‘EVERY PERSON IS WELCOME’

Nashville DA Says He Won’t Enforce New Tennessee Trans Bathroom Bill

Nashville DA Glenn Funk said of the business bathroom bill recently signed into law by Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, “My office will not promote hate.”

Last week, Tennessee became the first state in America to pass a bill that requires businesses to erect signs making clear if they allow trans people to use multi-person bathrooms. Now Nashville District Attorney Glenn Funk has told Tennessee Governor Bill Lee that he has no intention of enforcing the bill, known as HB 1182/SB 1224, which is set to become law on July 1.

“I believe every person is welcome and valued in Nashville,” Funk said in a statement, quoted by the Associated Press. “Enforcement of transphobic or homophobic laws is contrary to those values. My office will not promote hate.”

“I think his decision will be his own,” Lee reportedly responded. “I signed the law; it’s his decision how he wants to respond to it.”

As The Daily Beast has previously reported, in its current legislative session Tennessee has enacted the highest number of discriminatory bills—5 out of a total 12 anti-LGBTQ bills (only Texas filed more bills in its legislative session). LGBTQ advocacy organization the Human Rights Campaign called Tennessee’s bills “the slate of hate.”

Governor Lee also signed HB 1233 into law, which denies transgender students access to the school bathroom and locker rooms consistent with their gender identity, alongside SB 228, an anti-transgender sports ban, SB 1229, an anti-LGBTQ education bill, and SB 126, which bans doctors from providing gender-affirming hormone treatment to prepubescent minors.

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Tim TeemanSenior Editor and Writer

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