Training for Government Employees Shouldn’t Be Optional

Tell the House Public Service Subcommittee to ensure that government employees can’t just pick and choose the training they receive.

The House Public Service Subcommittee will take up this bill on Wednesday, February 24 at 5:00 p.m.
(Last updated February 23, 2021. Current bill status is available here.)

SB 193/HB 372 allows government employees to opt-out of training – like implicit bias education – if an employee “objects” to the subject matter. Individual liberties are not violated when employees are required to learn more about their work and about the communities they serve. SB 193/HB 372 is particularly concerning with respect to law enforcement, who need more education, not less, about racial equity and systemic and institutional racism. Allowing individuals to opt-out of potentially valuable and life-saving training because they may disagree with it is an unnecessary and dangerous precedent.

Please call or email the following House Public Service Subcommittee members and urge them to vote NO on SB 193/HB 372.

Emails for all House Public Service Subcommittee members:

rep.rebecca.alexander@capitol.tn.gov; rep.esther.helton@capitol.tn.gov; rep.darren.jernigan@capitol.tn.gov; rep.curtis.johnson@capitol.tn.gov; rep.kelly.keisling@capitol.tn.gov;
rep.pat.marsh@capitol.tn.gov; rep.john.windle@capitol.tn.gov

Individual Contact Info for House Public Service Subcommittee members: