February 18th, 2026

Tennessee Senate
Cordell Hull Building
425 Rep. John Lewis Way N.
Nashville, TN 37243

In re: The Log Cabin Republicans of Tennessee Oppose SB 1424 & its Unconstitutional Regulatory Overreach

Dear Committee Members,

The Log Cabin Republicans of Tennessee (LCRTN) today issues a formal statement in opposition to Senate Bill 1424, currently pending in the General Assembly. As an organization dedicated to limited government, individual liberty, and the protection of constitutional rights, we believe SB 1424 represents a dangerous expansion of state power that threatens Tennessee’s small businesses and the fundamental right to free expression.

While SB 1424 is drafted under the guise of content neutrality, its practical application is far from it. By removing the "predominant business" threshold, this bill would allow the state to reclassify mainstream bars, retail shops, and event spaces as "adult-oriented establishments" for hosting even a single performance or carrying incidental inventory.

SB 1424 is a classic example of legislative overreach. In and around Nashville, our vibrant business community thrives on diversity and entertainment. This bill creates a regulatory minefield for small business owners who may host artistic performances, including drag, that do not meet any legal definition of obscenity or adult cabaret. To subject these entrepreneurs to the same zoning and licensing burdens as strip clubs is not just bad policy—it is an affront to the conservative principle of keeping government out of the private sector.

LCRTN opposes SB 1424 for the following reasons:

• Economic Impact: The bill threatens the hospitality and tourism sectors of Nashville and other Tennessee cities by placing impossible regulatory burdens on venues that host diverse cultural events.
• Unconstitutional Breadth: The bill’s vague and over-broad language "chills" protected speech. Under both the U.S. and Tennessee Constitutions, the government cannot use licensing as a tool to suppress expression it finds unfashionable.
• Targeted Enforcement: While carefully worded to appear neutral, the clear intent of this bill is to revive failed attempts to restrict drag performances—performances that have a rich history of artistic expression and do not inherently constitute "adult entertainment."

We call upon our fellow Republicans in the General Assembly to uphold the values of the Tennessee Constitution and reject this bill. We should be focused on expanding economic freedom and protecting the rights of all Tennesseans, not creating new bureaucracies to police performance art

Respectfully,

The Log Cabin Republicans of Tennessee