Steve Southerland

RepublicanState Senator, Tennessee State Senate District 9

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Offices held

State Senator, Tennessee State Senate District 9
Elected · 4-year term
Represents a Senate district in the Tennessee General Assembly, which writes state law and passes the state budget.
Source

Bills sponsored

SB 2599: Local Education Agencies - As introduced, allows certain school employees to conduct physical searches of students and searches of vehicles, containers, packages, lockers, or other enclosures used for storage by students or visitors in certain circumstances; narrows, from all threats of violence or significantly disruptive behavior at a public school that are reported to a state or local law enforcement agency to only those first determined by the LEA to be credible, the threats or behavior for which an LEA must notify parents and guardians within 48 hours. - Amends TCA Title 49, Chapter 6.
Sponsorpassed one chamber· Apr 6, 2026· 114th General Assembly

Recent votes

HB 1707: Immigration - As enacted, requires, until February 1, 2029, each court to cooperate with the U.S. department of homeland security and federal immigration authorities acting in the enforcement of federal immigration law; authorizes, until February 1, 2029, a judge who obstructs lawful operations by such department and such authorities acting in the enforcement of federal immigration law to be referred to the board of judicial conduct for proceedings; clarifies that any findings by the board that the judge committed judicial misconduct may be cause for removal. - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 7; Title 8; Title 16; Title 17 and Title 38.
FLOOR VOTE: Motion to Adopt Conference Committee Report 4/23/2026 Passed · Senate · Apr 23, 2026 · pass
YES
SB 1389: TennCare - As introduced, prohibits a healthcare provider who participates in the TennCare or CoverKids programs from refusing to provide healthcare services to an enrollee based solely upon the enrollee’s refusal to obtain a vaccine or immunization; prohibits the bureau from reimbursing a healthcare provider in violation of such prohibition; requires the director to adopt rules. - Amends TCA Title 33; Title 56; Title 63; Title 68 and Title 71.
FLOOR VOTE: Motion to Adopt Conference Committee Report 4/23/2026 Passed · Senate · Apr 23, 2026 · pass
YES
HB 2314: Obscenity and Pornography - As enacted, prohibits the issuance of a license to operate certain adult-oriented establishments unless certain signage is posted. - Amends TCA Title 7, Chapter 51 and Title 39.
FLOOR VOTE: Motion to Adopt Conference Committee Report 4/23/2026 Passed · Senate · Apr 23, 2026 · pass
YES
SB 855: Utilities, Utility Districts - As enacted, establishes a process for a municipality that operates a sewerage system outside of its corporate boundaries and has imposed a moratorium on new sewer connections outside of its corporate boundaries for a period of five or more consecutive years to extend sanitary sewer service or allow sewer connection only to property located within an adjacency area if the property owner or developer agrees to pay, or the municipality assesses, a housing surcharge. - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 5; Title 6; Title 7; Title 8; Title 12; Title 13; Title 29; Title 54; Title 64; Title 65; Title 68 and Title 69.
FLOOR VOTE: Motion to Concur House Amendment # 2 4/23/2026 Passed · Senate · Apr 23, 2026 · pass
YES
HB 2585: Damages - As introduced, states that the amount of damages awarded as noneconomic damages must not exceed $1 million in a health care liability action arising from obstetric or maternity negligence resulting in the death or permanent injury of a pregnant or postpartum woman. - Amends TCA Section 29-39-102.
FLOOR VOTE: Third Consideration 4/23/2026 Failed · Senate · Apr 23, 2026 · fail
NO
HB 920: Criminal Procedure - As enacted, prohibits a defendant charged with certain offenses from being released on the defendant's personal recognizance or upon execution of an unsecured bond. - Amends TCA Title 40.
FLOOR VOTE: Third Consideration 4/22/2026 Passed · Senate · Apr 22, 2026 · pass
YES
SB 1713: State Government - As enacted, requires either the executive head or president of each public institution of higher education, or the chief executive head of any of its campuses to submit an annual attestation of compliance to the comptroller of the treasury no later than January 1, 2027, and each January 1 thereafter, that such entity has not implemented a discriminatory preference to increase diversity, equity, or inclusion; authorizes the attorney general to make certain related investigations. - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 5; Title 6; Title 7 and Title 49.
FLOOR VOTE: Motion to Concur House Amendment # 2 4/22/2026 Passed · Senate · Apr 22, 2026 · pass
YES
SB 539: Taxes, Real Property - As enacted, establishes the process for property tax assessment and valuation of multi-unit rental housing that receives a federal, state, or local incentive based on low-income renter restrictions. - Amends TCA Title 7; Title 13; Title 48; Title 49; Title 67 and Title 68.
FLOOR VOTE: as Amended Third Consideration 4/22/2026 Passed · Senate · Apr 22, 2026 · pass
YES
HB 2533: Education - As enacted, makes various revisions to education law, including, but not limited to, prohibiting parents from using funds deposited in a participating student's IEA to make contributions to an achieving a better life experience account for purposes of the ABLE Act, and requiring the Title VI coordinator for a LEA or public charter school to investigate certain complaints of antisemitic discrimination and harassment reported to the LEA or public charter school before formally reporting the incidents and complaints to the Title VI coordinator designated by the department of education. - Amends TCA Title 4, Chapter 29; Title 5, Chapter 21; Title 8, Chapter 50, Part 8; Title 49, Chapter 10, Part 1; Title 49, Chapter 10, Part 14; Title 49, Chapter 11, Part 1; Title 49, Chapter 11, Part 8; Title 49, Chapter 13; Title 49, Chapter 15, Part 1; Title 49, Chapter 16, Part 2; Title 49, Chapter 17; Section 49-2-203; Title 49, Chapter 3, Part 1; Title 49, Chapter 5, Part 4; Title 49, Chapter 50, Part 10; Title 49, Chapter 50, Part 16; Title 49, Chapter 50, Part 18; Title 49, Chapter 6, Part 10; Title 49, Chapter 6, Part 15; Title 49, Chapter 6, Part 22; Title 49, Chapter 6, Part 23; Title 49, Chapter 6, Part 30; Title 49, Chapter 6, Part 34; Title 49, Chapter 6, Part 42; Title 49, Chapter 6, Part 81; Title 49, Chapter 1, Part 2; Title 49, Chapter 1, Part 3 and Section 68-204-110.
FLOOR VOTE: Third Consideration 4/22/2026 Passed · Senate · Apr 22, 2026 · pass
YES
SB 2452: Alcoholic Beverages - As enacted, authorizes the consumption of alcoholic beverages and beer on the premises of a temporary special event zone located in Davidson County, subject to certain requirements. - Amends TCA Title 7 and Title 57.
FLOOR VOTE: Motion to Concur House Amendment # 1 4/22/2026 Passed · Senate · Apr 22, 2026 · pass
NO
HB 397: Taxes, Sales - As enacted, authorizes an entity designated to operate a stadium designed to host games of an intercollegiate football team that competes in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) to receive a special allocation of state and local sales tax revenue derived from the sale of admission to events occurring within the stadium and from all sales of food, drinks, merchandise, and parking sold on the premises of the stadium to fund capital and operation expenses for the stadium. - Amends TCA Title 67, Chapter 6.
FLOOR VOTE: as Amended Third Consideration 4/22/2026 Passed · Senate · Apr 22, 2026 · pass
YES
SB 1748: Motor Vehicles - As enacted, revises law relative to out-of-service orders issued to commercial drivers and related penalties. - Amends TCA Title 55 and Title 65, Chapter 15.
FLOOR VOTE: Motion to Concur House Amendment # 1 4/22/2026 Passed · Senate · Apr 22, 2026 · pass
YES
SB 1665: Civil Procedure - As enacted, clarifies that the same immunities from civil liability, adverse action, and disciplinary action, and duties, that apply to this state, state employees, public schools, LEAs, public school students, public school teachers, public school employees, public school contractors, public institutions of higher education, public higher education students, public higher education faculty, public higher education employees, and public higher education contractors with regard to the use of a pronoun consistent with an individual's sex apply when using an honorific that is consistent with an individual's sex. - Amends TCA Title 8, Chapter 50; Title 49, Chapter 7, Part 24 and Title 49, Chapter 6, Part 51.
FLOOR VOTE: Motion to Concur House Amendment # 1 4/22/2026 Passed · Senate · Apr 22, 2026 · pass
YES
HB 1550: Education - As enacted, expands the prescribed forms of epinephrine that an LEA or nonpublic school is authorized to administer when a student is believed to be experiencing a life-threatening allergic or anaphylactic reaction to any prescribed form of epinephrine, not just epinephrine auto-injectors. - Amends TCA Title 49 and Title 68, Chapter 140, Part 5.
FLOOR VOTE: Third Consideration 4/21/2026 Passed · Senate · Apr 21, 2026 · pass
YES
HB 1205: Physicians and Surgeons - As enacted, makes various changes relative to the authority of a physician or podiatrist to prescribe, dispense, or administer medication to the provider's own self or immediate family; makes related changes. - Amends TCA Title 33; Title 39; Title 53; Title 63 and Title 68.
FLOOR VOTE: Third Consideration 4/21/2026 Passed · Senate · Apr 21, 2026 · pass
YES
HB 1970: Real Property - As enacted, requires a description of real property contained within a deed of conveyance of a property not previously described in a recorded instrument to be prepared by a registered land surveyor, or by a licensed attorney utilizing a survey prepared by a registered land surveyor. - Amends TCA Title 8; Title 23; Title 39; Title 45; Title 47, Chapter 18; Title 56; Title 62 and Title 66.
FLOOR VOTE: Third Consideration 4/20/2026 Passed · Senate · Apr 20, 2026 · pass
YES
HB 1034: Contracts - As enacted, requires a court to apply rebuttable presumptions when determining the reasonableness in time of a restrictive covenant sought to be enforced after the termination of an employment or business relationship; makes related changes. - Amends TCA Title 50; Title 63 and Title 68.
FLOOR VOTE: Third Consideration 4/20/2026 Passed · Senate · Apr 20, 2026 · pass
YES
HB 2108: Business and Commerce - As enacted, revises law relative to commercial litigation financiers and litigation financing contracts. - Amends TCA Title 47.
FLOOR VOTE: Third Consideration 4/20/2026 Passed · Senate · Apr 20, 2026 · pass
YES
SB 2102: Public Utility Commission - As enacted, requires, for an electric utility providing services outside the corporate limits of the home municipality, expansion of the utility board to provide representation on the board for such outside locality. - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 5; Title 6; Title 7; Title 8; Title 12; Title 13; Title 54; Title 64; Title 65; Title 68 and Title 69.
FLOOR VOTE: as Amended Third Consideration 4/20/2026 Passed · Senate · Apr 20, 2026 · pass
NO
HB 2382: Mortgages - As enacted, enacts the "Tennessee Reverse Mortgage Innovation Act." - Amends TCA Title 39, Chapter 15, Part 5; Title 45, Chapter 2, Part 12; Title 45, Chapter 20; Title 47, Chapter 30 and Title 67, Chapter 4, Part 4.
FLOOR VOTE: Third Consideration 4/20/2026 Passed · Senate · Apr 20, 2026 · pass
YES