On May 12, 2025, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee signed into law House Bill 910/Senate Bill 860 which dissolved the Tennessee Human Rights Commission (THRC), the state agency responsible for enforcing anti-discrimination laws and promoting equal opportunity in Tennessee, on Monday, June 30, 2025. The THRC was established in 1963 as a nonpartisan and independent agency responsible for enforcing civil rights laws in employment, housing and public accommodation as well as discrimination claims against the state of Tennessee. The lawmakers who supported the measure argue that this change of authority will reduce bureaucratic inefficiencies and make investigating discrimination complaints more efficient.
On July 1, 2025, the enforcement of the Tennessee Human Rights Act and the Tennessee Disability Act transfered to a newly created Division of Civil Rights Enforcement within the Office of the Attorney General (AG) and Reporter. During this transition period, the THRC transfered all new inquiries of alleged discrimination to the AG’s Office. The AG assumed full authority in receiving inquiries on July 1, 2025. Any current complaint that is pending before the THRC was dismissed on June 30, 2025. Individuals who have their complaints dismissed will need to re-file their complaints with the Division of Civil Rights Enforcement within 90 days of July 1, 2025.
While the THRC will dissolve, the Tennessee Human Rights Act will remain intact, and any alleged violations of the Act can still be pursued either through the newly-created Division of Civil Rights Enforcement, or directly in state courts (since the Tennessee Human Rights Act does not require administrative exhaustion). THRC’s Executive Director Muriel Nolen has remarked that THRC is hopeful that “the AG’s Office will continue [Commission’s] work and uphold the civil rights and responsibilities for all Tennesseans.”
Finally, the dissolution of the THRC has no impact on exhausting administrative remedies for federal employment claims under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, all of which must first be filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). Employees who wish to pursue federal claims will still be required to file a charge of discrimination with the EEOC within 300 days of the alleged violation.
