Bo Watson

RepublicanState Senator, Tennessee State Senate District 11

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Offices held

State Senator, Tennessee State Senate District 11
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 2077: Tennessee Investment in Student Achievement (TISA) - As enacted, makes various changes to the TISA review committee, including, but not limited to, clarifying that the committee may convene a meeting with a majority of all members present, including one or more designees, but a quorum of all voting members of the committee is required to transact any business requiring a formal vote of the committee. - Amends TCA Section 49-3-113.
Sponsorsigned· Apr 23, 2026· 114th General Assembly
SB 2076: Optometry - As enacted, redefines the practice of optometry. - Amends TCA Title 63, Chapter 8.
Sponsorsigned· Apr 14, 2026· 114th General Assembly
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.
Sponsorpassed both· Apr 21, 2025· 114th General Assembly
SB 248: Traffic Safety - As enacted, creates the offense of an occupant of a vehicle parking, leaving standing, or stopping the vehicle on a street or highway and blocking or impeding the normal movement of traffic for the purpose of soliciting, negotiating, or consummating an employment transaction with a person standing on or in proximity to the street or highway. - Amends TCA Title 39, Chapter 17; Title 54 and Title 55.
Sponsorsigned· Apr 11, 2025· 114th General Assembly
SB 1387: Scholarships and Financial Aid - As introduced, adds Western Governors University as a postsecondary institution at which Tennessee resident students may be enrolled for purposes of receiving a Senator Ben Atchley opportunity grant. - Amends TCA Title 49, Chapter 4, Part 8.
Sponsorin committee· Feb 12, 2025· 114th General Assembly
SB 1376: Insurance, Health, Accident - As introduced, prohibits an out-of-network ambulance service provider from balance billing an enrollee in a health benefit plan for emergency ambulance services; establishes allowable billable costs for such services. - Amends TCA Title 56, Chapter 7 and Title 68, Chapter 140.
Sponsorin committee· Feb 12, 2025· 114th General Assembly
HB 6001: Immigration - As enacted, creates within the department of safety the centralized immigration enforcement division, to be administered by the chief immigration enforcement officer…
Cosponsorsigned· Feb 12, 2025· 114th General Assembly

Recent votes

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
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
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: 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 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 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 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
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
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
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
SB 1907: Salaries and Benefits - As enacted, enacts "The Chance Carlton Act." - Amends TCA Title 5; Title 6; Title 7, Chapter 51; Title 8 and Title 50.
SENATE FINANCE, WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE: Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 11, Nays 0 PNV 0 4/21/2026 Passed · Senate · Apr 21, 2026 · pass
YES
SB 1645: Agriculture, Dept. of - As enacted, enacts the "Representative Johnny Shaw Tennessee Agricultural Innovation and Education Initiative." - Amends TCA Title 4 and Title 43.
SENATE FINANCE, WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE: Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 11, Nays 0 PNV 0 4/21/2026 Passed · Senate · Apr 21, 2026 · pass
YES
SB 225: Chiropractors - As enacted, requires certain insurers to reimburse chiropractic physicians at the same rate as physicians for the same services. - Amends TCA Title 56, Chapter 7 and Title 63.
SENATE FINANCE, WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE: Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 11, Nays 0 PNV 0 4/21/2026 Passed · Senate · Apr 21, 2026 · pass
YES
SB 2151: Taxes, Exemption and Credits - As enacted, revises law relative to a financial institution applying for a credit against the sum total of the taxes imposed by the Franchise Tax law and by the Excise Tax law. - Amends TCA Title 67.
SENATE FINANCE, WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE: Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 11, Nays 0 PNV 0 4/21/2026 Passed · Senate · Apr 21, 2026 · pass
YES
SB 2566: Sexual Offenses - As enacted, provides that a person commits the offense of grooming of a minor when the person engages in a course of grooming conduct directed at a minor with the specific intent to commit, or facilitate the commission by another person of, a sexual offense or violent sexual offense against the minor; or to cause or induce the minor to engage in simulated sexual activity that is patently offensive or sexual activity; makes related changes. - Amends TCA Title 39 and Title 40.
SENATE FINANCE, WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE: Recommended for passage, refer to Senate Calendar Committee 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
SB 1912: Local Education Agencies - As enacted, requires each LEA and public charter school to adopt an internet acceptable use policy; makes other related changes. - Amends TCA Title 49.
SENATE FINANCE, WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE: Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 11, Nays 0 PNV 0 4/21/2026 Passed · Senate · Apr 21, 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