TennesseeTennessee law sets sex-based rules for shared spaces and student rooms
Starting July 1, 2026, Tennessee law sets rules for shared spaces and student rooms in shelters, public colleges, and detention facilities.
What it does
Shelters, public colleges, state prisons, and juvenile detention facilities must assign shared restrooms, changing rooms, and sleeping areas for one sex or for family members.
Public colleges must offer same-sex roommates and cannot require students to share rooms with someone of the opposite sex. Family and other listed exceptions apply to event sleeping quarters.
People affected by certain violations may ask a court to order a shelter, college, or detention facility to address them. A winning claimant may recover legal fees and costs from shelters and detention facilities.
When covered Tennessee laws or state agency rules apply to a person's sex, they must use this chapter's definitions of male, female, and sex.
Argument forPeople using shared facilities may get more privacy through separate spaces, with exceptions for emergencies, medical care, and other assistance.
Argument againstPeople could be barred from shared spaces based on sex, which may limit where they can use restrooms or stay overnight.
More detail
Covered facilities must assign shared restrooms, changing rooms, and sleeping quarters for one sex or for family members. This covers multi-person spaces in domestic violence shelters, public colleges, state correctional facilities, and state-certified juvenile detention facilities. Government agencies may also keep sex-based distinctions in listed settings when substantially related to health, safety, or privacy; state residential training facilities are excluded from that rule. Shelters must take reasonable steps to protect privacy from people of the opposite sex. Exceptions allow entry for cleaning, medical or police help, emergencies, and certain safety needs; correctional and juvenile detention staff may also enter when carrying out job duties. Facilities may adopt policies to accommodate people with disabilities and children or older adults who need physical help. The law takes effect July 1, 2026.
Public colleges must designate shared restrooms and changing rooms for females, males, or family members, and provide separate private areas by sex where people may undress around others. These rules cover Tennessee public institutions of higher education, including student housing and authorized activities. Colleges must offer students the option to room only with people of the same sex and cannot require students to share a room with someone of the opposite sex. At college-authorized events, students generally cannot be required to share sleeping quarters with someone of the opposite sex; family members are excepted, and minors need parent or guardian approval. Exceptions allow entry for cleaning, medical or police help, emergencies, coaching, and athletic training. Campus hotels are excluded. The law takes effect July 1, 2026.
People affected by specified violations may sue a covered facility for a court order to address the violation. Claims may be brought against a domestic violence shelter, state correctional facility, juvenile detention facility, or public college. A restroom or changing-room claim requires that the facility intentionally allowed the opposite-sex entry while others were present or failed to take reasonable steps to stop it. A sleeping-quarters claim applies when a facility requires sharing with a non-family member of the opposite sex. A winning claimant may recover reasonable attorney fees and costs from a shelter, state correctional facility, or juvenile detention facility; this fee recovery provision does not list colleges. A lawsuit must be filed within two years after the violation.
Covered state laws and rules that apply to a person's sex must use this chapter's definitions of sex, male, and female. This applies to laws enacted by the legislature and rules adopted by state agencies or other entities covered by Tennessee's administrative procedures law, when they apply to sex. The chapter defines sex as biological sex, male or female, based on anatomy and genetics at birth; it says gender identity and other subjective terms are not synonyms for sex under the chapter. The law takes effect July 1, 2026.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed Senate
- Passed House
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- May 27Pub. Ch. 1052Latest
- May 27Effective date(s) 07/01/2026
- May 22Signed by Governor Bill Lee.Became Law
- May 11Transmitted to Governor for action.To Governor
- May 7Signed by H. SpeakerMajor
- Apr 30Signed by Senate SpeakerMajor
- Apr 29Enrolled and ready for signaturesMinor
- Apr 22Conf. comm. report adopted, Ayes 71, Nays 18, PNV 0
- Vote recorded FLOOR VOTE: MESSAGE CALENDAR MOTION TO ADOPT CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REPORT 4/22/2026 Passed. Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 21Conference Committee report adopted, Ayes 25, Nays 5
- Vote recorded FLOOR VOTE: Motion to Adopt Conference Committee Report 4/21/2026 Passed. Result: pass.Upper
- Apr 21H. Placed on Message Calendar for 4/22/2026
- Apr 17Sponsor(s) Added.Minor
- Apr 2Conf. comm. appointed. (Reps. Bulso, Barrett, Reneau and Reedy)
- Mar 30H. Placed on Message Calendar for 4/2/2026
- Mar 26Senate refused to recede from its non-concurrence.
- Mar 26Conference Committee appointed. (Stevens, Bowling, Gardenhire, Lamar, Kyle)
- Mar 24Placed on Senate Message Calendar for 3/26/2026
- Mar 19H. refused to recede from HA 1
- Mar 16H. Placed on Message Calendar for 3/19/2026
- Mar 12Senate refused to concur in amendmentMinor
- Mar 12Sponsor(s) Added.Minor
- Mar 10Placed on Senate Message Calendar for 3/12/2026
- Mar 3Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 7, Nays 1 PNV 1
- Vote recorded SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE: Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 7, Nays 1 PNV 1 3/3/2026 Passed. Result: pass.Upper
- Feb 25Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 3/3/2026
- 2025
- Apr 21Re-refer to Senate Judiciary Committee
- Apr 21Sponsor(s) Added.Minor
- Apr 17Senate Reset on calendar for 4/21/2025
- Apr 17Placed on Senate Message Calendar for 4/21/2025
- Apr 16Placed on Senate Message Calendar for 4/17/2025
- Apr 15Subst. for comp. HB.Major
- Vote recorded FLOOR VOTE: REGULAR CALENDAR LAY ON THE TABLE MOTION TO ADOPT AMENDMENT # 2 BY BEHN PASSAGE ON THIRD CONSIDERATION 4/15/2025 Passed. Result: pass.Lower
- Vote recorded FLOOR VOTE: REGULAR CALENDAR LAY ON THE TABLE MOTION TO ADOPT AMENDMENT # 3 BY BEHN PASSAGE ON THIRD CONSIDERATION 4/15/2025 Passed. Result: pass.Lower
- Vote recorded FLOOR VOTE: REGULAR CALENDAR LAY ON THE TABLE MOTION TO ADOPT AMENDMENT # 4 BY BEHN PASSAGE ON THIRD CONSIDERATION 4/15/2025 Passed. Result: pass.Lower
- Vote recorded FLOOR VOTE: REGULAR CALENDAR PREVIOUS QUESTION AS AMENDED PASSAGE ON THIRD CONSIDERATION 4/15/2025 Passed. Result: pass.Lower
- Vote recorded FLOOR VOTE: REGULAR CALENDAR AS AMENDED PASSAGE ON THIRD CONSIDERATION 4/15/2025 Passed. Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 15H. adopted am. (Amendment 1 - HA0370)Major
- Apr 15Am. tabled. (Amendment 2 - HA0416)Minor
- Apr 15Am. tabled. (Amendment 3 - HA0417)Minor
- Apr 15Am. tabled. (Amendment 4 - HA0418)Minor
- Apr 15Passed H., as am., Ayes 72, Nays 22, PNV 0Passed House
- Mar 31Rcvd. from S., held on H. desk.
- Mar 27Senate adopted Amendment (Amendment 1 - SA0143)
- Vote recorded FLOOR VOTE: as Amended Third Consideration 3/27/2025 Passed. Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 27Passed Senate as amended, Ayes 24, Nays 4Passed Senate
- Mar 27Sponsor(s) Added.Minor
- Mar 27Engrossed; ready for transmission to HouseMinor
- Mar 25Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 3/27/2025
- Mar 18Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 7, Nays 2 PNV 0
- Vote recorded SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE: Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 7, Nays 2 PNV 0 3/18/2025 Passed. Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 17Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 3/18/2025
- Mar 12Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 3/18/2025
- Feb 12Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Judiciary CommitteeMinor
- Feb 10Introduced, Passed on First ConsiderationMinor
- Jan 29Filed for introductionIntroduced
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