Brent Taylor
Republican · TN · Tennessee State Senator, District 31
Brent Taylor is a funeral director who served on the Memphis City Council and as Shelby County Commission chairman before joining the Tennessee Senate in 2023. His stated priorities include immigration enforcement, tougher bail rules, and lower living costs.
Where Brent Taylor stands, based on their records
Supports
Government Spending Reduction (1 record), Public Safety and Crime Control (3 records), Social Programs and Welfare (1 record),
Opposes
Immigration (5 records), Civil Rights (4 records)
Mixed record
Anti-Corruption (5 support · 1 oppose), Gun Control (1 support · 1 oppose)
Track record
Track record — Anti-Corruption
Anti-Corruption · 5 support · 1 oppose
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
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
Filed a series of formal complaints with the Tennessee Board of Professional Responsibility and the Tennessee Board of Judicial Conduct seeking the removal of Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy. The state closed the fifth of those complaints without action on September 5, 2025, leaving all five of his filings dismissed.
September 5, 2025Supports Anti-Corruption
Source: actionnews5.com
Voted to pass 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, 2025Supports Anti-Corruption
Source: legiscan.com
Voted to adopt the compromise version of SB 229, which charges political campaign committees a $150 yearly fee. The Tennessee Senate adopted it 23-6, and it became law.
April 22, 2025Supports Anti-Corruption
Source: legiscan.com
Sponsored Senate Resolution 120, which the Tennessee Senate approved on April 16, 2025, asking the Tennessee Supreme Court to establish a judicial review committee to investigate three elected district attorneys general, including Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy.
April 16, 2025Supports Anti-Corruption
Source: actionnews5.com
Track record — Immigration
Immigration · 5 oppose
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
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
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
Voted to pass 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, 2026Opposes Immigration
Source: legiscan.com
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
Track record — Government Spending Reduction
Government Spending Reduction · 1 support
Sponsored SB 2128, which became law in May 2026 (Public Chapter 961). It bars cities and electric utilities from covering the cost of power lines and equipment built to serve data centers. The Senate passed it 28-0.
May 18, 2026Supports Government Spending Reduction
Source: wapp.capitol.tn.gov
Track record — Public Safety and Crime Control
Public Safety and Crime Control · 3 support
Sponsored legislation in the Senate requiring the Shelby County district attorney to report to the state attorney general, legislative speakers and the U.S. Attorney whenever a serious Memphis Safe Task Force case ends in a plea, a lowered charge or a dismissal. The Senate passed the bill 27-5 and the House 74-21, sending it to the Governor as reported on April 13, 2026.
April 13, 2026Supports Public Safety and Crime Control
Source: tennesseelookout.com
Served as prime Senate sponsor of SB2565 in the 113th General Assembly, which prohibited magistrates from considering a defendant's ability to pay when setting the amount of bail. The bill passed the Senate 27-4 and the House 74-20, and was enacted as Public Chapter 869, signed by the Governor on May 13, 2024.
May 13, 2024Supports Public Safety and Crime Control
Source: wapp.capitol.tn.gov
Served as prime Senate sponsor of SB2562 in the 113th General Assembly, which revised pretrial release law to make the safety of the community the magistrate's first consideration when setting conditions of release or bail. The measure was enacted as Public Chapter 612 and signed by the Governor on April 3, 2024, after passing the Senate 32-0.
April 3, 2024Supports Public Safety and Crime Control
Source: wapp.capitol.tn.gov
Track record — Social Programs and Welfare
Social Programs and Welfare · 1 support
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
Track record — Public Education Quality
Public Education Quality · 1 support
Sponsored SB 714, which became law in May 2026 (Public Chapter 1057). It set up a state-appointed oversight board over Memphis-Shelby County Schools' budget, contracts and major decisions. The Senate passed the final version 27-6.
May 27, 2026Supports Public Education Quality
Source: wapp.capitol.tn.gov
Track record — Gun Control
Gun Control · 1 support · 1 oppose
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
Voted for 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, 2025Supports Gun Control
Source: legiscan.com
Track record — Civil Rights
Civil Rights · 4 oppose
Voted for HB 7003, the new U.S. House map that split Memphis's majority-minority 9th District across three districts. The Senate passed it 25-5 in a May 2026 special session.
May 7, 2026Opposes Civil Rights
Source: wapp.capitol.tn.gov
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
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
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
Track record — Corporate Accountability
Corporate Accountability · 2 support
Sponsored SB 2128, which became law in May 2026 (Public Chapter 961). It bars cities and electric utilities from covering the cost of power lines and equipment built to serve data centers. The Senate passed it 28-0.
May 18, 2026Supports Corporate Accountability
Source: wapp.capitol.tn.gov
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
Track record — General
General · 6 records
Received the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's endorsement in the 2026 race for Tennessee's 9th Congressional District.
August 4, 2026
Source: uschamber.com
Received an endorsement from President Donald Trump on July 13, 2026.
July 13, 2026
Source: wreg.com
Received endorsements from U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn and Bill Hagerty on May 7, 2026.
May 7, 2026
Source: tennesseestar.com
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
Voted against 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, 2025
Source: legiscan.com
Voted against 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, 2025
Source: legiscan.com
Past races Brent Taylor ran in:
- Tennessee Senate District 31 · November 3, 2026 · State Senate District 31; Tennessee · incumbent
- United States Representative, Congressional District 9 · November 3, 2026 · Congressional District 9, Tennessee
- Tennessee Senate District 31 · August 6, 2026 · State Senate District 31; Tennessee · incumbent