State of Tennessee Archives: on Families & Children
Bill Haslam:
Support services to 100% of former foster youth
Due to the work of our Department of Children's Services, we're the first state in the nation to make support services available to
100 percent of our former foster youth as they transition to adulthood.
Source: 2014 State of the State address to Tennessee legislature
Feb 3, 2014
Bill Haslam:
Response speed exceeds standard for Child Abuse Hotline
There are a lot of things that state government is responsible for and that we're accomplishing that you may not know about. For example:- Our Department of Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities' state service delivery system is the very
first to be accredited in the nation.
- In the Department of Children's Services, the Child Abuse Hotline took 140,000 calls and 80 percent of those calls were answered within 20 seconds, which exceeds national standards.
-
We are all concerned about prescription drug abuse in our state, and from the work of our Public Safety Subcabinet and legislation you've passed, the amount of narcotic pain medication prescribed in Tennessee is down five percent.
And, doctor shopping is down 42 percent from its peak in 2011.
Source: State of the State address to 2015 Tennessee Legislature
Feb 9, 2015
Bill Haslam:
Abstinence-only education in K-12 schools
Excerpts from SB 3310 legislative records:- The ideal family life education program provides age-appropriate sex education beginning in kindergarten and continuing through the 12th grade.
- A family life curriculum shall exclusively
and emphatically promote sexual risk avoidance through abstinence, regardless of a student's current or prior sexual experience
- Teach the positive results of avoiding sexual activity, the skills needed to make healthy decisions, and the social science
research supporting the benefits of reserving the expression of human sexual activity for marriage
- Instruction of the family life curriculum shall not promote, implicitly or explicitly, any gateway sexual activity or health message that encourages
students to experiment with non-coital sexual activity; nor distribute contraception on school property.
Status:Bill passed Senate, 31-1-0; passed House 68-23-0; signed by Governor, May 10, 2012.
Source: Tennessee legislature voting records: SB 3310
May 10, 2012
Bill Haslam:
Declare pornography a public health crisis
The governor of Tennessee, Bill Haslam, officially signed the joint resolution declaring pornography as a "public health crisis" in the state. Tennessee is the fourth state to officially recognize pornography as a public health crisis, following the
examples of UT, SD, and AR. Pornography is linked to numerous public health harms, including:- Pornography Is Linked to Increased Sexual Violence: the consumption of pornography was significantly associated with increases in verbal and physical
aggression, among males and females alike.
- Pornography Use Shrinks Brain: increased pornography use is linked to decreased brain matter in the areas of motivation and decision-making, impaired impulse control, and desensitization to sexual reward.
-
Leads to Pornography-Induced Erectile Dysfunction (PIED): pornography use was linked to higher sexual desire, but lower overall sexual satisfaction, and lower erectile function.
Source: EndSexualExploitation.org on 2018 Tennessee Governor race
Jun 21, 2017
Bill Lee:
Historical evidence: marriage is between a man and a woman
Marriage is between a man and a woman. My faith informs my view of marriage. And as a conservative,
I know that outside of the democratic process the Supreme Court imposed a new interpretation of the Constitution that was contrary to all historical evidence and understanding of the institution of marriage.
Source: 2018 Tennessee Gubernatorial website BillLee.com
Jul 4, 2018
Bill Lee:
Marriage is between a man & a woman
Q: Support gay marriage?Karl Dean (D): Yes.
Bill Lee (R): No. "Marriage is between a man & a woman."
Source: 2018 CampusElect.org Issue Guide on Tennessee Governor race
Oct 9, 2018
Bill Lee:
Extend coverage for new moms, mental health for children
My budget proposal includes $6.5 million dollars to extend postpartum coverage to all women receiving TennCare benefits from 60 days to 12 months to increase access to care for new moms.
And we're also adding $6.5 million in our mental health safety net which will be focused on providing services for school-aged children struggling with mental health issues.
Source: 2021 State of the State Address to the Tennessee legislature
Feb 8, 2021
Bill Lee:
Pro-life includes improving lives of struggling families
You know that I am strongly pro-life and I will continue to defend this position. Last year I stood before you and presented one of the most aggressive pro-life bills in the country. But being pro-life isn't just about defending the
unborn and we must also think about how to use our passion for this issue to improve the lives of struggling families. My administration is preparing a number of new initiatives that will make Tennessee a national leader in foster care and adoption.
Source: 2021 State of the State Address to the Tennessee legislature
Feb 8, 2021
Diane Black:
Claire's Law: hearing loss screenings for every newborn
Governor Bredesen signed three pieces of legislation in a ceremonial bill signing today, including a bill that enacts Claire's Law (SB 3191/ HB 2743), co-sponsored by Sen Diane Black. Claire's Law requires hearing loss screenings for every newborn in
Tennessee unless the parents object on the grounds that the test would conflict with their religious tenets or practices.
"With Claire's Law, we are greatly improving early hearing detection and intervention in Tennessee,"
Bredesen said. "With these new measures in place for early detection, we will be able to better help children with hearing loss and to promote their healthy development."
Source: Gov. press release on Tennessee voting record SB3191/HB2743
Jul 1, 2008
Jason Martin:
Quality and affordable childcare, universal pre-K
Families are what make Tennessee great and are what we need to focus on if we want to do better. This means universal pre-K so every child has equal access to the education system. We also need to make sure that parents are able to work while knowing
that their children are looked after in a safe and responsible manner. When I am governor, I will make sure all parents have access to quality and affordable childcare--something that will help our children and our economy.
Source: 2022 Tennessee Governor campaign website MartinForTN.com
Aug 7, 2022
Joe Carr:
Abstinence-only education in K-12 schools
Excerpts from SB 3310 legislative records:- The ideal family life education program provides age-appropriate sex education beginning in kindergarten and continuing through the 12th grade.
- A family life curriculum shall exclusively
and emphatically promote sexual risk avoidance through abstinence, regardless of a student's current or prior sexual experience
- Teach the positive results of avoiding sexual activity, the skills needed to make healthy decisions, and the social science
research supporting the benefits of reserving the expression of human sexual activity for marriage
- Instruction of the family life curriculum shall not promote, implicitly or explicitly, any gateway sexual activity or health message that encourages
students to experiment with non-coital sexual activity; nor distribute contraception on school property.
Status:Bill passed Senate, 31-1-0; passed House 68-23-0; signed by Governor, May 10, 2012. (Rep. Joe Carr voted YEA).
Source: Tennessee legislature voting records: SB 3310
Apr 27, 2012
Karl Dean:
Supports gay marriage
Q: Support gay marriage?Karl Dean (D): Yes.
Bill Lee (R): No. "Marriage is between a man & a woman."
Source: 2018 CampusElect.org Issue Guide on Tennessee Governor race
Oct 9, 2018
Phil Bredesen:
Claire's Law: hearing loss screenings for every newborn
Governor Bredesen signed three pieces of legislation in a ceremonial bill signing today, including a bill that enacts Claire's Law (SB 3191/ HB 2743). Claire's Law requires hearing loss screenings for every newborn in
Tennessee unless the parents object on the grounds that the test would conflict with their religious tenets or practices.
"With Claire's Law, we are greatly improving early hearing detection and intervention in Tennessee,"
Bredesen said. "With these new measures in place for early detection, we will be able to better help children with hearing loss and to promote their healthy development."
Source: Press release on Tennessee voting record SB 3191/ HB 2743
Jul 1, 2008
Tim Burchett:
Claire's Law: hearing loss screenings for every newborn
Governor Bredesen signed three pieces of legislation in a ceremonial bill signing today, including a bill that enacts Claire's Law (SB 3191/ HB 2743), co-sponsored by Sen. Burchett. Claire's Law requires hearing loss screenings for every newborn in
Tennessee unless the parents object on the grounds that the test would conflict with their religious tenets or practices.
"With Claire's Law, we are greatly improving early hearing detection and intervention in Tennessee,"
Bredesen said. "With these new measures in place for early detection, we will be able to better help children with hearing loss and to promote their healthy development."
Source: Gov. press release on Tennessee voting record SB3191/HB2743
Jul 1, 2008
Bill Lee:
Extending post-partum Medicaid coverage is pro-life
We will further strengthen postpartum coverage, provide services to over 5,000 more mothers, close the coverage gap for parents, and reach an additional 10,000 children--in total, offering services to nearly 25,000 more women, children, and parents
in need. We are going to propose covering the cost of diapers during the first two years of a baby's life for mothers on TennCare. That's pro-life. That's pro-family.
Source: 2023 State of the State Address to the Tennessee legislature
Feb 6, 2023
Bill Lee:
Paid parental-leave for state workers, no business mandate
One way we can support and strengthen families is by making it possible for parents to be there, worry-free, for every second of those first months of life. That's why I am proposing a commonsense paid parental-leave program for
state employees who are growing their family. This is not a mandate on businesses. I believe every business owner should make decisions that are in the best interest of their employees.
Source: 2023 State of the State Address to the Tennessee legislature
Feb 6, 2023
Bill Lee:
Define "sex" as immutably determined at birth
SB1440: For purposes of interpreting the meaning of the word "sex" throughout present law, except in statutes where the context otherwise requires, this bill defines "sex" as a person's immutable biological sex as determined by anatomy and genetics
existing at the time of birth and evidence of a person's biological sex.Human Rights Campaign press release March 13, 2023 (opinion for voting NO): Let's be clear: the goal of this bill is to exclude the
LGBTQ+ community from nondiscrimination protections in the state of Tennessee and to perpetuate a false narrative of who transgender people are.
Legislative Outcome:
Passed Senate 27-6-0 on Mar/13/23; passed House 71-21-7 on Apr/21/23; Signed by Governor Bill Lee on May/17/23
Source: H.R.C. on Tennessee State Legislature voting records SB1440
May 17, 2023
Jerri Green:
Expand paid family and medical leave
Jerri Green will:- Expand paid family and medical leave
- Support labor rights and collective bargaining
- Increase funding for affordable housing
- Promote workforce development and vocational training
-
Invest in small businesses, especially in underserved areas
- Make quality childcare more accessible and affordable
- Prioritize passenger rail across the state to connect major metropolitan hubs
Source: 2026 Tennessee Governor campaign web GreenForGovernor.com
Aug 18, 2026
Misam Abidi:
Support transgender and LGBTQ+ rights
Q: Your opinion on "Support transgender and LGBTQ+ rights"?A: Support. Every Tennessean possesses inherent human dignity and deserves equal protection, personal safety, and freedom from discrimination in employment, housing, education, and
public life. Adults should be free to live and love without government harassment.
Questions involving children, medical treatment, parental rights, privacy, and athletic competition deserve careful, evidence-based standards that respect everyone affected.
Compassion and fairness must coexist. Human beings should never be turned into political weapons by either side.
Source: OnTheIssues email interview on 2026 Tennessee Governor race
Sep 21, 2026
Robert Jones:
LGBTQ+ Americans should have all the same rights
Q: Your opinion on "Support transgender and LGBTQ+ rights"?A: Every American deserves equal protection under the law and the ability to live safely and freely without discrimination.
LGBTQ+ Americans should receive the same legal rights, protections, opportunities, and dignity as every other citizen. Those protections should coexist with the constitutional rights of others, including religious liberty.
Source: OnTheIssues email interview on 2026 Tennessee Senate race
Sep 21, 2026
Robert Vick:
Love neighbors as yourself, even LGBTQ+
Q: Your opinion on "Support transgender and LGBTQ+ rights"?
A: As a Christian, I'm taught to love my neighbors as myself.
Source: OnTheIssues email interview on 2026 Tennessee Governor race
Sep 22, 2026
Page last updated: Oct 18, 2026