AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4, relative to discrimination.
Summary
HB0744 adds a new section to Tennessee law prohibiting any organization or entity that receives state financial assistance for programs or activities from denying benefits, excluding participation, or otherwise discriminating against an otherwise eligible person on the basis of race, color, religion, or national origin. The bill is framed as an anti-discrimination measure tied specifically to the use of state funds.
In practical terms, the bill would impose nondiscrimination conditions on recipients of state assistance in Title 4, Chapter 21, Part 8 of the Tennessee Code Annotated. It does not create a broad new private-rights scheme in the text provided, but it would make compliance with these protected-class requirements a condition of receiving state support for covered programs or activities.
Impact
The bill would amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4, by adding a new nondiscrimination requirement for entities receiving state financial assistance. Covered organizations would be barred from discriminating in the administration of funded programs or activities against eligible persons based on race, color, religion, or national origin, which could affect state contractors, grantees, and other recipients of public funds. The measure would likely be enforced through the terms of state funding and existing civil rights frameworks rather than by creating a new standalone regulatory program in the bill text.
Sentiment
The available voting history suggests the bill received generally favorable consideration in committee, with a 6-1 recommendation for passage as amended and referral onward. No committee transcript is available, so there is no recorded debate to indicate broader support or opposition arguments. Overall, the bill appears to have been treated as a straightforward civil-rights/nondiscrimination measure, though not unanimously supported.
Contention
The main point of potential contention is the scope of the nondiscrimination condition on entities receiving state financial assistance, particularly whether the requirement could affect how organizations administer programs consistent with their religious beliefs or internal policies. Because the bill specifically protects against discrimination based on religion as well as race, color, and national origin, any debate would likely center on balancing civil-rights enforcement with the autonomy of funded organizations. The lone dissenting vote in subcommittee suggests at least some concern, but the record provided does not identify the specific objection.