Tennessee lawmakers have approved legislation that will change how state agencies refer to a disputed Middle Eastern territory in official documents, according to the National Association of Christian Lawmakers (NACL).
House Bill 1446, dubbed the Recognizing Judea and Samaria Act, has been forwarded to the governor after winning approval from the Tennessee General Assembly. The new law will require state departments to use ‘Judea and Samaria’ when referencing the region in government materials.
Bill advocates contend this terminology better represents the area’s ancient Jewish heritage, while the commonly used international term ‘West Bank’ originated during Jordan’s administration of the region following 1948 and represents a more recent political designation.
The new requirement will become effective July 1, 2026. Chris Todd, who spearheaded the legislation and serves as the Tennessee State Chair for NACL, said the change aims to establish uniform language across government departments and align with what supporters call established historical references.
NACL President and Founder Jason Rapert described the bill as part of a wider national movement. He praised Todd for demonstrating ‘principled leadership’ by championing legislation based on what he characterized as historical truth. Rapert noted that his organization has supported comparable efforts nationwide and considers this measure part of an expanding movement for government language that reflects ‘reality, not political convenience.’
Todd, who leads the House Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee, positioned the bill as addressing how government institutions communicate information, stating that ‘accuracy and integrity must be the standard in official government communications.’
He explained that mandating state agencies to employ what he called ‘historically grounded terms’ would establish uniformity among state departments and prevent taxpayer-supported messaging that incorporates politically motivated language.
Todd additionally referenced wider debates concerning historical accounts, noting that official language shapes how information reaches the public and gets passed down to upcoming generations.
