Steve Southerland

Introduced the Tennessee Waste to Jobs Act, proposing to make packaging producers fund and run statewide recycling, reuse, and composting programs (Senate Bill 269). A Senate committee backed it 8-1 in March 2026, then sent it to a general subcommittee.

March 11, 2026Supports Environment and Public Health

Source: wapp.capitol.tn.gov · researched July 18, 2026

Voted to pass HB 1971, which narrows the law letting people ask a court to declare a government action unlawful to local bodies. The Tennessee Senate passed it 18-13, and it became law.

April 2, 2026Opposes Anti-Corruption

Source: legiscan.com · researched September 6, 2026

Voted to pass HB 618, which bars a person from holding two local elected offices at the same time. The Tennessee Senate passed it 21-10, and it became law.

February 26, 2026Supports Anti-Corruption

Source: legiscan.com · researched September 6, 2026

Southerland sponsored local legislation that abolished the Hamblen County Road Commission effective August 31, 2028.

April 15, 2026Supports Government Efficiency

Source: wapp.capitol.tn.gov · researched July 18, 2026

Voted to pass HB 2219, which requires every county sheriff to sign a federal 287(g) immigration enforcement deal. The Tennessee Senate passed it 24-7, and it became law.

April 23, 2026Opposes Immigration

Source: legiscan.com · researched September 6, 2026

Voted to accept the House's version of Senate Bill 1915, which makes counties and cities verify adult benefit applicants are citizens or legally present. The Senate agreed 24-6 and it became law as Public Chapter 1106.

April 22, 2026Opposes Immigration

Source: legiscan.com · researched August 27, 2026

Voted to pass HB 2502, which applies sales tax to sending money abroad through a licensed money transmitter. The Tennessee Senate passed it 21-7, and it became law.

April 16, 2026Opposes Immigration

Source: legiscan.com · researched September 6, 2026

Voted to pass SB 6002, which creates a state immigration enforcement office directing how local police work with federal agents. The Tennessee Senate passed it 26-7, and it became law.

January 29, 2025Opposes Immigration

Source: legiscan.com · researched September 6, 2026

Southerland sponsored Senate Bill 2606 to provide round-hay-baling machines through Tennessee's agricultural enhancement program under specified conditions.

February 5, 2026Opposes Government Spending Reduction

Source: wapp.capitol.tn.gov · researched July 18, 2026

Introduced a bill making it a Class B misdemeanor to approach within 25 feet of a first responder after a warning, intending to interfere, threaten, or harass (Senate Bill 979).

February 12, 2025Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: wapp.capitol.tn.gov · researched July 18, 2026

Sponsored a Tennessee Senate bill raising from 30 to 45 days the time a tenant who is a victim of domestic abuse, sexual assault, or stalking and the landlord have to agree on a date to end the lease (Senate Bill 967). It stalled in a Senate Commerce and Labor subcommittee.

March 18, 2025Supports Housing Affordability

Source: wapp.capitol.tn.gov · researched July 18, 2026

Voted to pass SB 1868, which caps state custody of a child for treatment at six months, extendable once. The Tennessee Senate passed it 22-11, and it became law.

April 15, 2026Supports Social Programs and Welfare

Source: legiscan.com · researched September 6, 2026

Southerland sponsored Senate Bill 966 to expand purchasable military-service credit in the Tennessee Consolidated Retirement System.

April 14, 2025Supports Social Programs and Welfare

Source: wapp.capitol.tn.gov · researched July 18, 2026

Southerland sponsored Senate Bill 987 to exempt certain disabled-veteran and military-award vehicles from airport parking fees.

February 12, 2025Supports Social Programs and Welfare

Source: wapp.capitol.tn.gov · researched July 18, 2026

Southerland sponsored Senate Bill 2598 to expand education-freedom-scholarship eligibility to students enrolled in out-of-district public schools.

April 20, 2026Supports Public Education Quality

Source: wapp.capitol.tn.gov · researched July 18, 2026

Southerland sponsored Senate Bill 972 to require video surveillance in special-education classrooms subject to parental request and approval.

February 12, 2025Supports Public Education Quality

Source: wapp.capitol.tn.gov · researched July 18, 2026

Voted to pass SB 2028, which bars cities and counties from setting rules on how wildlife may be taken. The Tennessee Senate passed it 24-7, and it became law.

March 12, 2026Opposes Gun Control

Source: legiscan.com · researched September 6, 2026

Southerland sponsored enacted Senate Bill 981 authorizing Hamblen County to participate in the convenience-voting-center pilot project.

May 13, 2025Supports Election Integrity

Source: wapp.capitol.tn.gov · researched July 18, 2026

Voted to pass HB 1271, which requires cities and counties to define sex and gender in their rules by physical traits at birth. The Tennessee Senate passed it 24-6, and it became law.

April 22, 2026Opposes Civil Rights

Source: legiscan.com · researched September 6, 2026

Voted to pass HB 754, which makes gender clinics report every gender transition procedure to the state. The Tennessee Senate passed it 24-7, and it became law.

April 13, 2026Opposes Civil Rights

Source: legiscan.com · researched September 6, 2026

Voted to pass HB 601, which opens a late-stage innocence appeal to people who pleaded guilty. The Tennessee Senate passed it 24-6, and it became law.

April 10, 2025Supports Civil Rights

Source: legiscan.com · researched September 6, 2026

Voted for the Senate version of Senate Bill 336, which changed the child support condition for restoring voting rights to twelve months of compliance. The Senate passed it 24-8, and a later House rewrite became law.

April 10, 2025Supports Civil Rights

Source: legiscan.com · researched August 27, 2026

Voted to pass HB 1237, which bars race-based rules for who sits on state boards. The Tennessee Senate passed it 24-6, and it became law.

March 31, 2025Opposes Civil Rights

Source: legiscan.com · researched September 6, 2026

Southerland sponsored enacted legislation regulating virtual-currency kiosks, effective July 1, 2026 as Public Chapter 739.

July 1, 2026Supports Corporate Accountability

Source: tnsenategop.com · researched July 18, 2026

Voted to pass HB 2175, which makes delivery companies and drivers carry set car insurance while logged on and while delivering. The Tennessee Senate passed it 19-9, and it became law.

April 23, 2026Supports Corporate Accountability

Source: legiscan.com · researched September 6, 2026

Southerland sponsored Senate Bill 1124 to require solar sellers and installers to prove the serving utility offers net metering before contracting.

February 12, 2025Supports Corporate Accountability

Source: wapp.capitol.tn.gov · researched July 18, 2026

Southerland sponsored enacted Senate Bill 970 concerning transfer and oversight of municipal water and wastewater systems, which became Public Chapter 283.

April 28, 2025Supports Public Infrastructure

Source: wapp.capitol.tn.gov · researched July 18, 2026

Southerland serves as Senate Deputy Speaker and chaplain of the Senate Republican Caucus.

July 17, 2026

Source: wapp.capitol.tn.gov · researched July 18, 2026

Steve Southerland has served in the Tennessee Senate from the 103rd through the current 114th General Assembly.

July 17, 2026

Source: wapp.capitol.tn.gov · researched July 18, 2026

Voted against Senate Bill 2040, which bars an owner from controlling a pharmacy plus both a health insurer and drug-benefit manager from 2028. The Tennessee Senate passed it 24-9, and it became law.

April 20, 2026

Source: legiscan.com · researched August 27, 2026

Voted against HB 1194, which extends the work authorization law to almost every private employer. The Tennessee Senate passed it 19-13, and it became law.

March 12, 2026

Source: legiscan.com · researched September 6, 2026

Southerland sponsored Senate Bill 2603 to exempt food and food ingredients purchased by Tennessee residents age 65 or older from sales tax.

March 10, 2026

Source: wapp.capitol.tn.gov · researched July 18, 2026

Voted against HB 773, which requires websites carrying official legal notices to be free to view. The Tennessee Senate passed it 23-8, and it became law.

April 22, 2025

Source: legiscan.com · researched September 6, 2026

Voted against House Bill 1093, which raises the penalty for machine gun conversion parts to a Class C felony. The Tennessee Senate passed it 23-8, and it became law.

April 22, 2025

Source: legiscan.com · researched August 27, 2026

Southerland sponsored enacted Senate Bill 978 changing statutory references from adult day care to adult day services; it became Public Chapter 87.

April 4, 2025

Source: wapp.capitol.tn.gov · researched July 18, 2026

Southerland sponsored Senate Bill 986 to return half of recordation-tax revenue to the county where the real property is located.

February 12, 2025

Source: wapp.capitol.tn.gov · researched July 18, 2026

Southerland won the 2022 Tennessee Senate District 9 general election with 39,113 votes.

November 8, 2022

Source: multistate.us · researched July 18, 2026