Image Credit: TN General Assembly
The Tennessee Conservative [By Olivia Lupia] –
After concerns a bill declaring that Tennessee policy will only recognize two sexes would not be further considered after it was taken off notice earlier in this year’s session, the carryover legislation from 2025 finally passed the full House on Monday.
HB1271 by Mark Cochran (R-Englewood-District 23) requires every local governmental entity to “revise any existing ordinance, resolution, rule, policy, and procedure that includes a reference to a natural person’s sex or gender to state that those terms are defined as the immutable characteristics of the person’s reproductive system that identify the person as male or female, as determined by anatomy and genetics existing at the time of birth.”
Should a Tennessee resident believe a local government entity is being non-compliant, a complaint could be filed in chancery court. Courts could issue a writ of mandamus to enforce compliance and impose penalties, even barring the agency from entering grant contracts with the Department of Economic and Community Development.
Reports of non-compliance could also be made to the comptroller of the treasury which could lead to the loss of grant eligibility and withholding of general fund revenue.
Cochran previously noted that the Tennessee General Assembly has already defined “sex” as either biologically male or female and that his proposed legislation would provide an enforcement mechanism, ensuring that state agencies use the definition when creating public policy.
On the House floor, several Democrat amendments to the legislation were presented, aiming to strip the bill of its enforcement mechanisms or subvert the bill’s meaning of biological sex and gender. All those amendments failed, and the bill passed 72-16, with two Democrats joining Republicans in voting “Yes”.
The Senate companion bill, SB0936, has been waiting for over a year to get to the Senate floor after HB1271 stalled in the House in 2025. It currently sits in the Senate Calendar Committee awaiting a date for a floor vote, which will likely happen soon now that the House has fully passed its version.
About the Author: Olivia Lupia is a political refugee from Colorado who now calls Tennessee home. A proud follower of Christ, she views all political happenings through a Biblical lens and aims to utilize her knowledge and experience to educate and equip others. Olivia is an outspoken conservative who has run for local office, managed campaigns, and been highly involved with state & local GOPs, state legislatures, and other grassroots organizations and movements. Olivia can be reached at olivia@tennesseeconservativenews.com.
