The Tennessee House will not take a
final vote on a proposed bill which would outlaw the discussion of
sexual minorities in Tennessee's public schools before the ninth
grade.
The measure – dubbed the 'Don't Say
Gay' Bill – will likely die with the Legislature's adjournment, the
News
Sentinel reported.
The bill's chief sponsor in the House,
Republican Rep. Joey Hensley, said he pulled the measure after
officials of the Department of Eduction and the state Board of
Education pledged to inform all state schools that “they cannot
teach this subject in grades kindergarten through eight.”
“With that assurance and the
opposition of some people who didn't want to vote on it, I've simply
decided not to bring it up,” said Hensley.
The controversial bill cleared a House
panel earlier this year and the Senate approved it last year.
Republican state Senator Stacey Campfield first introduced the
legislation seven years ago in the House.
The move comes after Governor Bill
Haslam reiterated his opposition to the measure.
“It's not something that I think is
particularly helpful or needed right now,” Haslam said last month.
“I think the state already has rules in place about what can be
taught.”
(Related: Modern
Family's
Jesse Tyler Ferguson responds to “Don't Say Gay” supporter's
claims.)