The Tennessee House began its 2026 legislative session by advancing a bill that would significantly expand restrictions on drag performances, drawing immediate criticism from LGBTQ+ advocates, including the Tennessee Equality Project, who warned the measure could broadly impact performers and venues across the state.
The House voted Tuesday to approve House Bill 884, legislation that would reclassify businesses as adult-oriented establishments if they host even a single drag performance or sexually related show within a year. The bill passed 73–24 and now moves to the Tennessee Senate for consideration.
If enacted, the measure would subject affected businesses to zoning restrictions typically applied to adult establishments, including a requirement that they operate at least 1,000 feet away from schools, parks, churches, residences, childcare facilities and family recreation centers. Critics argue the threshold would significantly limit where drag shows could legally be held, even on an occasional basis.
The bill was introduced by Republican Rep. Chris Todd of Madison County. Todd has previously supported legislation aimed at limiting drag performances in public-facing spaces and was behind a 2023 law that restricted drag shows in areas where children could be present.
That earlier law faced a legal challenge from Friends of George’s, a Memphis-based theater group. While a federal judge initially blocked the measure, an appeals court later reversed the ruling, finding the group lacked standing. The U.S. Supreme Court declined to take up the case, allowing the law to remain in effect.
As lawmakers convened, opponents of the new bill gathered at the Capitol, holding signs and protesting inside the building. During floor debate, House Speaker Cameron Sexton directed state troopers to remove several people from the public gallery for disrupting proceedings.
Chris Sanders, executive director of the Tennessee Equality Project, criticized lawmakers for beginning the session with the bill. “This is the wrong bill to start the legislative session with. It sets the wrong priority,” Sanders said. He also warned that “the bill’s vagueness will make it difficult for local governments to enforce, and performers and businesses will have trouble figuring out whether they’re complying.”
Democratic Rep. Justin Jones of Nashville also criticized the decision to prioritize the measure, calling it “a veneer of hate to try to demonize another,” and describing it as a response to a “non-existent threat.”
Supporters of the bill have framed it as a clarification of existing law governing adult-oriented businesses. Opponents argue the bill treats drag performances as inherently sexual, raising concerns about free expression and LGBTQ+ cultural events.
The Senate has yet to act on its version of the legislation. A similar proposal stalled during the 2025 session, leaving the outcome of the current bill uncertain.
For LGBTQ+ performers and allies, the House vote signals that drag remains a central target in Tennessee’s legislative agenda, even as legal challenges and public opposition continue.