Rick Scarbrough

Current office and 2026 campaign

Rick Scarbrough is a Republican member of the Tennessee House of Representatives representing District 33, having assumed office on January 14, 2025 ². His current term concludes on November 3, 2026 ¹. Scarbrough is seeking re-election to the Tennessee House of Representatives in the 2026 cycle ¹. He is listed on the ballot for the Republican primary election scheduled for August 6, 2026 ¹.

During his first term, Scarbrough has sponsored legislation such as House Bill 370, which seeks to strengthen Tennessee’s harassment law by adding "in-person" communication to its definition ¹¹. He also successfully passed the Freedom, Access, and Integrity in Registered Pharmacy Act (FAIR Rx Act), which prohibits companies from owning both a pharmacy and a pharmacy benefits manager or health insurer starting July 1, 2028 ¹⁶. Scarbrough was named "freshman of the year" by the Tennessee Journal for his initial legislative performance ¹³.

Background and education

Rick Scarbrough was born on May 21, 1965 ²¹⁴. He is a member of the First Baptist Church in Clinton, Tennessee ³. Scarbrough earned both a bachelor's degree and a master's degree from Tusculum College, completing his master's in 2000 ¹³.

Career

Rick Scarbrough earned a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree from Tusculum College ¹². He began his law enforcement career serving six years at the Anderson County Sheriff’s Department before joining the Clinton Police Department, where he served for 23 years ⁵⁶. During his tenure with the Clinton Police Department, Scarbrough held assignments in patrol, investigations, corrections, community policing, SWAT, and grant writing ⁵. He served as the department’s Chief of Police for the last 16 years of that employment ⁵⁶.

In August 2018, Scarbrough became the Executive Director of the University of Tennessee’s Law Enforcement Innovation Center (LEIC) ⁵⁶. In this role, he previously served as a subject matter expert in leadership, community policing, capital budgeting, and domestic violence ⁵. He is also listed as a Vice President of the Association of Chiefs of Police and on its Board of Directors ³.

Scarbrough’s wife, Mollie, is a pharmacist and co-owner of Hoskins Drug Store ⁶¹⁰. The couple has two children and three grandchildren ²¹⁵.

Office history

Rick Scarbrough served as Executive Director of the University of Tennessee’s Law Enforcement Innovation Center starting in August 2018 ⁵. Prior to this appointment, he spent 23 years with the Clinton Police Department, including the last 16 years as Chief of Police, and six years with the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office ⁵. He also served as a subject matter expert in leadership, community policing, capital budgeting, and domestic violence before becoming chief ⁵.

Scarbrough was first elected to the Tennessee House of Representatives for District 33 in the 2024 election, defeating incumbent John Ragan by 258 votes in the Republican primary ²⁷. He assumed office on January 14, 2025, as a member of the 114th Tennessee General Assembly ²⁹. His current term is scheduled to end on November 3, 2026 ¹. As an incumbent, he is running for re-election in the Republican primary on August 6, 2026 ¹.

Legislative record and accomplishments

Rick Scarbrough has sponsored legislation aimed at strengthening Tennessee’s harassment laws in response to recent hate crimes. House Bill 370 seeks to expand the legal definition of harassment by communication to include "in-person" interactions, a category currently excluded as existing statutes only cover written or electronic methods such as telephone calls, texts, and flyers ¹¹.

In the area of healthcare policy, Scarbrough successfully passed the Freedom, Access, and Integrity in Registered Pharmacy Act (FAIR Rx Act), which was approved by the General Assembly in April 2026 ¹⁶. The legislation prohibits companies from owning or controlling both a pharmacy and a pharmacy benefits manager (PBM) or health insurer, with the ban taking effect on July 1, 2028 ¹⁶. Scarbrough stated that the act ensures entities setting prescription drug benefit rules do not also operate pharmacies within that system ¹⁶.

Prior to his legislative work, Scarbrough served as Executive Director of the University of Tennessee’s Law Enforcement Innovation Center starting in August 2018 ⁵⁶. He brings nearly 30 years of law enforcement experience to his role, including 16 years as Chief of Police for the Clinton Police Department and six years with the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office ⁹¹².

Documented disputes and controversies

Rick Scarbrough’s 2024 primary victory was followed by a formal challenge from his predecessor, outgoing Oak Ridge Representative John Ragan, who alleged that Democratic voters had crossed over to help Scarbrough win by 258 votes ⁷. The Tennessee Republican Party’s State Executive Committee voted 41-7 to deny Ragan’s challenge, rejecting the claim of crossover interference ⁷. Following the denial, Ragan publicly characterized the actions of these crossover voters as "immoral" ⁷.

In February 2025, Scarbrough introduced House Bill 370, legislation designed to strengthen Tennessee’s harassment laws by expanding the definition of harassment by communication to include in-person interactions ¹¹. Scarbrough stated that the bill was a response to recent hate crimes across the state and aimed to ensure accountability for those targeting citizens ¹¹.

During his first term, Scarbrough successfully sponsored the Freedom, Access, and Integrity in Registered Pharmacy Act (FAIR Rx Act), which prohibits companies from owning or controlling both a pharmacy and a pharmacy benefits manager or health insurer starting July 1, 2028 ¹⁶. Scarbrough described the legislation as important for ensuring that entities setting rules for prescription drug benefits are not also operating within that system ¹⁶.

Business interests and wealth source

Rick Scarbrough’s professional background is rooted in law enforcement and public administration rather than private business ownership or traditional wealth accumulation. He served for nearly 30 years in law enforcement, including six years with the Anderson County Sheriff’s Department and 23 years with the Clinton Police Department, where he spent the last 16 years as Chief of Police ¹⁵⁹. Following his tenure as police chief, Scarbrough became the Executive Director of the University of Tennessee’s Law Enforcement Innovation Center in August 2018 ⁵⁶. He holds a bachelor's degree and a master's degree from Tusculum College ¹³.

Regarding personal wealth sources, public records do not indicate that Scarbrough owns significant private businesses or holds substantial ownership stakes in commercial enterprises. His campaign materials highlight his professional experience rather than financial assets ⁴. However, his family is connected to local retail through his wife, Mollie Scarbrough, who is a pharmacist and co-owner of Hoskins Drug Store ⁶¹⁰. Rick Scarbrough notes that he spent time at the store in his youth while courting his wife, but there is no indication in the provided sources that he holds an ownership interest or derives direct income from the business ¹⁰.

Financial disclosure information for Scarbrough is limited in the available sources. LegiStorm records indicate that personal financial disclosures are added to its database for legislators, including Scarbrough, but specific details of his holdings or net worth are not provided in the cited materials ⁸. His campaign is supported by endorsements from small business advocacy groups, such as the NFIB Tennessee PAC, which aligns with his legislative focus on supporting local businesses and protecting patient choice in healthcare, such as through the FAIR Rx Act ¹⁶¹⁷.

Family

Rick Scarbrough is married to Mollie Scarbrough, a pharmacist and co-owner of Hoskins Drug Store ⁶. The couple met 39 years prior to his 2024 campaign launch at the Clinton drug store ¹⁰. They have two children ². In 2024, the couple became grandparents to three grandsons named Jack, Eli, and George ¹⁵. Scarbrough self-describes himself as "Pops" and refers to his wife as "Lollie" in this context ¹⁵.

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