Capitol Roundup: Rep. Reneau Advocates for Children's Health, Protection of Life, and Election Transparency

It's been an even busier week at the State Capitol as we wind down closer to the end of session, and I wanted to share some important updates on legislation that affects our community. As always, your input guides my work in Nashville, and I'm grateful for your continued engagement.

Legislation I Supported

House Bill 134 (co-sponsored): Requires public schools to prohibit food and beverages containing Red 40 dye from being sold, offered for sale, or provided to students on school property. Research shows how harmful this additive can be for young minds, and I'm proud to support measures protecting our children's health.

House Bill 995: Expands immunity from prosecution when seeking medical assistance for a person experiencing an overdose for drugs and alcohol. I voted in favor of this bill because saving lives should always come before fear of legal consequences.

House Bill 601: Establishes a procedure to request post-conviction relief based on new evidence not known at the time of conviction for someone who entered into a guilty plea. I voted to support this bill to ensure justice is served.

House Bill 377 (co-sponsored): Codifies a Supreme Court decision that students of public or private institutions of higher education are to be judged by academic merit, not on race, color, ethnicity, or national origin for admission, scholarships, or financial aid.

Bills I Opposed

House Bill 1044: States that a healthcare provider must not be required to participate in or pay for a healthcare procedure, treatment, or service that violates the conscience of the healthcare provider. While I deeply respect the importance of individual conscience and religious freedom—especially for those who serve in our healthcare system—I voted no on this bill because I believe it could conflict with a patient's right to deny a medical intervention such as blood donation or vaccine to receive care or surgery, as has been the case for people who have been denied a transplant. While I absolutely support protections for providers' personal beliefs, this legislation did not have a provision to protect the religious beliefs of a patient to override a doctor's right to deny treatment, possibly including life-saving medical treatment.

House Bill 533: Codifies access to fertility treatments and contraceptives. However, this bill also threatens Tennessee's pro-life protections, which is why I voted no. I support access to IVF and contraceptives. Nothing in Tennessee law currently prohibits or restricts it, and voting against this bill would not change that. Families experiencing infertility would still have the ability to pursue IVF under existing law if it did not pass. What HB533 does, however, is create an overly broad, undefined "right" to assisted reproductive technology—that included destruction and discarding of human embryos as well as the reclassification of abortion-inducing drugs as contraceptives.

House Bill 1073: Allows political action committees (PACs) to coordinate doorknocking efforts directly with a candidate—such as telling the candidate when and where the activity will take place—without being required to report it as an in-kind contribution. I voted against this bill because it weakens transparency in our elections. Voters deserve to know when outside groups are working closely with candidates.

House Bill 1316: Prohibits the use of digital driver's licenses and photo identification for voter identification purposes and regulates the retention and disclosure of collected data. While I recognize the necessary guardrails for this application, I oppose the state expanding digital IDs as it is impossible to prevent data breaches, and there is no penalty for such breaches. I voted "Present Not Voting" on this legislation.

Bill Delayed

House Bill 562 (co-sponsored): Prohibits the executive branch from proclaiming a lawful occupation as non-essential. Unfortunately, during debate, this bill was sent back to the House Judiciary committee, which likely will not meet again until January 2026.

Let's Stay Connected

Your feedback shapes my work at the Capitol! I welcome your thoughts on these or any other legislative matters affecting our district. Please don't hesitate to reach out to my office by phone at (615) 741-2746 or by email at Rep.Michele.Reneau@capitol.tn.gov.

It's an honor representing you in Nashville. Together, we can ensure our community's values are reflected in state policy.