Amends TCA Title 4; Title 5; Title 8; Title 58 and Title 68.

This bill limits the present law authority of county health officers to order quarantines to protect the public health from an epidemic, and closures of public establishments by prohibiting county health officers from issuing an order that closes or limits the lawful operations of a church or religious organization and declaring any such order that it issues to be void and unenforceable. This bill also adds to present law by prohibiting the state, a political subdivision, or a public official from prohibiting or imposing additional restrictions on the lawful operations of a church or religious organization during a state of emergency, major disaster, or natural disaster. ON MARCH 29, 2021, THE HOUSE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND RESET HOUSE BILL 1137. AMENDMENT #1 specifies that the prohibition on closing a church or religious organization or limiting the operations a church or religious organization applies to closing or limiting "for purposes of worship." ON APRIL 12, 2021, THE HOUSE FURTHER CONSIDERED AND PASSED HOUSE BILL 1137, AS AMENDED.