Image Credit: TN General Assembly
The Tennessee Conservative [By Olivia Lupia] –
Legislation creating three new holidays in the state of Tennessee honoring the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the unalienable rights contained therein passed the full House 70-22 on Wednesday, April 16.
HB0327, sponsored by Rep. Gino Bulso (R-Brentwood-District 61), selected three months with historical significance in American or Tennessee history and ties to one of the Declaration’s core tenets.
On the official 2026 state calendar, June would be designated “Celebration of Life” month, “because it was on June 24, 2022, that the Supreme Court of the United States decided the case of Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization,” referring to legal case that overturned the Roe v Wade case of 1973, which enshrined abortion as a federal right.
July would become “Celebration of Liberty” month, “because it was on July 4, 1776, that America gained its independence.”
And August would be known as “Celebration of the Pursuit of Happiness” month, “because it is during August when school children across Tennessee return to school to prepare for their futures.”
On the House floor Democrat Rep. Justin Pearson objected to bill stating, “In your legislation, where it would celebrate the right to life, I think when those words were written they weren’t thinking about a woman losing the right to choose what happens to her own body. What we do here is often antithetical or even anti-constitutional. You all say you care about life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, that can’t be something that is restricted to a certain group of people or ideology.”
Rep. Gloria Johnson, another Democrat, protested, “Liberty is nice if you can get it. In Tennessee if you’re a woman, there is no liberty or freedom because you have no bodily autonomy, and we are not equal if we do not have autonomy over our own bodies. The reality is this is for some but not for all. There is also the LGBTQ community in this state who don’t get to live their authentic lives without us telling them what is appropriate. Until everyone in this state has the right to bodily autonomy, this is nonsense.”
Rep. Bulso simply rebutted, “No one has a right to kill an unborn child.”
Johnson and Bulso exchanged a few more barbs, with Johnson primarily arguing that an embryo or fetus is not a child, and a human is only a child “after it’s been born,” while Rep. Bulso reminded Johnson of both the Tennessee state and scientific definitions of unborn child, wherein life begins at fertilization.
All opposition by Democrats focused on race, restrictions on abortion, or bodily autonomy while no Republicans besides Rep. Bulso spoke in the legislation’s favor, likely as they knew Democrat members could not be persuaded to change their minds and vote for the bill.
The vote was 70-22 along party lines, with all 22 “No” votes from Democrats. Republicans Jeff Burkhart (Clarksville-District 75), Ron Travis (Dayton-District 31), and Ryan Williams (Cookeville-District 42) did not vote on the measure.
The Senate companion, SB0503, already passed the Senate 26-6 with the same Democrat objections as witnessed in the House over the “Celebration of Life” designation.
The bill will now head to the Governor for his signature.
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.
One Response
Another gubmint employee and bankster day off?