Tennessee Democrats Pitch Red Flag Laws, $20 Minimum Wage, Universal Basic Income in 2025

Legislation filed by Tennessee Democrats near the start of the legislative session in the General Assembly includes a number of progressive policy positions, including red flag laws, a minimum wage hike, and a plan to provide a universal basic income to Tennesseans.

One bill aimed at restricting gun ownership, HB 1390 and SB 1350, was filed State Representative Justin Pearson (D-Memphis) and State Senate Minority Leader Raumesh Akbari (D-Memphis), and seeks to establish red flag laws in Tennessee, allowing courts to issue extreme risk protection orders that would require gun owners to surrender their firearms.

Under the proposed legislation, prosecutors would need to convince a judge, “that a person poses a significant danger of causing personal injury to the person or others if allowed to possess or purchase a firearm.”

According to the text of the bill, hearings would be scheduled for those whose firearms were confiscated within two weeks, at which time a judge could order the firearms to remain in the custody of law enforcement for up to one year.

Tennessee lawmakers previously rejected calls to impose red flag laws after the Covenant School shooting in 2023, even after a special legislative session was called in the wake of the tragedy, with Governor Bill Lee later confirming he would not ask lawmakers to take up the issue again.

With the addition of State Representative Larry Miller (D-Memphis), Akbari also filed SB 1176 and HB 1231, which would allow “the largest municipality in Shelby, Davidson, Knox, or Hamilton County” to pass their own regulations for guns, including “the manner of storage” of both firearms and ammunition.

The legislation would specifically apply to cities with more than 181,000 citizens, and only in counties with more than 366,200 residents, which would appear to confine it to Memphis, Nashville, Knoxville, and Chattanooga.

The minority leader and Pearson worked together to submit more legislation earlier this month, including HB 1399 and SB 1357, which would increase Tennessee’s minimum wage from the federally mandated $7.25 per hour to $20 per hour.

Pearson and Akbari also submitted HB 1396 and SB 1355, the Guaranteed Basic Income Act or Protection against Automation Act, which would direct the Tennessee Department of Human Services to establish a program for Tennesseans to receive “an annual guaranteed basic income grant beginning in 2026.”

Eligibility requirements outlined in the legislation would merely require recipients to be at least 18 years of age, possess a valid driver’s license or state photo identification, and be a full-time resident of Tennessee for at least two years. The grant would total $3,000 and be paid over the course of a year.

The concept appears to be adopted from the proposal by former Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang, who suggested sending every American a set amount of money each month in a scheme called Universal Basic Income.

Akbari is also the sponsor of SB 1165, which does not yet have a corresponding bill in the State House. The bill would add a non-binding question on Tennesseans’ 2026 midterm ballot to quiz voters about their position on medical marijuana, and while the bill would not change state policy, the legislation states that it would inform lawmakers of the public’s opinion.

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Tom Pappert is the lead reporter for The Tennessee Star, and also reports for The Pennsylvania Daily Star and The Arizona Sun Times. Follow Tom on X/Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Tennessee Democrats” by Tennessee Democratic Party.