Conservative State Representative John Ragan Running For Reelection: A Look At His Voting Record

Image Credit: State Representative John Ragan / Facebook & Antony-22 / CC

The Tennessee Conservative [By Paula Gomes] –

Representative John Ragan (R-Oak Ridge-District 33) is running for reelection in the Republican primary slated for August 1st, 2024. Ragan, who assumed office in 2010, faces a Republican challenger in the primary. 

Here, we offer a deeper look at his record while serving in the Tennessee State House.

Highlights from the 2021 through the 2024 legislative sessions include:

Supporting a Resolution to Nullify Federal COVID-19 Restrictions.

In 2021, Ragan co-sponsored Resolution SJR9005 that declared the right of the Tennessee General Assembly to nullify federal COVID-19 restrictions that violate the United States Constitution. The resolution also encouraged the Attorney General and Reporter of the State of Tennessee to take legal action on behalf of Tennesseans where appropriate.

Carrying a Bill for Medical Freedom.

Ragan was the House Prime Sponsor for a bill, HB0575, to prohibit state or local governments from requiring, or mandating, that a private business require proof of COVID-19 vaccination as a condition for entry or utilization of services. The bill also removed the authority of county boards of health in relation to the adoption and enforcement of rules and regulations. In addition, quarantine orders under state law were limited.

Voting for Pro-Life Policy.

Ragan cast a vote for a pro-life bill, HB1252, that permits a cause of action for wrongful death against someone who kills a mother and her unborn child regardless of gestational age.

Supporting Parental Rights in Education.

Ragan was a co-sponsor for a bill, HB0529, requiring an LEA or public charter school notify a student’s parent or guardian prior to commencing instruction of a “sexual orientation or gender identity” curriculum. The law also allows for a parent or guardian to have their child excused from such instruction.

Protecting the Innocence of School Children.

In 2022, Ragan also co-sponsored a bill, HB2454, that aimed to protect children from being exposed to obscenity and pornography from online and digital resources in Tennessee public schools.

Preventing Modern Day Racism.

Ragan voted for legislation, HB2670, that prohibits institutions of higher education from requiring that students or employees embrace divisive teachings as a stipulation for any grade, diploma, employment opportunity, or tenure.

Protecting Medical Autonomy of Tennesseans With Natural Immunity to COVID-19.

As co-sponsor for a bill, HB1871, Ragan supported legislation that prohibits governmental entities, local education agencies, schools, and private businesses from adopting or enforcing policies that fail to recognize acquired immunity to COVID-19 is at least as protective as a COVID-19 vaccine.

Making Ivermectin an OTC Drug in Tennessee.

Ragan co-sponsored legislation, HB2746, making Ivermectin an over-the-counter drug in Tennessee.

Supporting the Reinstatement of a Work Requirement for Government Assistance.

A bill, HB2096, that reinstated a work requirement in order to receive temporary government assistance, such as the SNAP program, was also co-sponsored by Ragan. The requirement had been waived during the pandemic.

Opposing the Funding of Abortions by Local Governments.

In 2023, Ragan voted for HB0090, that prevents local governments from using taxpayer dollars to fund abortions.

Shielding Minors From Inappropriate Drag Shows.

Ragan was a co-sponsor on legislation, HB0009, that creates an offense for a person who engages in adult cabaret performance on public property or in a location where the performance could be viewed by minors. A lawsuit filed by drag performers in Shelby County as to the law’s constitutionality is currently awaiting a decision by the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals.

Eliminating an Exception For Obscene Materials For Educational Purposes.

Legislation that eliminates an exception for obscene materials for educational purposes, HB0841 also received a vote from Ragan. The law makes it illegal to possess obscene material on school property and also makes it a Class E felony for book publishers, distributors, or sellers to “knowingly sell or distribute obscene matter to a public school serving any of the grades K-12.”

Voting For Parental Rights.

Ragan voted for HB0727, a bill that requires a student’s parent or legal guardian, or the student if the student has reached the age of majority, to provide a written, informed, and voluntarily signed consent to the student’s local education agency before the student may receive instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity, participate in a survey, analysis, or evaluation, or receive health services provided through a coordinated school health program.

Undoing Tennessee’s “Mature Minor Doctrine.”

As the Prime Sponsor, Ragan carried legislation, HB1380, that requires written consent of a parent or legal guardian before a healthcare professional can provide a vaccination to a minor. 

Pushing Back Against DEI on College Campuses.

Ragan was the Prime Sponsor for a bill, HB1376, known as the Tennessee Higher Education Freedom of Expression and Transparency Act which forbids public higher education from requiring allegiance to “divisive concepts,” including some tenets of diversity, equity, and inclusion, or DEI.

Sponsoring Legislation to Limit Foreign Ownership of Property in Tennessee.

Ragan also co-sponsored a bill, HB0040, to uphold state sovereignty and adhere to U.S. foreign policy by prohibiting a sanctioned nonresident alien, foreign business, foreign government of agents thereof from purchasing real property in Tennessee. Although the legislation does not apply retroactively, all sanctioned parties owning real property will be kept on file by the TN Secretary of State.

Protecting School Staff From Compelled Speech.

Ragan co-sponsored HB1269, legislation that protects public school teachers, principals, and employees from being required to refer to students by their preferred pronouns if those pronouns are not consistent with the student’s biological sex. The bill also insulates a teacher or other employee of a public school or LEA from civil liability and adverse employment action for referring to a student using the pronoun that is consistent with the student’s biological sex.

Protecting the Unborn.

In 2024, Ragan voted for legislation, HB1895, that makes it a felony offense for adults to participate in “abortion trafficking” by assisting minors in obtaining an out-of-state abortion without parental consent.

Stiffening Penalties For Crimes Committed By Illegal Aliens.

Ragan also co-sponsored HB1872 that authorizes a court to enhance the statutory penalty up to imprisonment for life without the possibility of parole for violent crimes committed by illegal aliens and also tasks the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation to track arrests and subsequent convictions to which the enhancement factors apply to determine the correlations between arrests, convictions, and incidents of human trafficking in the state.

Protecting Minors From Being Transported For Genderbending Surgery.

Ragan was one of many co-sponsors for a bill, HB2310, protecting minors from being transported by an adult without parental consent for the purpose of genderbending surgery. The law in Tennessee now states that an adult who recruits, harbors, or transports an unemancipated minor within the state for the purpose of receiving a prohibited medical procedure that is for the purpose of enabling the minor to identify with, or live as, a purported identity inconsistent with the minor’s sex or treating purported discomfort or distress from a discordance between the minor’s sex and asserted identity, regardless of where the medical procedure is to be procured commits a Class C felony.

Supporting the Ultimate Penalty For Those Found Guilty of Raping Children.

Ragan was a co-sponsor for HB1633, legislation that allows judges to sentence child rapists to death or imprisonment without the possibility of parole for adults convicted of rape of a child, aggravated rape of a child, or especially aggravated rape of a child.

Keeping Foreign Influence Out of Tennessee

As Prime Sponsor, Ragan sought to prohibit Tennessee state and local governments from doing business with foreign adversaries of the United States with HB1841. The legislation failed by a voice vote in the House Public Service Subcommittee and did not progress to the Senate.

Pushing Back Against School Indoctrination.

Ragan was the Prime Sponsor of HB2784 that strengthens existing law by requiring institutions to report results of investigations regarding complaints of divisive concepts to the comptroller within 10 days. Additionally, they would be required to give a status update on pending investigations every 30 days. Governor Bill Lee signed the bill into law on April 29, 2024.

Making Tennessee Schools Safer.

Ragan sponsored a bill, HB1633, that tasks the Department of Safety to create de-escalation training for teachers and other school personnel and requires that LEAs and public charter schools ensure that teachers and other staff receive the training annually. Ragan carried the bill because of statistics on school shootings that show that 70% of these events were the result of dispute escalations. “Teachers and administrators are the nearest authority figures with the opportunity for the earliest chance to de-escalate a dispute between the likely perpetrators and victims,” said Ragan.

Securing Academic Research at State Universities From Foreign Influence.

As Prime Sponsor of HB1855, Ragan carried legislation that requires each public institution of higher education to establish a policy framework to promote the security of academic research conducted at the institution to mitigate against the risk of foreign influence. Each institution must make the policy readily available on their website, implementing it no later than January 1st, 2025. The governing board of each institution will also be required to submit a report on compliance no later than July 1st, 2025, to the chairs of the Education Committee of the Senate and Education Committees of the House of Representatives.

Upholding Second Amendment Rights.

Ragan was a co-sponsor for a bill, HB2035, that preempts “the entire field of legislation regarding extreme risk protection orders [ERPOs] to the exclusion of all county, city, town, municipality, or metropolitan government law, ordinances, resolutions, enactments, or regulation.” Governor Bill Lee signed the bill into law on May 28, 2024.

Ensuring Religious Freedom for Tennessee Clergy.

Ragan also co-sponsored HB0878 that states that “a person is not required to solemnize a marriage if the person has an objection to solemnizing the marriage based on the person’s conscience or religious beliefs.” Governor Bill Lee signed the bill into law on February 21, 2024.

Ensuring that Tennesseans Do Not Pay for Cross Sex Hormones for Criminals.

Ragan was the Prime Sponsor for a bill, HB2619, that ensures that Tennesseans do not pay for cross sex hormones or gender reassignment surgeries those incarcerated in a state penitentiary, a county jail or workhouse.

The Tennessee Legislative Report Card gave Ragan a respectable 83 out of 100 for his voting and lifetime scores for the 2024 legislative session. Less than half of all donations to Ragan – 44.03% – are labeled as special interests. 

Ragan’s Republican challenger in the primary is Rick Scarbrough.

Scarbrough served as Vice-Chair of the local Democratic party in the 90’s and planned to run for the Democratic nomination for Anderson County Sheriff before being hired as Police Chief in Clinton. He served with the Clinton Police Department for a total of 23 years, and as Chief for 16 years. Since 2018, Scarbrough has been the Executive Director of the University of Tennessee’s Law Enforcement Center.

From 1994 to 2008, the Anderson County Election Commission has Scarbrough’s votes recorded as strictly Democrat. In 2010, Scarbrough voted Republican, followed by another Democrat vote in 2012. From that point on he has voted Republican.

Scarbrough is designated as liberal on the i360 app – a national voter database app used by Republican and Conservate organizations – and donated to Democrat Warren Gooch’s special election campaign for Anderson County Mayor in 2012.

Many of his supporters are also listed as liberal or lean liberal on the app and according to Republican voters in Anderson County, many known Democrats are publicly supporting Scarbrough’s campaign.

According to the Tennessee Firearms Association (TFA), Scarbrough also signed onto a letter restricting gun rights through the reciprocity process. TFA supports Representative Ragan in his bid for re-election.

EARLY VOTING:  JULY 12-27 2024   ELECTION DAY:  AUGUST 1, 2024

About the Author: Paula Gomes is a Tennessee resident and reporter for The Tennessee Conservative. You can reach Paula at paula@tennesseeconservativenews.com.