On April 22nd, the state legislature wrapped up the first year of the 114th Tennessee General Assembly session. This year was another great testament to the strength of the Tennessee disability community. Not only strength but also the capacity to diagnose what ails the state and to come up with novel solutions to help address those needs. We know what we need, and we’re not afraid to ask (and sometimes demand) a solution.

While the General Assembly scrambles to adjourn by their self-imposed (court-imposed?) deadline of April 17th, things are winding down for us advocates. Most bills are eyeing their final destinations for the year, with some being passed, others failing and yet others just waiting till next year. We’re not quite done, but we’re doing a bit of all of it (besides failing).

Less than 2 weeks, dear reader. That’s all we’ve got remaining in this session. We know this because the General Assembly, for the first time in my (short) stint at Cordell Hull, have a hard-stop date: April 17th. Here's what happened this past week: 

Check out our new workshop series: What Now? How to Stay Engaged After Disability Day on the Hill (DDH). These workshops will help you continue to grow your advocacy and civic engagement beyond DDH.

I believe in good things, dear reader. I believe in the long arc of justice, and I believe in “we shall overcome”, I believe in a righteous order of things. But it’s hard to hold those beliefs sometimes, and it’s hard today. What’s easy to believe in though, at this moment in time, is you, dear readers.

On March 19, 2025, the United States Justice Department announced that they were rescinding (removing) 11 pieces of guidance related to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The ADA, a bipartisan piece of legislation that passed in 1990, prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in various areas of public life, including employment, transportation, public accommodations, and access to state and local government programs.