{"county":null,"description":"The Tennessee House of Representatives is the lower chamber of the state legislature, with 99 members elected from single-member districts to two-year terms. Representatives pass state laws, originate revenue bills, approve the state budget, and \u2014 together with the Senate \u2014 confirm gubernatorial appointments and propose constitutional amendments. Candidates must be at least 21 years old, U.S. citizens, Tennessee residents for at least three years, and district residents for at least one year.","district":"074","districtgroup":"state_house","id":294,"key":"state_house_074","lastchangeby":null,"name":null,"next_election":null,"notes":null,"officegroup":"tn_house","partisan":1,"party":null,"qualities":"- **Integrity** \u2014 Acts in the interest of constituents and the public good rather than for personal gain, and remains independent of undue influence from donors, lobbyists, and party leadership.\n- **Understanding of the constituency** \u2014 Grasps both the economic-development needs of the district and the day-to-day concerns of individual residents \u2014 safety, healthcare, education, infrastructure.\n- **Persuasion** \u2014 Engages, listens to, and persuades both fellow legislators and constituents. Can change minds and explain votes honestly.\n- **Legislative craft** \u2014 Reads, drafts, and amends statute with care. Understands how specific bill language translates to outcomes, and knows the body of law being modified.\n- **Coalition-building** \u2014 Finds common ground across partisan and factional lines, brokers compromises that hold, and forms working majorities even when consensus is hard to reach.","quantity":1,"source":null,"state":"tn","term_end":null,"term_start":null,"term_years":2,"terms":[{"current":0,"description":"","electiondate":"2022-11-08","name":"Jay D.  Reedy","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\n\nJay Reedy is a Republican member of the Tennessee House of Representatives representing District 74, having assumed office on November 4, 2014 [1][2][5]. His current term concludes on November 3, 2026 [1]. Reedy is seeking re-election to the Tennessee House of Representatives for District 74 and appears on the ballot in the Republican primary scheduled for August 6, 2026 [1].\n\nReedy previously announced a campaign for the U.S. House of Representatives to represent Tennessee's 7th Congressional District, filing paperwork with the Federal Election Commission after the seat was vacated by U.S. Rep. Mark Green [8][10]. However, he withdrew from that congressional race and will not appear on the ballot for the Republican primary for that seat [1][10].\n\n## Background and education\n\nJay D. Reedy was born on June 23, 1963 [3]. He resides in Erin, Tennessee, and identifies as Christian [4]. Reedy self-describes as attending the church of Christ in Erin [7].\n\nHe earned a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture from Austin Peay State University between 1986 and 1990 [4].\n\n## Career\n\nJay Reedy was born on June 23, 1963 [3]. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture from Austin Peay State University between 1986 and 1990 [4]. Reedy is married to Vickie, a teacher at Houston County High School, and they have three children: Jordan, Emily, and Anna [4][7]. The family resides in Erin, Tennessee, and attends the Erin Church of Christ [7].\n\nPrior to his legislative service, Reedy served as a commissioner for the Houston County Election Board [4][7]. He has also been identified as a farmer [3].\n\n## Office history\n\nJay Reedy served as a commissioner for the Houston County Election Board prior to his election to the state legislature [4]. He was elected to the Tennessee House of Representatives in 2014 and assumed office on November 4, 2014, representing District 74 [1][3][5]. The district covers parts of Houston, Humphreys, Benton, Stewart, and Henry counties [11]. As a state representative, he serves on the Agriculture & Natural Resource Committee, the Education Committee (including its Administration and Instruction subcommittees), and the Government Operations Committee [7]. He is currently serving his term, which ends on November 3, 2026 [1].\n\nReedy ran for election to the U.S. House of Representatives to represent Tennessee's 7th Congressional District in a special election triggered by the vacancy left by U.S. Rep. Mark Green [8][10]. He filed paperwork with the Federal Election Commission and announced his candidacy in July 2025 [10]. However, he withdrew from that race before appearing on the ballot for the Republican primary [1][10]. He is currently running for re-election to the Tennessee House of Representatives in District 74 and appears on the ballot for the Republican primary scheduled for August 6, 2026 [1].\n\n## Legislative record and accomplishments\n\nRepresentative Jay Reedy serves on the Agriculture & Natural Resource Committee, the Education Committee, and the Government Operations Committee, along with the Education Administration and Education Instruction subcommittees [7]. He has sponsored legislation targeting municipalities that act as sanctuary cities or counties, specifically HB2315 and SB2332, which sought to penalize such jurisdictions across Tennessee [6]. Reedy also requested corrections from *The Tennessean* regarding coverage of this anti-sanctuary city legislation, citing the newspaper\u2019s own principles of ethical conduct [12].\n\nOn social issues, Reedy has supported or sponsored bills including SB 16/HB 1 (Tennessee Sports Gaming Act), SB 364/HB 563 (Business Protection Act), and SB 1257/HB 1029 (Human Life Protection Act) [9]. His legislative portfolio also includes SB 1297/HB 1151 regarding indecent exposure laws in single-sex restrooms, SB 1304/HB 836 concerning conscience provisions for child-placing agencies, and SB 1373/HB 307 allowing elective religious courses for credit [9]. Additionally, he has backed SB 1499/HB 1274 (School Protection Act), SB 1736/HB 1689 on single-sex student athletics, SB 2196/HB 2263 (Governor Lee's Pro-Life Bill), and SB 2465/HB 2568 regarding chemical abortion reversal information [9]. He also supported HJR 17, which acknowledges God as the source of liberties [9].\n\n## Documented disputes and controversies\n\nJay Reedy sponsored HB2315, legislation designed to penalize municipalities that acted as sanctuary cities and counties across Tennessee [6]. The bill sought to impose penalties on local governments that ignored state immigration enforcement, a measure that was passed by the Tennessee General Assembly with overwhelming majorities in both chambers [12]. Following the law's passage, Reedy criticized Memphis, Shelby County, and Davidson County for ignoring the statute, while also criticizing Nashville Mayor John Cooper for leading an \"illegal charge\" against the policy [6].\n\nReedy requested a correction from The Tennessean\u2019s editor regarding two articles written about his sanctuary city legislation, arguing that the newspaper\u2019s reporting contained \"incomplete and misleading information\" [12]. In support of his request, Reedy cited the publication's own Principles of Ethical Conduct for Newsrooms, specifically the commitment to seeking and reporting the truth with context and thoroughness [12].\n\nReedy announced a candidacy for Tennessee\u2019s 7th Congressional District, which was being vacated by U.S. Rep. Mark Green [8]. He filed paperwork with the Federal Election Commission to enter the race for the seat [10]. However, Reedy later withdrew from the Republican primary for the 7th Congressional District and will not appear on the ballot for that election [1].\n\n## Family\n\nJay Reedy is married to Vickie Reedy, who works as a teacher at Houston County High School [7]. The couple has three children: Jordan, Emily, and Anna [4]. The family attends the Erin Church of Christ [7].\n\n## Sources\n\n[1] [Jay Reedy - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Jay_Reedy)\n[2] [Tennessee House of Representatives District 74 - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Tennessee_House_of_Representatives_District_74)\n[3] [Jay Reedy - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jay_Reedy)\n[4] [Vote Smart | Facts For All](https://justfacts.votesmart.org/candidate/biography/153314/jay-reedy)\n[5] [State Representative Jay Reedy | BillTrack50](https://www.billtrack50.com/legislatordetail/19654)\n[6] [Memphis Remains Defiant After Nashville Caves on Illegals \u2013 Conservative Christians of Tennessee](https://tnchristian.com/immigration/memphis-remains-defiant-after-nashville-caves-on-illegals/)\n[7] [Representative Jay Reedy \u2014 Tennessee House Republican Caucus](https://tnhousegop.org/members/representative-jay-reedy/)\n[8] [Rep. Jay Reedy Archives \u2022 Tennessee Lookout](https://tennesseelookout.com/tag/rep-jay-reedy/)\n[9] [Rep. Jay Reedy - Family Action Council of Tennessee](https://scorecard.factennessee.org/representatives/jay-reedy)\n[10] [Tennessee Republican lawmaker entering congressional race \u2022 Tennessee Lookout](https://tennesseelookout.com/2025/07/01/tennessee-republican-lawmaker-entering-congressional-race/)\n[11] [Jay Reedy Officially Announces Re-election Bid | radio NWTN](https://www.radionwtn.com/2022/02/22/jay-reedy-officially-announces-re-election-bid/)\n[12] [Rep. Jay Reedy Archives - Tennessee Star](https://tennesseestar.com/tag/rep-jay-reedy/)","firstname":"Jay","lastname":"Reedy","middlename":"D.","token":"uc7WoqJSQA"},"term_end":"2024-12-31","term_start":"2023-01-01"}],"title":"State Representative District 74","type":"legislative","url":"https://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/legislatorinfo/member.aspx?district=H74","whenchanged":"2026-06-19 17:40:13"}