TBA Law Blog


Posted by: Julia Wilburn on Mar 11, 2025

The Tennessee House of Representatives on Monday passed a bill that would eliminate race-based policies like affirmative action, racial preferences and racial quotas from being used when making appointments to state boards, including specifically removing rules requiring the governor to strive to ensure at least one person on certain state boards is a member of a racial minority, reports the Nashville Post. Lead sponsor Rep. Jason Zachary, R-Knoxville, says the purpose of HB1237/SB1235 is to align the state with a 2023 Supreme Court ruling that found such race-based programs violate the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment. Opponents of the bill expressed concern over the potential for disparities in certain appointed boards or committees, and pointed out that affirmative action policies are not meant to give members of minority groups an unfair advantage. Senate sponsor, Sen. Paul Rose, R-Covington, asked the Senate Judiciary Committee to move the bill to next week’s calendar.