Tennessee Senate Bill 1

Last updated
Tennessee Senate Bill 1
Seal of Tennessee.svg
Tennessee General Assembly
  • AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 28; Title 29; Title 33; Title 34; Title 36; Title 37; Title 39; Title 40; Title 49; Title 56; Title 63; Title 68 and Title 71, relative to medical care of the young.
Citation
Territorial extentFlag of Tennessee.svg  Tennessee
Passed by Tennessee Senate
PassedFebruary 13, 2023
Passed by Tennessee House of Representatives
PassedFebruary 23, 2023
Signed by Bill Lee
SignedMarch 2, 2023
Effective July 1, 2023
IntroducedNovember 9, 2022
Voting summary
  • 26 voted for
  • 6 voted against
Voting summary
  • 77 voted for
  • 16 voted against
Summary
Restricts gender-affirming medical care for Tennesseans under eighteen years old if it is due to a gender identity differing from their biological sex.
Status: In force

Tennessee Senate Bill 1 (S.B. 0001) is a 2023 law in the state of Tennessee that bans gender-affirming care for Tennesseans under eighteen years of age. It was signed by Governor Bill Lee on March 2, 2023 and became law on July 1.

Contents

The bill passed the Senate on February 13 by a vote of 26-6 and the House 77-16 on February 23, 2023. [1] In June 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court held that the Tennessee state law banning puberty blockers and hormone therapy for transgender teenagers does not violate the constitutional right to equal protection of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution. [2]

Provisions

Senate Bill 1 prohibits medical professionals from administering gender-affirming medical care to Tennessean minors, including hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and puberty blockers, if it is due to a "...identity inconsistent with the minor's sex". [3] [4] It also restricts access to telehealth visits under the same conditions. [5] The minor themselves cannot be held liable for any gender-affirming care they do receive, but their parents could face lawsuits. [6] Medical professionals who violate the law could face penalties and fines up to $25,000. [7]

Reactions

Support

House Majority Leader William Lamberth supported Senate Bill 1 after oral arguments in United States v. Skrmetti. [8] Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson released an opinion piece in The Tennessean in support of Senate Bill 1. [9] Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti defended it in court. [10] Conservative media host Matt Walsh also supported Senate Bill 1 and held a rally in opposition to gender-affirming care for minors in Nashville in October 2022. [11] [12]

Opposition

Senate Bill 1 was opposed in United States v. Skrmetti by the American Civil Liberties Union, Lambda Legal, and Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld. [13] A temporary injunction was issued against Senate Bill 1 on June 29, 2023, but was repealed on July 8. [14] [15] [16] [17] The case was appealed to the Supreme Court. [18] [19] [20] [21] An amicus brief in opposition was sent to the Supreme Court from 11 U.S. senators and 135 U.S. representatives. [22] Twenty-one state and federal attorney generals also opposed Senate Bill 1. [23]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Tennessee General Assembly Legislation". Tennessee General Assembly. Retrieved 2025-06-04.
  2. ↑ Howe, Amy (2025-06-18). "Court upholds Tennessee's ban on certain medical treatments for transgender minors". SCOTUSblog. Retrieved 2025-06-18.
  3. ↑ "Tennessee's transgender law is in the Supreme Court. Here's what's going on". News Channel 5 Nashville (WTVF). 2024-12-04. Retrieved 2025-06-04.
  4. ↑ Quinn, Melissa (2024-06-24). "Supreme Court agrees to review Tennessee law banning gender-affirming care for minors - CBS News". CBS News. Retrieved 2025-06-04.
  5. ↑ Brown, Melissa (2023-02-02). "Tennessee bill to ban trans treatments for minors advances in committee". The Tennessean. Retrieved 2025-06-04.
  6. ↑ Mizelle, Shawna (2023-03-03). "Tennessee governor signs ban on gender-affirming care for minors | CNN Politics". CNN. Retrieved 2025-06-04.
  7. ↑ Migdon, Brooke; Schonfeld, Zach (2024-06-24). "Supreme Court sets stage for transgender rights showdown". The Hill. Retrieved 2025-06-04.
  8. ↑ Stockard, Sam (2024-12-05). "Transgender care argument pits Tennessee lawmakers against LGBTQ+ supporters". Maine Morning Star. Retrieved 2025-06-04.
  9. ↑ Johnson, Jack (2023-02-13). "Jack Johnson: Why we seek to prohibit gender affirming care for minors". The Tennessean. Retrieved 2025-06-04.
  10. ↑ Stockard, Sam (2024-12-03). "Tennessee's gender affirming care ban for children goes to U.S. Supreme Court • Kentucky Lantern". Kentucky Lantern. Retrieved 2025-06-04.
  11. ↑ Gainey, Blaise (2022-11-11). "With legislation targeting trans care and drag performers, Tennessee Republicans take aim at LGBTQ community". WPLN News. Retrieved 2025-06-04.
  12. ↑ Herner, Hannah (2022-10-21). "Anti-Trans Rally Led by Matt Walsh Brings Right-Wing Media Stars to Nashville". Nashville Scene. Retrieved 2025-06-04.
  13. ↑ Stockard, Sam (2024-12-04). "Tennessee's gender affirming care ban for children goes to U.S. Supreme Court for arguments • NC Newsline". NC Newsline. Retrieved 2025-06-04.
  14. ↑ McCall, Holly (2023-06-29). "Federal court temporarily halts Tennessee ban on transgender care for minors". Alabama Reflector. Retrieved 2025-06-04.
  15. ↑ Factora, James (2024-10-07). "How the Supreme Court Case U.S. v. Skrmetti Could Decide the Fate of Gender-Affirming Care". Them. Retrieved 2025-06-04.
  16. ↑ Javaid, Maham (2023-09-29). "What you need to know about trans youth health care in Kentucky and Tennessee". The Washington Post. ISSN   0190-8286 . Retrieved 2025-06-04.
  17. ↑ Herner, Hannah (2023-04-20). "ACLU, others file to block youth trans health care ban | Health Care | nashvillepost.com". Nashville Post. Retrieved 2025-06-04.
  18. ↑ "Explainer: Supreme Court to Hear Landmark Tennessee Gender-Affirming Care Case". www.jurist.org. 2024-12-03. Retrieved 2025-06-04.
  19. ↑ "United States v. Skrmetti: The Trans Medical Care Case Before the Supreme Court Is About Bodily Autonomy for Everyone". Center for American Progress. 2024-12-02. Retrieved 2025-06-04.
  20. ↑ Quinn, Melissa (2024-12-04). "Supreme Court to confront dispute over gender-affirming care for transgender minors - CBS News". CBS News. Retrieved 2025-06-04.
  21. ↑ Dwyer, Devin (2024-12-04). "Landmark Supreme Court case weighs gender-affirming care for trans kids - ABC News". ABC News. Retrieved 2025-06-04.
  22. ↑ Perrault, Ellen (2024-09-06). "Congressional Leaders Urge Supreme Court to Strike Down Law Restricting Transgender Healthcare". Black Voice News. Retrieved 2025-06-04.
  23. ↑ "Attorney General Bonta Leads 20 States in Opposing Anti-Transgender Laws in Tennessee, Kentucky". State of California Department of Justice. 2023-08-10. Retrieved 2025-06-04.
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