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Tennessee Senate Passes Women’s Safety Act, Birth-Sex Facilities

4/23/2026

Summary

Story summary

The Riley Gaines Women’s Safety and Protection Act passed the Tennessee Senate, awaits Bill Lee’s signature and is effective July 1 2026.
Rep. Gino Bulso says the law protects girls’ and women’s privacy by assigning facilities based on sex at birth.
Analyst Bean Chapman warns the measure removes flexibility and could affect transgender people, noting fewer than 60 transgender inmates among 20,000 prisoners and no transgender juveniles in a Hamilton County audit.

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Story summary

The Riley Gaines Women’s Safety and Protection Act passed the Tennessee Senate, awaits Bill Lee’s signature and is effective July 1 2026.
Rep. Gino Bulso says the law protects girls’ and women’s privacy by assigning facilities based on sex at birth.
Analyst Bean Chapman warns the measure removes flexibility and could affect transgender people, noting fewer than 60 transgender inmates among 20,000 prisoners and no transgender juveniles in a Hamilton County audit.