Week 3 Capitol Roundup: When the Capitol Closes, the Work Continues

Week 3 of the House session was cancelled. Snow and ice kept the Capitol closed for the week—but that doesn’t mean the work stopped.

From home, I’ve been continuing to draft and edit legislation, reviewing policy language, preparing for committee next week, and speaking with stakeholders and colleagues to move priorities forward. Most times the most important work happens quietly, outside the committee rooms.

There are still a lot of Tennesseans that still do not have power. Please keep our neighbors, lineman, first responders and farmers in your prayers.

🏛️ State of the State Address is February 2

Governor Bill Lee will deliver the State of the State address on Monday, February 2, at 6:00 PM Central / 7:00 PM Eastern. You can watch live at www.capitol.tn.gov.

🕊️ March for Life – Saturday, January 31 CANCELLED

Due to extreme weather predictions, the March for Life scheduled for Saturday, January 31 has been cancelled. Safety comes first. It has been rescheduled for March 14th. Hope to see you there!

HB 859 – Drawing a Clear Line Between Humans and AI

I plan to move HB 859 forward this year in response to the rapid acceleration of technology and artificial intelligence—especially in just the last few months. What once sounded theoretical is now very real.

We now have examples of AI:

• Running for public office

• Acting as the CEO of a large international corporation

  
  

That reality makes it clear: we need firm guardrails. Machines and AI must be explicitly excluded from the legal definition of personhood. If we fail to act, we invite consequences that most people would find deeply concerning.

You can read more—including links to real-world examples—here:https://tnhousegop.org/press-releases/2026/01/rep-reneau-sen-pody-draw-legal-line-between-humans-and-ai/

Call to Action

Please consider reaching out to members of the House Health Committee and asking them to support HB 859. Clarifying that machines are not people protects elections, accountability, and basic human dignity. Otherwise… someone’s opponent in a future election might not even be human. 😉

Committee contact information can be found here:https://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/CommitteeInfo/HouseComm?ga=114&committeeKey=860000

As always, thank you for staying engaged. I’m grateful for your support and look forward to a full week back at the Capitol!

Stay safe and warm!

Michele Reneau

State Representative, District 27