period within which a law enforcement agency must submit a sexual assault evidence collection (SAEC) kit to the TBI, requiring the TBI to begin analyzing an SAEC kit within 30 days of receipt, requiring the TBI to create a tracking system for SAEC kits, and prohibiting the use of forensic evidence against the victim in certain circumstances.

Survivor Victim Relief 

FOLLOW: HB2530/SB2811 - Criminal Procedure: This bill specifies that a trafficking victim filing a petition for expunction must not have been convicted of any federal offenses or offenses in any other state. This was filed as a caption bill, and we are working hard to determine the intended direction of the bill.

49 to One Strategic Priorities

Eliminating Barriers to Secondary Education

HB379/SB823 - Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation: This bill requires TSAC to promulgate rules designating pregnancy as an approved medical leave of absence for purposes of the Tennessee HOPE scholarship. (Aligns with Poverty and Opportunity measures from 49 to One report.)

Update: HB on Education calendar Feb. 12; SB assigned to Education 

Firearms Restrictions for Offenders

OPPOSE: HB1662/SB1999 - Firearms and Ammunition: This is a bill that we opposed and stopped (with partners across the state) last session, but it’s back. This bill replaces the firearms surrender affidavit completed by those convicted of domestic violence crimes and instead requires a defendant, prior to entering a guilty plea for a domestic violence offense, to sign a domestic violence offense firearm notification form stating the requirements of lawful dispossession.  (Aligns with Violence and Safety measures from 49 to One report.)

Update: HB assigned to Constitutional Protections subcommittee; SB assigned to Judiciary

Equal Pay for Tennessee Women

HB1588/SB1721 - Sex Discrimination: This bill enacts the “Tennessee Pay Equality Act.” 

Update: HB assigned to Employee Affairs subcommittee; SB assigned to Commerce & Labor 

HB2387/SB1853 - General Assembly, Directed Studies: This bill directs the Tennessee advisory commission on intergovernmental relations to perform a study to determine what disparities persist between equal pay for equal work between men and women of the public sector in this state. (These bills align with both the Employment & Earnings and Poverty & Opportunity measures from 49 to One report.)

Update: SB assigned to Commerce & Labor

Family  Leave Legislation

HB2024/SB1786 - 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.)

Update: SB assigned to State & Local

Advancing Sex Education in Tennessee

HB2434/SB2583 - Education, Curriculum: This bill deletes the family life curriculum that only allows students to receive education on sexual risk avoidance through abstinence and requires each LEA and public charter school that serves any of the grades kindergarten through 12 to provide students with medically accurate, age-appropriate sex education that teaches students about abstinence, contraception, consent, and how to develop healthy relationships and communication skills. 

HB2527/SB2411 - Education, Curriculum: This bill requires the state board of education to develop standards, and the department of education to develop an aligned curriculum, for instruction on healthy relationships in the lifetime wellness standards. 

(These bills align with the Reproductive Rights measures from the 49 to One report.)

Additional Priority

HB2509/SB2797 - Public Funds and Financing : This bill adds requirements to the spending, dedicating, or reserve of certain funds from the temporary assistance for needy families (TANF) program by the department of human services and the department of health.