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The Tennessee Conservative [By Paula Gomes] –
A bill that seeks to prevent government overreach in future pandemics will be heard in the House Public Service Subcommittee on Wednesday, March 19th, 2025.
House Bill 0562 (HB0562) sponsored by Representative Monty Fritts (R-Kingston-District 32) would ensure that any Tennessean with an occupation or means of livelihood that is not specifically deemed to be unlawful in the state could not be categorized as “non-essential” during future state emergencies as they were during the pandemic in 2020.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, Governor Bill Lee signed Executive Order No. 22 which ordered all businesses deemed non-essential to immediately close and urged people to shelter in place in their homes.
Executive Order 22 classified medical professionals, some government personnel, and personnel related to infrastructure as “essential” workers, along with some other occupations. Employees in these fields were allowed to continue working while following health guidelines while “non-essential” businesses were limited to mostly delivery and online orders.
In response to Lee’s overreach, the Tennessee General Assembly passed legislation in 2021 protecting an individual’s right to work and the necessity of all jobs as they relate to the state’s economy.
Fritts’ bill adds to this statute by allowing Tennesseans to bring civil action for damages against any political subdivision or public official who violates the law in the future, with a court awarding the plaintiff litigation costs and fees, including attorneys’ fees, should they prevail in their suit.
The companion Senate Bill 1048 (SB1048) sponsored by Senator Janice Bowling (R-Tullahoma-District 16) is waiting to be put on the calendar in the Senate Judiciary Committee.
You may contact the members of the House Public Service Subcommittee before Wednesday to share your view on the bill.
Contact information for the subcommittee members can be found below.
HB0562 Summary: As introduced, prohibits a person, political subdivision, or public official, in connection with a state emergency, from categorizing or proclaiming by order, rule, or regulation that a lawful occupation is non-essential, or otherwise proclaiming by order, rule, or regulation that a lawful occupation is prohibited from operating based on what the lawful occupation is; specifies that a person harmed by a violation of the prohibition may bring a civil action for actual damages or declaratory relief.
Rep.iris.rudder@capitol.tn.gov, rep.jeff.burkhart@capitol.tn.gov, rep.rick.eldridge@capitol.tn.gov, rep.jake.mccalmon@capitol.tn.gov, rep.gabby.salinas@capitol.tn.gov, rep.todd.warner@capitol.tn.gov
About the Author: Paula Gomes is a Tennessee resident and reporter for The Tennessee Conservative. You can reach Paula at paula@tennesseeconservativenews.com.
