State House bill lets private businesses, citizens reject same-sex marriage

By , Special to The Daily Memphian Updated: February 19, 2026 5:39 PM CT | Published: February 19, 2026 5:36 PM CT

The Tennessee House of Representatives passed a bill Thursday, Feb. 19, that lets private businesses refuse to recognize same-sex couples.

Topics

Tennessee Legislature same-sex marriage Tennessee House of Representatives

Noah McLane

Noah McLane reports on the state house for The Daily Memphian. He was born and raised in Tennessee and attended journalism school at Middle Tennessee State University, where his passion for community-focused storytelling began.

Prior to writing for The Daily Memphian, Noah was the editor-in-chief of his college newspaper, worked on general assignment for the Jackson Hole News & Guide in Jackson, Wyoming, and was most recently an editorial intern at the Nashville Scene.


Comments

Want to comment on our stories or respond to others? Join the conversation by subscribing now. Only paid subscribers can add their thoughts or upvote/downvote comments. Our commenting policy can be viewed here