Image Credit: TN General Assembly & Canva
The Tennessee Conservative [By Paula Gomes] –
Legislation to dismantle Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) departments in all governmental and public institutions in the state passed on the Senate floor on Tuesday in a 26 to 6 vote along party lines.
Senate Bill 1084 (SB1084), known as the “Dismantling DEI Departments Act” seeks to prohibit a department, agency, or other unit of state government or political subdivision of the state from maintaining or authorizing an office or department that promotes or requires discriminatory preferences to increase diversity, equity, or inclusion.
Sponsored by Senator Jack Johnson (R-Franklin-District 27), the bill has five co-sponsors: Senators Janice Bowling (R-Tullahoma-District 16), Joey Hensley (R-Hohenwald-District 28), Paul Rose (R-Covington-District 32), John Stevens (R-Huntingdon-District 24), and Bo Watson (R-Hixson-District 11).
In addressing objections to the bill, Johnson stated that the legislation had been brought in part because of pending litigation from an outside entity that the Tennessee Attorney General was defending.
Chief critic Senator Jeff Yarbro (D-Nashville-District 21) accused the sponsors of the legislation in both Senate and House of striking down “dozens of statutes” that protect basic civil rights that have been “on the books for decades” and not just the “DEI cudgel” from the last three or four years.
Johnson reiterated that the bill ensured fairness and also answered a question from Senator Becky Massey (R-Knoxville-District 6), making reassurance that the bill does not undermine any programs that affect individuals with disabilities.
The Senate vote sent the bill next to the House where it also received a vote on the same day due to “flow motion.”
On April 14th, 2025, the House of Representatives voted to suspend the rules and go to this procedural move instead to allow bills to speed through the typical, and more time consuming, legislative process. What would normally take weeks, can now happen in a day.
Freshman Representative Aron Maberry’s (R-Clarksville-District 68) corresponding bill passed in the House with a 72 to 25 vote along party lines, with one Republican, John Gillespie (R-Memphis-District 97), as the exception, joining the Democrats in voting no.
A second DEI bill, known as the “Dismantle DEI in Employment Act” also passed on the Senate floor yesterday.
The legislation prohibits government at the city, county, and state level, as well as LEAs and public institutions of higher education from making employment decisions based on race, ethnicity, sex, age, or any other demographic characteristic, rather than individual merit, qualifications, veteran status, or lawful eligibility criteria.
The bill, which passed in the House on April 17th, 2025, contains a caveat for county governments that would lose federal funding for following state law.
About the Author: Paula Gomes is a Tennessee resident and reporter for The Tennessee Conservative. You can reach Paula at paula@tennesseeconservativenews.com.
One Response
Haven’t saw the wording but I hope it’s such that it covers whatever the dimmercraps chose to rename it.