Our 2018 Legislative Priorities

Listed below are the bills that the Women’s Fund has designated as legislative priorities for this session of the Tennessee General Assembly. We are very excited that we have at least one bill on this priority list that makes REAL progress in each of the 7 impact areas for 49 to One.  We could really move the needle THIS YEAR in our journey to making Tennessee the best state for women. These bills certainly aren’t the only bills impacting women and girls in our state, so we will be watching all of the action in our legislature and posting updates to keep you informed about actions you can take to help make progress for women in our state. 

Political Participation

HB3272/SB1488 - Election Laws - This bill lengthens the voter registration period to 15 days before an election instead of 30 days before an election. Position: Support

Violence & Safety

HB1984/SB2130 - Sexual Harassment - This bill allows a contract employee to bring a sexual harassment action against the entity to which the person is under contract in certain situations. (Also aligns with the Employment and Earnings measures from 49 to One report.) Position: Support

Employment & Earnings

HB1904/SB1863 - Tennessee Pay Equality Act - This bill forbids discrimination by an employer on the basis of sex by paying any employee a wage rate less than than that paid to any employee of the opposite sex for comparable work, performance, skill and responsibility in similar working conditions. (Also aligns with Poverty & Opportunity measures from 49 to One report.) Position: Support

HB 1861/SB1769 - Employment Protections for Victims of Domestic Violence - This bill establishes employment protections for people who are victims of domestic abuse or sexual assault to attend court, meet with law enforcement, attend counseling, or find new housing. Position: Support

Work & Family

HB1985/SB2092 - Pregnancy Workers Fairness Act - This bill prohibits public employers from discriminating against applicants and employees with pregnancy-related conditions by not providing them with reasonable accommodations. Position: Support

Reproductive Rights

HB2164/SB1510 - Family Life Curriculum - This bill requires instruction on the detection, intervention, prevention, and treatment of child sexual abuse as part of a family life curriculum and extends immunity from a cause of action to instructors or organizations providing such instruction. Position: Support

HB1506/SB1491 - Infant Mortality Reduction Program Act - This bill enacts the "Infant Mortality Reduction Program Act," which creates a program for the distribution of baby boxes to parents at the birth of their child. Position: Support

HB 2627/SB2185 - Insurance Coverage/Access to contraception - This bill requires all health benefit plans to provide coverage for contraception and other women's preventive health services (Also aligns with Health & Well-Being measures from 49 to One report.) Position: Support

Health & Well-being

HB1961/SB1949 - Suicide Mortality Review and Prevention Act - In accordance with the National Strategy for Suicide Prevention as issued by the office of the U.S. Surgeon General, this bill forms and implements the recommended state-based suicide mortality reviews to institute the systemic changes needed to decrease suicide mortality. Position: Support

Additional Priority

HB2521/SB2548 - Marriage Age - This bill restricts marriage to persons 16 years of age or older by removing age waivers for marriage certificates. Position: Support