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Friday, October 30, 2026Oct 30

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‘Right to Work’ amendment sails through Tennessee Senate

Tennesse State Capitol tennessee senate state government building / Getty Images
Tennesse State Capitol tennessee senate state government building / Getty Images Tennesse State Capitol tennessee senate state government building / Getty Images

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – A resolution seeking to change the Tennessee’s Constitution to enshrine the state’s “right to work” law is gaining momentum.

The GOP-controlled Senate passed the measure on Monday and must now go before the similarly Republican-controlled House.

The resolution’s main sponsor, Republican Rep. Brian Kelsey, says the constitutional amendment is needed because it will make it harder to repeal or weaken. Supporters point to Virginia as warning, where Democrats recently took over the Statehouse and are now looking to repeal its “right to work” law.

Opponents counter the measure discouraged workers from joining unions, others argue that right-to-work states have more workplace fatalities.

Currently, 27 states have some sort “right to work” laws and nine of those have put such provisions into their state constitutions.