Tennessee Bill Expanding the Definition of Indecent Exposure (SB 1297)

SB 1297 would expand the definition of “indecent exposure” to include incidents occurring in a restroom, locker room, dressing room, or shower, designated for single-sex, multi-person use, if the offender is a member of the opposite sex than the sex designated for use.

The bill would prohibit any medical, psychiatric, or psychological diagnosis of gender dysphoria, gender confusion, or similar conditions, from serving as a defense to the offense of indecent exposure.

If passed, transgender individuals would be at risk of conviction for using public accommodations that conform to their gender identity.

Update #1

The companion bill—HB 1151—was amended, passed, and signed into law. The law is described below:

HB 1151 redefines “public place” for purposes of the offense of indecent exposure.

Current law defines “public place” to mean a place to which the public or a group of persons has access and includes, but is not limited to, highways, transportation facilities, schools, places of amusement, parks, places of business, playgrounds and hallways, lobbies and other portions of apartment houses and hotels not constituting rooms or apartments designed for actual residence.

This bill redefines “public place” for the purposes of the offense, to mean:

[…]a place to which the public or a group of persons has access and includes, but is not limited to, highways, transportation facilities, schools, places of amusement, parks, places of business, playgrounds and hallways, lobbies, and other portions of apartment houses and hotels not constituting rooms or apartments designed for actual residence, and a restroom, locker room, dressing room, or shower, designated for multi-person, single-sex use

Related Legislation

Companion bill to HB 1151, which was signed into law.

Latest Action

2/7/19 – Introduced.

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