NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee House of Representatives today passed legislation by State Rep. Gino Bulso, R-Brentwood, to preserve religious liberty and the sanctity of marriage in the Volunteer State. House Bill 1473 would clarify that private citizens and organizations are not bound by the Fourteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution or by the U.S. […]
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee House of Representatives today passed legislation by State Rep. Gino Bulso, R-Brentwood, to preserve religious liberty and the sanctity of marriage in the Volunteer State.
House Bill 1473 would clarify that private citizens and organizations are not bound by the Fourteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution or by the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2015 decision in Obergefell v. Hodges, which legalized marriage between members of the same sex. The proposal recognizes that while Obergefell is the law of the land, it applies only to public actors, including the state and political subdivisions.
“The overwhelming majority of Tennesseans already affirmed what we have known for all of history: marriage is between one man and one woman,” said Bulso. “This legislation protects religious liberty in the Volunteer State by clarifying that private citizens can never be forced to recognize any other definition. I’m grateful to my Republican colleagues for standing with me to defend the common-sense values that have shaped our state and nation.”
House Bill 1473 would prohibit the Board of Judicial Conduct from disciplining or sanctioning judicial officers for declining to celebrate or officiate a marriage inconsistent with Tennessee’s traditional definition of marriage. The proposal bolsters the Volunteer State’s fundamental principle that the government cannot compel someone to act against their beliefs.
Tennessee law defines marriage as between one man and one woman. In 2006, more than 81% of Tennesseans voted in favor of amending the Tennessee constitution to add that marriage is between a man and a woman. In 2024, Tennessee Republicans approved legislation clarifying that any person has the option to object to solemnizing marriages based on personal or religious beliefs.
The Volunteer State consistently ranks among the best in the nation for protecting the religious liberties of residents.
House Bill 1473 will now be considered in the Senate. If approved, it will take effect July 1.
State Rep. Gino Bulso represents District 61 in the Tennessee House of Representatives, which includes part of Williamson County.