The 2023 legislative session in Tennessee was a tumultuous one. The session started with the revelation of odd social media comments made by Lt. Gov. Randy McNally on thirst-trap posts by a young, gay aspiring superstar. The incident caught national attention and was even spoofed on Saturday Night Live’s “Weekend Update.” However, this was just the beginning of a series of events that unfolded at the Tennessee State Capitol during the session.
On March 27, a mass shooting occurred at the Covenant School in Nashville, which sparked protests demanding action from the legislature on gun violence. However, Gov. Bill Lee and state leaders proposed measures that had nothing to do with gun control. The situation worsened when three Democratic members of the state House, known as the Tennessee Three, faced expulsion efforts from the Republican supermajority for joining protesters in chants and calls for action from the well of the House chamber. Black Reps. Justin Jones (D-Nashville) and Justin Pearson (D-Memphis) were expelled from the body, while their white colleague Rep. Gloria Johnson (D-Knoxville) avoided expulsion by one vote. However, county leaders in Nashville and Memphis returned the expelled members to their seats, and the Tennessee GOP’s efforts backfired, making them a target of national criticism.
The Tennessee GOP’s infighting and internal issues came to light after leaked audio from a meeting of the House Republican Caucus revealed petty disputes over the expulsion efforts. The situation got worse when allegations of harassment against the caucus’s vice-chair, Rep. Scotty Campbell (R-Mountain City), surfaced. Campbell reportedly harassed at least one 19-year-old legislative intern by putting his hands on her and offering her cannabis gummies in exchange for seeing her tattoos and piercings. Campbell resigned within hours of the allegations becoming public.
In spite of their unfavorable public reputation, the Republican supermajority was able to pass multiple laws, mainly which discriminated against the LGBTQ community and penalized Metro Nashville. Additionally, the group ratified a budget and sanctioned Gov. Lee’s Transportation Modernization Act. Unfortunately, they did not pass any rifle control laws, aside from a law brought forward by Sen. Joey Hensley (R-Hohenwald) that protected gun makers from litigation. In reply, Gov. Lee proclaimed that he would summon a special session of the legislature to discuss gun reform, but the timeline of this is still uncertain.
Overall, the 2023 legislative session in Tennessee was a state of disrepair, with controversies, scandals, and failed attempts to address gun violence. The Republican supermajority’s actions sparked national outrage, making them a laughing stock, but they still managed to pass some legislation that would affect the state’s citizens, mainly those belonging to the LGBTQ community. The session was a reminder of how much work is left to do to create a safe and just society.
