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Government responses to and political effects of the coronavirus pandemic, 2020 (Tennessee)

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Responses by state

Ballotpedia’s coverage of COVID-19 includes how federal, state, and local governments are responding, and how those responses are influencing election rules and operations, political campaigns, the economy, schools, and more.

This article contains coverage of eight kinds of state government responses to the coronavirus pandemic in 2020. The article tracks developments in these areas that took place between the start of the pandemic in March 2020 through Dec. 4, 2020. The government responses covered here include:

Additionally, the article includes:

To view current coverage areas, including mask requirements, school responses, travel restrictions, and much more, click a state in the map below.

Documenting_STATE%27s_path_to_recovery_from_the_coronavirus_(COVID-19)_pandemic,_2020-2021


Changes to election dates and procedures, March 16 through November 19

See also: Changes to election dates, procedures, and administration in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020

General election changes

Tennessee modified its absentee/mail-in voting procedures and voter identification rules for the November 3, 2020, general election as follows:

  • Absentee/mail-in voting: Individuals "with a special vulnerability to COVID-19" and "caretakers for individuals with a special vulnerability to COVID-19" were deemed to meet the existing statutory criteria for absentee voting eligibility. A law requiring first-time voters to vote in person was temporarily suspended.

For a full timeline about election modifications made in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, click here.

Primary election changes

Tennessee made no changes to its primary election.

For a full timeline about election modifications made in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, click here.

Click the gray bar below for more detailed information.


Statewide stay-at-home order, March 23 through December 4

See also: States with lockdown and stay-at-home orders in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020

On March 30, Gov. Bill Lee (R) issued Executive Order 22, which directed individuals in Tennessee to stay home except for essential activities and closed nonessential businesses in the state.[6] The stay-at-home order took effect March 31 and lasted until April 14. On April 13, Lee announced he was extending the stay-at-home order through April 30.[7]

Executive Order 22 contains an attachment that lists out all services that are considered essential. Executive Order 22 is embedded below.

Executive orders, March 30 through June 29

See also: Executive orders issued by governors and state agencies in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020


Court closures, March 17 through November 4

See also: State court closures in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020
  • May 27, 2020: The Tennessee Supreme Court extended the suspension of jury trials through July 3.[8]
  • April 24, 2020: The Tennessee Supreme Court extended restrictions on in-person proceedings through May 31 and suspension of jury trials through June 3.[9]
  • March 25, 2020: Tennessee Supreme Court extended their original March 14 order through April 30. They further ordered local presiding judges to develop a written plan to address issues regarding the incarceration of nonviolent offenders to reduce the jail population by March 30.[10]
  • March 14, 2020: Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Sharon Lee ordered in-person hearings to be suspended through March 31.[11]

Legislative session changes, March 20 through October 1

See also: Changes to state legislative session dates in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020

The Tennessee State Legislature suspended its session, effective March 19, 2020, until June 1, 2020. The legislature adjourned on June 19, 2020. A special session convened on August 10, 2020, and adjourned on August 12, 2020.[12]

Proposed and enacted legislation, March 25 through August 19

See also: State laws in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020

See below for a complete list of bills related to the coronavirus pandemic in Tennessee. To learn more about a particular bill, click its title. This information is provided by BillTrack50 and LegiScan.

Rent, mortgage, eviction, and foreclosure policies, April 9 through November 24

See also: Changes to rent, mortgage, eviction, and foreclosure policies in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020



Prison inmate release responses, March 30 through July 1

See also: State and local governments that released prison inmates in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020
  • Between March 30 and July 1, Tennessee did not make an announcement concerning the release of incarcerated individuals due to coronavirus on a state level. A few counties released incarcerated individuals due to coronavirus on the local level.[15]


Debate in Tennessee over responses to the coronavirus

See also: Debate in Tennessee over responses to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020

Ballotpedia is covering the debate over continuing restrictions and closures in Tennessee in response to the coronavirus pandemic. Click on the links below to read more about these debates.

Status of industries, May 15 through July 31

Between May 15 and July 31, we conducted detailed tracking of industries and activities in each state daily.

  • "Yes" means an activity was allowed or an industry was permitted to open. "No" means an activity was not allowed or an industry was not permitted to reopen.
  • Some rules were applied regionally rather than statewide. Each cell shows the loosest restriction in place at the time, or the broadest level of an activity permitted in the state, even if that activity was only permitted regionally. Where applicable, we indicated that an activity was only permitted regionally, and provided details in a cell note. For example, if gyms were permitted to open in half of a state, the spreadsheet would say "Yes (regionally)," and differences between the regions would be explained in a note.
  • A lack of detail in a note or parentheses does not necessarily mean that an activity or industry was "back to normal." We did our best to capture caveats, exceptions, and modifications to activities. We acknowledge, though, that states put forth a large number of requirements for many industries and activities.

Initial reopening plan from March and April 2020 closures

Tennessee released an initial reopening plan from March and April 2020 closures on April 20, 2020. An analysis of this plan appeared in our Documenting America's Path to Recovery newsletter on May 28. The sections below include an analysis of the plan, the details of the plan, and reactions from officials to the plan.

Summary from Documenting America's Path to Recovery

See also: Documenting America's Path to Recovery: May 28, 2020

On April 20, Gov. Bill Lee (R) announced that he would allow Tennessee's stay-at-home order to expire on April 30. He also announced that the majority of businesses across 89 of Tennessee's 95 counties would be allowed to reopen effective May 1.

The six counties exempted from Lee's announcement were Shelby, Madison, Davidson, Hamilton, Knox, and Sullivan. Lee said, "While I am not extending the safer-at-home order past the end of April, we are working directly with our major metropolitan areas to ensure they are in a position to reopen as soon and safely as possible. Social distancing works, and as we open our economy it will be more important than ever that we keep social distancing as lives and livelihoods depend on it."

On April 24, Lee unveiled the first version of the Tennessee Pledge, a set of guidelines from the Tennessee Economic Recovery Group establishing the phased reopening of state businesses. The Tennessee Economic Recovery Group's members include state legislators, officials from the state's executive departments, and business leaders. The Group's chairman is Mark Ezell, commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development.

Context

  • On March 30, Lee signed Executive Order 22, which urged Tennesseeans to remain at home unless carrying out essential tasks and closed non-essential businesses. The order took effect on March 31 and was originally set to expire on April 14. On April 2, Lee signed Executive Order 23, which amended the original stay-at-home order and required residents to stay home. On April 13, Lee issued Executive Order 27, which extended the stay-at-home order through April 30, at which time it was allowed to expire.
  • As of May 27, Tennessee had 21,306 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 353 confirmed fatalities. Tennessee's estimated population, as of July 2019, was 6.8 million. For every 100,000 residents, the state 312.0 confirmed cases and 5.2 confirmed fatalities.
  • Tennessee is a Republican trifecta, with a Republican governor and Republican majorities in both chambers of the state legislature.

Plan details

Tennessee Pledge provides the following general guidelines for all businesses

Employers:

  • Allow employees to work from home whenever possible.
  • Screen employees returning to work for COVID-19 symptoms (including temperature screening).
  • Direct employees exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms to leave immediately and seek medical care.
  • Implement workplace disinfection and cleaning practices.
  • Implement social distancing guidelines and modified scheduling.
  • Update employee illness policies.
  • Limit self-service options.
  • Publish extensive signage on health policies.

Employees:

  • Stay at home when feeling ill.
  • Practice social distancing and proper hygiene.
  • Wear a cloth face covering when working with the public.
  • Abide by employer guidelines.

Businesses have reopened as follows. Industry-specific guidance and recommendations can be accessed by clicking on an industry name.

May 1:

May 6:

  • Close-contact businesses, including barbershops, hair salons, nail salons, spas, tanning salons, body-art facilities, and massage services (50% capacity; appointment only).

May 8:

  • Small-group, non-contact recreation businesses, including bowling alleys, arcades, and water sports, and others (this category does not include theaters, concert and live performance venues, racetracks, amusement parks, or indoor children's play areas).

May 22:

Shelby, Madison, Davidson, Hamilton, Knox, and Sullivan counties are reopening under local-level plans.

Compliance Lee said that compliance with both the general and industry-specific guidelines would be voluntary. "We think that the consumers will enforce them, the business community itself will enforce them, the industry groups that have influence and impact and developed guidelines for industries, that’s how this is going to be enforced."

Reactions

  • Lieutenant Governor Randy McNally (R) supported Lee's reopening plan: "Since the emergence of COVID-19 in this state, Governor Lee has been flexible and data-focused. Due to the Safer at Home order, the curve is flattening and damage to the public health has been minimized. We are testing more Tennesseans than ever and that will continue. We are now well-prepared for a cautious reopening and economic reboot. Our state has consistently balanced the health of our people with the health of our economy. That remains the case today as we prepare to reestablish Tennessee’s strong and structurally sound economy."
  • Rep. Steve Cohen (D) opposed Lee's timetable for reopening: "I think it's a mistake to open so soon. I think we haven't even hit our peak, which is expected in May, late May, early June. That peak will be even higher and it will make it more difficult to service those that unfortunately will be stricken with the COVID-19 illness and have to go to the ICU. … We don't have the ability to test, which is necessary to open up, and I don't think the public's going to be ready to be going to restaurants or retail stores at this time. But that's the governor's decision."
  • Kara Koontz, owner of a Knox County salon, said, "We’re excited to hear that news today, of course we’re excited to get reopened and get back to doing what we love. However I do feel a huge sense of responsibility for when we reopen that we’re just very responsible as we reopen."
  • Sarah Gavigan, a Nashville restaurateur, said, "Kitchens are very close quarters. And when we looked at the cost of reopening the dining room, it was not congruent with what we could do in sales at 50% occupancy."
  • Judge-Executive Mason Barnes, of Simpson County, Kentucky (which borders Tennessee), said, "I'm not sure how much more traffic we will see in Kentucky from people coming up from Tennessee, I guess my big concern is how many folks in our area might think well hey I can go down into Tennessee to get a hair cut, or I can go down and get my nails done especially in those personal contact providers. That may be our biggest challenge or our biggest concern."

Coronavirus resources

Click the links below to explore official resources related to the coronavirus outbreak.

State resources

Twitter feeds for government officials and agencies appear below.

Federal resources

See also

Footnotes

  1. ↑ United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, "Memphis A. Phillip Randolph Institute v. Hargett: Order," October 19, 2020
  2. ↑ United States District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee, "Memphis A. Phillip Randolph Institute v. Hargett: Preliminary Injunction Order," September 9, 2020
  3. ↑ Tennessee State Courts, "TENNESSEE SUPREME COURT VACATES TEMPORARY INJUNCTION, LEAVING IN PLACE STATE’S REVISED INTERPRETATION OF LAW LIMITING ABSENTEE VOTING IN ELECTIONS AFTER AUGUST 6, 2020 ELECTION," August 5, 2020
  4. ↑ Supreme Court of Tennessee, "Lay v. Goins: Order," June 24 2020
  5. ↑ Chancery Court for Tennessee's Twentieth Judicial District, "Lay v. Goins: Memorandum and Order Granting Temporary Injunction to Allow Any Tennessee Registered Voter to Apply for a Ballot to Vote by Mail Due to COVID-19," June 4, 2020
  6. ↑ Governor of Tennessee, "Executive Order 22," accessed March 31, 2020
  7. ↑ 10 News, "Gov. Lee extends Stay at Home order through April 30, announces phased plan to reopen Tennessee economy in May," April 13, 2020
  8. ↑ TN Courts, "SUPREME COURT EXTENDS JUDICIAL EMERGENCY AND EASES COURT RESTRICTIONS," May 27, 2020
  9. ↑ In the Supreme Court of Tennessee, "IN RE: COVID-19 PANDEMIC," April 24, 2020
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 National Center for State Courts, "Coronavirus and the Courts," March 26, 2020
  11. ↑ WMC5, "Tennessee Supreme Court limits in-person court proceedings in COVID-19 order," March 14, 2020
  12. ↑ Tennessee General Assembly, "Home page," accessed March 24, 2020
  13. ↑ Tennessee Supreme Court, "ORDER EXTENDING STATE OF EMERGENCY AND EASING SUSPENSION OF IN-PERSON COURT PROCEEDINGS," May 26, 2020
  14. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named EvictMA
  15. ↑ News Channel 5 - Nashville, "More inmates will be released early because of coronavirus threat," March 26, 2020
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