Shown verbatim: the complete text as captured from the official PDF posted by the Tennessee General Assembly, fetched 2026-09-25. Page and line markers are part of the official record; nothing is edited or removed. This is the chaptered version. The official bill page.
....-a#···
=~-·:!0~.~: .~.11/&~,.1,iii;i(
• r.~: ~·i_·i@( J_::>;;,••
~
~
$tate of ~ennessee
PUBLIC CHAPTER NO. 294
HOUSE BILL NO. 1237
By Representatives Zachary, Davis, McCalmon, Hawk, Lafferty, Cochran, Cepicky,
Powers
Substituted for: Senate Bill No. 1235
By Senators Rose, Bailey, Bowling, Hensley, Stevens
AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4, Chapter 21; Title 9; Title 62; Title
63 and Title 68, relative to state entities.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 62, Chapter 76, Part 1, is amended by
adding the following new section:
62-76-108.
(a) As used in this section, "board" means the governing body of any state entity
created under this title.
(b) A person must not be excluded from membership on a board on the basis of
race, color, ethnicity, or national origin. A person must not be subjected to discrimination
on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, or national origin as a member of a board.
(c) A board shall not establish or operate under race-based policies pertaining to
the composition of such entities, including policies on affirmative action, racial
preferences, or racial quotas.
(d) A board shall not use a person's race, color, ethnicity, or national origin to
determine the person's participation as a member of the board. The use of aggregated
data concerning the race, color, ethnicity, or national origin of such persons to make
such decisions is prohibited.
(e) There is established a private cause of action against a board that violates
this section.
SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 63, Chapter 1, Part 1, is amended by
adding the following new section:
63-1-177.
(a) As used in this section, "board" means the governing body of any state entity
created under this title.
(b) A person must not be excluded from membership on a board on the basis of
race, color, ethnicity, or national origin. A person must not be subjected to discrimination
on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, or national origin as a member of a board.
(c) A board shall not establish or operate under race-based policies pertaining to
the composition of such entities, including policies on affirmative action, racial
preferences, or racial quotas.
(d) A board shall not use a person's race, color, ethnicity, or national origin to
determine the person's participation as a member of the board. The use of aggregated
data concerning the race, color, ethnicity, or national origin of such persons to make
such decisions is prohibited.
HB1237
(e) There is established a private cause of action against a board that violates
this section.
SECTION 3. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 63-3-103(b), is amended by deleting
the language "and that at least one (1) person serving on the board is a member of a racial
minority".
SECTION 4. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 63-4-102(c), is amended by deleting
the language "and that at least one (1) person serving on the board is a member of a racial
minority".
SECTION 5. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 63-5-103(d)(2), is amended by
deleting the language "and that at least one (1) person serving on the board is a member of a
racial minority".
SECTION 6. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 63-6-102(c), is amended by deleting
the language ", one (1) person who is female and one (1) person who is an African-American"
and substituting "and one (1) person who is female".
SECTION 7. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 63-7-202(i), is amended by deleting
the language "and that at least one (1) person serving on the board is a member of a racial
minority".
SECTION 8. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 63-9-101 (a), is amended by deleting
the language "and that at least one (1) person serving on the board is a member of a racial
minority".
SECTION 9. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 63-10-304(c), is amended by deleting
the language", one (1) person serving on the board is a member of a racial minority,".
SECTION 10. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 63-11-102(c)(2), is amended by
deleting the language "and that at least one (1) person serving on the board is a member of a
racial minority".
SECTION 11. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 63-12-104(c), is amended by
deleting the language "and that at least one (1) person serving on the board is a member of a
racial minority".
SECTION 12. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 63-13-216(k), is amended by
deleting the language", that at least one (1) member is a racial minority".
SECTION 13. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 63-13-318(k), is amended by
deleting the language", that at least one (1) member is a racial minority,".
SECTION 14. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 63-14-101 (b)(3), is amended by
deleting the language "and that at least one (1) person serving on the board is a member of a
racial minority".
SECTION 15. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 63-16-102(b)(2), is amended by
deleting the language "and that at least one (1) person serving on the board is a member of a
racial minority".
SECTION 16. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 63-17-104(b)(3), is amended by
deleting the language "and that at least one (1) person serving on the board is a member of a
racial minority".
SECTION 17. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 63-17-202(b)(2), is amended by
deleting the language "and that at least one (1) person serving on the council is a member of a
racial minority".
SECTION 18. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 63-19-103(b)(1), is amended by
deleting the language "and that at least one (1) person serving on the board is a member of a
racial minority".
2
HB1237
SECTION 19. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 63-22-101 (c)(5), is amended by
deleting the language "and that at least one (1) person serving on the board is a member of a
racial minority".
SECTION 20. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 63-23-101 (b)(6), is amended by
deleting the language "and that at least one (1) person serving on the board is a member of a
racial minority".
SECTION 21. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 63-24-102(b)(3), is amended by
deleting the language "In making appointments to the board, the governor shall strive to ensure
that at least one (1) person serving on the board is a member of a racial minority.".
SECTION 22. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 63-25-106(b), is amended by
deleting the language "and that at least one (1) person serving on the board is a member of a
racial minority".
SECTION 23. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 63-27-103(f), is amended by
deleting the language", that at least one (1) member is a member of a racial minority,".
SECTION 24. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 63-28-112(b), is amended by
deleting the language "and that at least one (1) person serving on the committee is a member of
a racial minority".
SECTION 25. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 63-31-103(e), is amended by
deleting the language "and that at least one (1) person serving on the committee is a member of
a racial minority".
SECTION 26. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 68-24-601 (b)(6), is amended by
deleting the language "and that at least one (1) person serving on the board is a member of a
racial minority".
SECTION 27. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 68-29-1090), is amended by
deleting the language "and that at least one (1) person appointed to serve on the board is a
member of a racial minority".
SECTION 28. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 68-140-303(e)(1), is amended by
deleting the language", that at least one (1) person serving on the board is a member of a racial
minority,".
SECTION 29. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 62-1-104(b)(9), is amended by
deleting the language "and that at least one (1) person serving on the board is a member of a
racial minority".
SECTION 30. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 62-2-201 (a)(2), is amended by
deleting the language "and at least one (1) member of a racial minority".
SECTION 31. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 62-4-104(g), is amended by deleting
the language "and that at least one (1) person serving on the board is a member of a racial
minority".
SECTION 32. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 62-5-201 (a), is amended by deleting
the language "and that at least one (1) person serving on the board is a member of a racial
minority".
SECTION 33. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 62-6-104(a)(1), is amended by
deleting the language "and that at least one (1) person serving on the board is a member of a
racial minority".
SECTION 34. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 62-13-201 (d)(6), is amended by
deleting the language "and that at least one (1) person serving on the commission is a member
of a racial minority".
3
HB1237
SECTION 35. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 62-18-103(c)(2), is amended by
deleting the language "and that at least one (1) person serving on the board is a member of a
racial minority".
SECTION 36. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 62-19-104(c), is amended by
deleting the language "and that at least one (1) person serving on the commission is a member
of a racial minority".
SECTION 37. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 62-20-104(b), is amended by
deleting the language "and that at least one (1) person serving on the board is a member of a
racial minority".
SECTION 38. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 62-35-143(d), is amended by
deleting the subsection.
SECTION 39. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 62-39-201 (b), is amended by
deleting the language "and that at least two (2) persons serving on the commission are
members of a racial minority".
SECTION 40. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 68-115-103(f), is amended by
deleting the language "and minorities".
SECTION 41. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 68-121-102(a)(6), is amended by
deleting the language "and that at least one (1) person serving on the board is a member of a
racial minority".
SECTION 42. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 62-1-104(b)(9), is amended by
deleting the language "and that at least one (1) person serving on the board is a member of a
racial minority".
SECTION 43. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 62-2-201 (a)(2), is amended by
deleting the language "and at least one (1) member of a racial minority".
SECTION 44. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 62-4-104(g), is amended by deleting
the language "and that at least one (1) person serving on the board is a member of a racial
minority".
SECTION 45. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 62-5-201 (a), is amended by deleting
the language "and that at least one (1) person serving on the board is a member of a racial
minority".
SECTION 46. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 62-6-104(a)(1), is amended by
deleting the language "and that at least one (1) person serving on the board is a member of a
racial minority".
SECTION 47. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 62-13-201(d)(6), is amended by
deleting the language "and that at least one (1) person serving on the commission is a member
of a racial minority".
SECTION 48. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 62-18-103(c)(2), is amended by
deleting the language "and that at least one (1) person serving on the board is a member of a
racial minority".
SECTION 49. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 62-19-104(c), is amended by
deleting the language "and that at least one (1) person serving on the commission is a member
of a racial minority".
SECTION 50. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 62-20-104(b), is amended by
deleting the language "and that at least one (1) person serving on the board is a member of a
racial minority".
SECTION 51. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 62-35-143(d), is amended by
deleting the subsection.
4
HB1237
SECTION 52. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 62-39-201 (b), is amended by
deleting the language "and that at least two (2) persons serving on the commission are
members of a racial minority".
SECTION 53. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 68-115-103(f), is amended by
deleting the language "and minorities".
SECTION 54. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 68-121-102(a)(6), is amended by
deleting the subdivision.
SECTION 55. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 68-122-101 (a), is amended by
deleting the sentence "In making appointments to the board, the governor shall strive to ensure
that at least one (1) person serving on the board is sixty (60) years of age or older and that at
least one (1) person serving on the board is a member of a racial minority.".
SECTION 56. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.
5
HOUSE BILL NO. 1237
PASSED: April 7. 2025
CAMERON SEXTON, SPEAKER
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
RANDY MiNALLY
SPEAKER OF THE $ENATE
l.f A-pr;/ ~ APPROVED this
f:l day of 2025
a,;,,
~
BILL LEE, GOVERNOREvery fact on this page links to its source, starting with the official bill record.