Tennessee
Tennessee Enacts First-In-The-Nation Law To Stop Adults From Helping Minors Access Gender-Affirming Care
Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee (R) on Tuesday signed a first-in-the-nation law to block adults from helping trans youth receive gender-affirming care without their parents’ consent.
Under the law, known as House Bill 2310, anyone who helps a child access gender-affirming care within Tennessee state lines can be sued for compensation by the minor or the minor’s parents. There are exceptions for the child’s own parents or legal guardians, for adults who have permission from the minor’s parents, and for transportation companies, like those that operate ride-sharing apps, buses or airlines, that a minor could take to get to a gender-affirming care clinic.
A previous version of the law included a criminal penalty, making anyone who “recruits, harbors, or transports an unemancipated minor within this state for the purpose of receiving a prohibited medical procedure” chargeable with a Class C felony.
Lee’s office did not immediately respond to HuffPost’s request for comment.
Tennessee had already banned gender-affirming care for minors — measures that can include puberty blockers, hormone replacement therapy and, in rare instances, gender-affirming surgery — last July, when Lee signed an earlier bill, Senate Bill 1, into effect.
“I want to be clear that this in no way bars parents or legal guardians from helping their child access to medical care that they need out-of-state,” Bryan Davidson, a policy director at the ACLU Tennessee, told HuffPost.
“I think that this is an attempt by the legislature to try to use misinformation and intimidation to try to get parents and families to self-censor themselves and to police their own behavior. That is the concerning part.”
If the problem of adults transporting minors across state lines were indeed a major issue, Davidson said, Tennessee already has a law on the books for that. “It’s called kidnapping,” he said.
The gender-affirming care ban, S.B. 1, was temporarily blocked for certain residents thanks to a legal challenge from the American Civil Liberties Union, but a federal appeals court ruled in the fall to allow the ban to stand.
Advocacy groups are now waiting to see if the Supreme Court will take up the ACLU’s challenge to S.B. 1, known as L.W. v. Skrmetti, and weigh in on the question of who is allowed to make medical decisions for minors seeking gender-affirming care. If this highest court does take up the challenge to Tennessee’s ban, it could have precedent-setting ramifications for other states’ restrictions on care.
Lee signed a separate bill on Tuesday that penalizes “abortion trafficking of a minor” and makes it a misdemeanor office for a person to help a minor obtain an abortion or abortion-inducing drugs without consent from the minor’s parents. Several GOP-led states — most notably Idaho — have passed similar laws since the reversal of Roe v. Wade two years ago.
The two new laws go into effect July 1.
Tennessee’s state legislature, which has a Republican supermajority, has long been an early adopter of new kinds of anti-LGBTQ legislation. As governor, Lee has never issued a veto on an anti-LGBTQ bill, and the state has far outpaced the rest of the country in terms of anti-LGBTQ legislation.
During this year’s legislative session, Lee enacted at least eight new anti-LGBTQ+ laws. This includes laws that force school administrators to tell parents if their child asks to use a name or gender marker that differs from their birth certificate; allow people to refuse to perform same-sex marriages; permit foster families to discriminate against LGBTQ+ kids; and eliminate the state’s human rights commission.
Last year, Tennessee became the first state to enact a drag ban, and blocked performances from taking place anywhere in public where children could be present. A federal judge ruled that ban unconstitutional, but the state Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti is trying to argue for the ban to be applied in private spaces, as well.
The state also garnered national attention last year after Skrmetti probed Vanderbilt University Medical Center for the records of trans patients — both minors and adults — after a Nashville-based right-wing media figure posted an inflammatory, misleading information on Twitter about the hospital’s treatments for transgender children. The Department of Health and Human Services has since opened an investigation into Vanderbilt’s release of patient medical records.
“Tennessee has become a sort of policy laboratory for attacks on LGBTQ+ folks at the state level,” said Davidson. “The anti-LGBTQ legislation is largely driven to appease the small fringe activist base in Tennessee.”
Davidson added that Tennessee is one of the most “egregiously gerrymandered states in the nation” and has one of the lowest rates of voter turnout, allowing more extreme rhetoric and policy to flourish.
Tennessee
Top-5 recruit Oliviyah Edwards requests release from signing to Tennessee
Top-5 recruit Oliviyah Edwards has requested a release from her signing to Tennessee, sources told Rivals. Edwards, ranked No. 5 on Rivals, is a 6-3 forward from Washington.
She originally chose the Lady Vols over USC, South Carolina, LSU, Florida and Washington.
“I’d say I’m very versatile,” Edwards previously said of her game. “I think that as a big, I do have good handles. I could also post up the little, tiny ones. I feel like it’s hard to guard when I can shoot, I can get to the basket and I could create my own shot. That’s really hard to guard, especially with my height. I also know how to pass the ball too.”
Edwards previously talked to Rivals about several factors that would play a role in her decision.
“I would say that family aspect,” Edwards said. “I want to be able to have a home away from home. That’s really the main thing that I’m looking for. Who do I feel closest with? Who do I know that I can build and grow with? Everything else I feel like, for me, will fall into place. I know, anywhere I go, I’m gonna get better. Anywhere I go, they’re gonna have a good facility. They’re gonna have nice things. In that aspect. I’m not really materialistic. I’m just looking at, okay, how do the players get along? How do the coaches coach? What’s the style of play? I really want to fit in here, not just basketball wise. I want them to love me for who I am and everything I’ve got going on. I want to be able to call these girls my sisters – to be able to, even after I’m done, be over at the coach’s houses. These are people I want to have long, deep connections with.”
Tennessee
Is Taco Bell open on Easter? What’s open and closed in Tennessee
How countries around the world celebrate Easter
Easter is marked very differently around the globe.
unbranded – Lifestyle Vertical
If Easter Sunday snuck up on you and your fridge is empty, you’re not alone, and many restaurants will be open, providing convenient options for a holiday meal without the stress.
Amidst egg hunts, church services, and family visits, preparing a full Easter meal isn’t always feasible. However, this doesn’t mean the day has to be dull.
Most restaurants choose to stay open on Easter Sunday, but several choose to close instead and let employees enjoy the day. There are also restaurants closed every Sunday, so don’t expect any fresh chicken minis from Chick-fil-A in any Easter baskets.
Here are the restaurants that will be open and closed on Easter Sunday in Tennessee.
When is Easter 2026?
Easter Sunday will fall on April 5 in 2026.
The earliest date Easter can be is March 22, so while it may feel early this year compared to last year’s April 20, the holiday is right on time.
What restaurants are open for Easter 2026?
Most national chain restaurants will remain open throughout the state. For smaller chain eateries or popular local spots, it is advisable to call in advance to verify their Sunday operating hours.
What fast-food restaurants are open on Easter 2026?
Most national chains will still be open across Tennessee for the holiday. As for smaller chains or local hot spots, it is recommended to call ahead to confirm their hours on Sunday.
Are any restaurants closed on Easter?
While not many chain restaurants and fast food spots close on Easter Sunday, there are still a few you won’t be able to dine at:
Jordan Green covers trending news for The Commercial Appeal and Tennessee. She can be reached at jordan.green@commercialappeal.com.
Tennessee
Watch Reese Chapman’s unbelievable catch for Tennessee baseball vs LSU
Tennessee baseball right fielder Reese Chapman made one of the most unbelievable catches of the season to rob LSU of a home run.
In the top of the fifth inning, LSU’s Steven Milam smoked a 1-1 pitch from Landon Mack to deep right field. Chapman sprinted toward the wall.
The ball was headed out of the ballpark when Chapman leaped, caught the ball and slammed into the wall. He held on to end the inning, triggering a wild celebration by Mack and the UT dugout.
It was a critical play for the Vols midway through Game 1 of their LSU series on April 3 at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.
“I don’t know if we’re going to see a better one than that, boys,” said ESPN analyst Chris Burke, a former Tennessee baseball player. “It’s not just the play that he made.. It’s the complete disregard for your own body.”
Chapman almost single-handedly put Tennessee in the driver’s seat. He not only robbed LSU of a home run in the fifth, he also hit a home run to put the Vols ahead.
In the bottom of the fourth inning, Blake Grimmer blooped a single to left-center. Then Chapman pulled a 0-1 pitch over the right-field wall for a two-run homer. It was his third home run of the season, putting Tennessee ahead 3-1.
Adam Sparks is the Tennessee beat reporter. Email adam.sparks@knoxnews.com. X, formerly known as Twitter@AdamSparks. Support strong local journalism by subscribing at knoxnews.com/subscribe.
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