Richard M. Briggs
Republican · TN · Tennessee State Senator, District 7
Richard M. Briggs is the Republican incumbent for Tennessee Senate District 7. A physician and retired U.S. Army colonel, he has represented the district since 2014 and chairs the Senate State and Local Government Committee.
Campaign Finance Information — Tennessee Senate District 7
Campaign Finance Information · Tennessee Senate District 7 · August 6, 2026
Data last updated July 22, 2026
- Raised
- $65,400
Top disclosed occupations of direct donors
- PRESIDENT$9,300
- OWNER$8,900
- CEO$7,800
- HOMEMAKER$7,600
Show 1 more
- PHYSICIAN$4,050
Direct contributions by size
- $1,000-$4,999$48,000
- $500-$999$14,400
- $250-$499$1,550
- $100-$249$1,400
- $1-$99$50
Source: Tennessee Registry of Election Finance · 2026 cycle · apps.tn.gov
Track record
Anti-Corruption
· 1 record
Briggs sponsored Senate Bill 229, enacted in 2025, which made multiple changes to Tennessee campaign-finance laws.
May 15, 2025For
Source: wapp.capitol.tn.gov · researched July 18, 2026
Government Efficiency
· 4 records
For the 2026 campaign, Briggs identified cost of living and housing, workforce and higher-paying jobs, reduced regulation, and road congestion as priorities.
July 18, 2026For
Source: onyourballot.vote411.org · researched July 18, 2026
In the 114th General Assembly, Briggs chairs the Senate State and Local Government Committee, vice-chairs the Rules Committee, and serves on Transportation and Safety.
July 18, 2026For
Source: wapp.capitol.tn.gov · researched July 18, 2026
Briggs sponsored Senate Bill 1944, enacted in 2026, authorizing local governmental bodies to conduct certain community meetings electronically.
May 18, 2026For
Source: wapp.capitol.tn.gov · researched July 18, 2026
Briggs sponsored Senate Bill 624, enacted in 2026, generally prohibiting a local elected official from simultaneously holding another elected office in Tennessee.
March 23, 2026For
Source: wapp.capitol.tn.gov · researched July 18, 2026
Healthcare Affordability
· 2 records
Briggs sponsored Senate Bill 359, enacted in 2025, allowing confidential private advocacy orders that require certain healthcare-license applicants to participate in approved peer-assistance programs.
May 13, 2025For
Source: wapp.capitol.tn.gov · researched July 18, 2026
Briggs sponsored Senate Bill 940, enacted in 2025, extending overdose-related immunity from prosecution to specified alcohol offenses.
April 29, 2025For
Source: wapp.capitol.tn.gov · researched July 18, 2026
Public Safety and Crime Control
· 3 records
Briggs sponsored Senate Bill 2285, enacted in 2026, requiring school safety plans when an order of protection separates two students enrolled at the same public school.
May 4, 2026For
Source: wapp.capitol.tn.gov · researched July 18, 2026
Briggs sponsored Senate Bill 1415, enacted in 2025, creating felony penalties for knowingly exposing a child to fentanyl or related analogues.
May 27, 2025For
Source: wapp.capitol.tn.gov · researched July 18, 2026
Briggs sponsored Senate Bill 940, enacted in 2025, extending overdose-related immunity from prosecution to specified alcohol offenses.
April 29, 2025For
Source: wapp.capitol.tn.gov · researched July 18, 2026
Housing Affordability
· 1 record
For the 2026 campaign, Briggs identified cost of living and housing, workforce and higher-paying jobs, reduced regulation, and road congestion as priorities.
July 18, 2026For
Source: onyourballot.vote411.org · researched July 18, 2026
Public Education Quality
· 1 record
Briggs sponsored Senate Bill 2285, enacted in 2026, requiring school safety plans when an order of protection separates two students enrolled at the same public school.
May 4, 2026For
Source: wapp.capitol.tn.gov · researched July 18, 2026
Women's Reproductive Rights
· 2 records
Briggs sponsored Senate Bill 1004, enacted in 2025, clarifying the medical-emergency language in Tennessee's criminal-abortion statute.
April 29, 2025Against
Source: wapp.capitol.tn.gov · researched July 18, 2026
Briggs co-sponsored Tennessee's 2019 abortion trigger law and later acknowledged he had barely read it and did not expect it to take effect; after it did, he pushed to clarify medical exceptions and protections for patients and doctors.
November 15, 2022Against
Source: propublica.org · researched July 18, 2026
Election Integrity
· 4 records
Briggs sponsored Senate Bill 1922, enacted in 2026, requiring state and local government employers to verify prospective employees' work authorization through E-Verify.
April 27, 2026For
Source: wapp.capitol.tn.gov · researched July 18, 2026
Briggs sponsored Senate Bill 621, enacted in 2025, expanding campaign-finance reporting rules for corporate independent expenditures that expressly support or oppose candidates.
May 15, 2025For
Source: wapp.capitol.tn.gov · researched July 18, 2026
Briggs sponsored Senate Bill 229, enacted in 2025, which made multiple changes to Tennessee campaign-finance laws.
May 15, 2025For
Source: wapp.capitol.tn.gov · researched July 18, 2026
Briggs sponsored Senate Bill 626, enacted in 2025, prohibiting internet-connected voting machines and internet submission or tabulation of marked ballots while revising other election procedures.
May 13, 2025For
Source: wapp.capitol.tn.gov · researched July 18, 2026
Data Privacy
· 1 record
Briggs sponsored Senate Bill 626, enacted in 2025, prohibiting internet-connected voting machines and internet submission or tabulation of marked ballots while revising other election procedures.
May 13, 2025For
Source: wapp.capitol.tn.gov · researched July 18, 2026
Corporate Accountability
· 2 records
Briggs sponsored Senate Bill 621, enacted in 2025, expanding campaign-finance reporting rules for corporate independent expenditures that expressly support or oppose candidates.
May 15, 2025For
Source: wapp.capitol.tn.gov · researched July 18, 2026
Briggs sponsored Senate Bill 306, enacted in 2025, allowing administrative dissolution of entities that knowingly file materially false information or are controlled by a designated foreign adversary.
April 8, 2025For
Source: wapp.capitol.tn.gov · researched July 18, 2026
Public Infrastructure
· 2 records
For the 2026 campaign, Briggs identified cost of living and housing, workforce and higher-paying jobs, reduced regulation, and road congestion as priorities.
July 18, 2026For
Source: onyourballot.vote411.org · researched July 18, 2026
In the 114th General Assembly, Briggs chairs the Senate State and Local Government Committee, vice-chairs the Rules Committee, and serves on Transportation and Safety.
July 18, 2026For
Source: wapp.capitol.tn.gov · researched July 18, 2026
General
· 5 records
Briggs won the 2022 District 7 general election with 32,925 votes against Bryan Langan's 19,894.
November 8, 2022
Source: sos-prod.tnsosgovfiles.com · researched July 18, 2026
Briggs has represented Tennessee Senate District 7 in the 109th through 114th General Assemblies, beginning in 2014.
November 4, 2014
Source: wapp.capitol.tn.gov · researched July 18, 2026
Briggs retired as a colonel in the United States Army after service that included work as a combat surgeon and commander.
November 4, 2014
Source: onyourballot.vote411.org · researched July 18, 2026
Before joining the Senate, Briggs served seven years on the Knox County Commission and held leadership roles with a local medical society and hospital board.
November 4, 2014
Source: onyourballot.vote411.org · researched July 18, 2026
Richard Briggs was born December 7, 1952, earned an M.D. from the University of Kentucky, and works as a physician.
December 7, 1952
Source: wapp.capitol.tn.gov · researched July 18, 2026
Integrity and Ethics
· 3 records
Briggs sponsored Senate Bill 624, enacted in 2026, generally prohibiting a local elected official from simultaneously holding another elected office in Tennessee.
March 23, 2026
Source: wapp.capitol.tn.gov · researched July 18, 2026
Briggs sponsored Senate Bill 623, enacted in 2025, requiring the Office of Open Records Counsel to facilitate meetings of the Advisory Committee on Open Government.
May 13, 2025
Source: wapp.capitol.tn.gov · researched July 18, 2026
Briggs co-sponsored Tennessee's 2019 abortion trigger law and later acknowledged he had barely read it and did not expect it to take effect; after it did, he pushed to clarify medical exceptions and protections for patients and doctors.
November 15, 2022
Source: propublica.org · researched July 18, 2026
Elections
- Tennessee Senate District 7 · August 6, 2026 · State Senate District 7; Tennessee · incumbent
Profile last researched July 18, 2026.