Tennessee legislation · 114th General Assembly
Tennessee HB571: AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4; Title 37; Title 41; Title 49 and Title 68, relative to public safety.
Status: Chaptered, May 27, 2026
Fiscal Summary NOT SIGNIFICANT Bill Summary This bill creates the "Women's Safety and Protection Act," which clarifies and reconciles the meaning of sex, female, male, and related terms in state law to provide protections for women and girls against sexual assault, harassment, and violence in correctional facilities, juvenile detention facilities, domestic violence shelters, dormitories, and restrooms, or where women have been traditionally afforded safety and protection from acts of abuse committed by biological men. DEFINITIONS This bill defines "female," "male," and related terms, and requires that any law enacted by the legislature, or any rule adopted by a state agency or other entity subject to the Uniform Administrative Procedures Act, when applicable to an individual's sex, must be interpreted using the definitions provided in this bill. In particular, this bill defines "female," "male," and "sex" as follows: "Female" means an individual whose biological reproductive system is developed to produce ova; who has, had, will have, or would have, but for a developmental or genetic anomaly or historical accident, the reproductive system that at some point produces, transports, and utilizes eggs for fertilization. "Male" means an individual whose biological reproductive system is developed to fertilize the ova of a female who has, had, will have, or would have, but for a developmental or genetic anomaly or historical accident, the reproductive system that at some point produces, transports, and utilizes sperm for fertilization. "Sex" means an individual's biological sex, either male or female, as observed or clinically verified at birth and does not include gender identity and other subjective terms, which do not apply to this bill, and must not be used as synonyms or substitutes for sex. FACILITIES DESIGNAT
What the bill says
From the amended text:
Senate Judiciary 2 Amendment No. 2 to SB0468 Gardenhire Signature of Sponsor AMEND S e n ate Bill No. 468* House Bill No. 571 by deleting all language after the enacting clause and substituting: SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 68, is amended by adding the following as a new chapter: 68-107-101. Short title. This act is known and may be cited as the "Riley Gaines Women's Safety and Protection Act." 68-107-102. Purpose. The purpose of this chapter is: (1) To clarify and reconcile the meaning of sex, male, female, and related terms in state law; and (2) To provide protections for women and girls against sexual assault, harassment, and violence in correctional facilities, juvenile detention facilities, public higher educational institutions, and domestic violence shelters or where women have been traditionally afforded safety and protection from acts of abuse committed by men. 68-107-103. Findings. The legislature finds and declares that: (1) "Physical differences between men and women, however, are a community made up exclusively of one [sex] is different from a community composed of both.'" United States v. SA0559 Virginia, 518 U.S. 515, 533 (1996), citing Ballard v. United States, 329 U.S. 187, 193 (1946); (2) The United States supreme court has recognized that there are "'[i]nherent differences' between men and women", and that these differences "remain cause for celebration, …