February 2026

The Tony Award®-winning Suffs comes to TPAC this March! Written and composed by Shaina Taub, this acclaimed musical tells the powerful story of the American women who fought for the right to vote. Through passion, persistence, and sacrifice, Suffs shines a light on the leaders and unsung heroes of the suffrage movement in a struggle that still resonates today. Click here to buy tickets.

 Civic Soirée tickets are now live! We are honored to welcome Karla McKanders as the guest speaker and guest of honor for our Civic Soirée. McKanders is Director of the Thurgood Marshall Institute at the NAACP Legal Defense Fund and a nationally recognized scholar in immigration law, racial justice, and gender equity. Join us for a wonderful evening with civically engaged community members dedicated to the League's mission!

Vanderbilt University is gathering leaders and innovators, from all disciplines to participate in conversations to model civil discourse in action. These conversations will be real dialogue that moves beyond sound bites and performance to tackle some of the most pressing issues of our time and brings curiosity and conversation back to the public square.  Together, we will explore how listening, understanding and learning how to “disagree” and “agree” with nuance, evidence and civility can shape a stronger, more connected future. Sessions run from March-April.

Time: 8:00 AM CT
Lentz Public Health Building, Centennial Room

We look forward to welcoming you and the Davidson County Election Commission on Friday, April 10 at 8:00 a.m. for a special Breakfast Meet & Greet. Please join us at the Lentz Public Health Center, 2500 Charlotte Ave., in the Centennial Room. Parking is available on site. Breakfast and networking begin at 8:00 a.m., followed by the program at 8:20 a.m. The event will conclude at 9:30 a.m.
Join fellow members as we engage in a thoughtful discussion on the voter registration and election process.

As we step into a busy and exciting spring season, I hope you will join us on March 14 for our Civic Soirée, an evening to celebrate our shared commitment to civic engagement and to raise funds that power the League’s mission here in Nashville. This year’s event will be especially meaningful as we gather during Women’s History Month and welcome Karla McKanders, Director of the Thurgood Marshall Institute at the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, as our guest speaker. I also encourage you to take part in Vanderbilt University’s “250 Conversations on America: Civil Discourse in Action” this March and April, where leaders and community members will model thoughtful dialogue on the pressing issues of our time. And mark your calendars for our April 10 Hot Topic at the Lentz Public Health Building, where we will host the Davidson County Election Commission for a timely and informative breakfast discussion on voter registration and the election process.

We are energized by the growing number of opportunities to gather in person and we look forward to creating even more spaces to connect with local leaders and with one another to discuss the issues shaping Nashville’s future. As our work expands, so does our need for engaged and passionate leaders. In the coming months, we will be seeking new board members to help guide the League forward. If you are interested in serving and making a meaningful impact, I encourage you to reach out to us at LWVNash@gmail.com.

Thank you for your continued dedication to the League of Women Voters of Nashville—together, we are building a more informed, engaged, and equitable community.

Secure your tickets for the League of Women Voters of Nashville Civic Soiree, March 14, 2026! Our upcoming fundraiser will take place during Women's History Month and serve as a way to build connections, celebrate our legacy, and build our resolve for continued growth. All are welcome to attend!

Tickets can be purchased through the link below. 

Voting/Elections:
Green Hills Library Early voting location (4/15 – 4/30) will be closed for the 5/5/26 County Primary Election due to building renovation. Replacement early voting location will be Election
Commission’s new office location, 1281 Murfreesboro Pike at Briley Parkway and Murfreesboro Pike. This is a new location for the election commission as their old building is being taken over by airport.

Public Safety / Police
A grant from Nashville Downtown Partnership was deferred last December and broken down into smaller pieces for council in January. Many public comments against giving this money for
policing and surveillance were made in December and again in January. The purchase of fifteen video cameras for Metro Police failed by a close vote. Several resolutions passed by a close vote to use the grant money to purchase an armored rescue vehicle, a mobile command post, and a tactical support post for Metro Police.

Transit
The Boring Company will be present at a special Metro Transportation and Infrastructure Metro Council Committee meeting on 2/19 at 4:30pm in City Hall. The public is welcome to attend in
person, or can watch on the Metro Nashville Network on TV or via live stream on Stream/Nashville.gov, or watch later on YouTube Nashville.

A resolution was deferred to March 3 opposing The Boring Company’s proposed tunnels within Nashville and Davidson County;
condemning the company’s lack of transparency, inadequate community engagement, etc.

The ice from Winter Storm Fern damaged thousands of our beloved trees in Nashville last month. We know trees are one of our best tools for maintaining a healthy and resilient environment. They make our air cleaner, house important wildlife, and help with flood prevention. 

If you want to plant more trees this year, add Tennessee Tree Day to your calendar. Tennessee Environmental Council’s annual event is coming up soon on March 21. Remember, you must reserve your native tree seedlings by March 1. You can find a local participating plant nursery through the button below.

LWVNashville Public Health Committee member Dr. Jeanne Ballinger attended the February Board of Health meeting. Forty-five health department nurses, some of them transported by police department vehicles, staffed the three emergency warming shelters the Red Cross set up at the request of the Office of Emergency Management.
They gave medical attention to those who needed it and also provided flu immunizations upon request. The Health Department also had the foresight to prepack and deliver tuberculosis medications in advance for 72 Nashvillians currently undergoing treatment.

Public Health Committee members are also participating with the LWVTN Advocacy Committee to monitor several bills in the General Assembly that could impact the cost and quality of health care for many of us.

The Caring for Caregivers Bill (HB 1443 (R. Jones)/SB 1777 (Crowe)) that would establish a fund to reimburse families earning under 400% of the federal poverty level (FPL) [which for reference in 2026 is under $86,560 for a couple, or $132,000 for a family of four] for expenses related to caring for a loved one in their home that are not
covered by health insurance. It is scheduled to be heard in the House Health Committee on February 17th .

A second bill (HB 1061 (Vital)/SB 1376 (Watson) would limit charges for ground ambulance services that are out-of-network for a consumer to the in-network co-pay rate in emergency situations. It will be heard in the House Insurance Committee on the 18th. The federal No Surprises Act, which became effective in 2022, prohibits billing for most emergency services at higher than in-network rates, but left regulation of ground ambulance services to states.

A third bill is the Regulating Artificial Intelligence in Health Care Act (HB 1866 (J. Jones)/SB. 2010 (Kyle)). This bill would prohibit insurers from solely relying on artificial intelligence algorithms to screen or deny claims for coverage of medical necessary services. It would require a licensed medical professional to be involved in the review. It is calendared for Feb. 25 in the House Insurance Subcommittee.

If you have experienced problems paying for the care of a loved one in your home, ever received an unexpected bill for ambulance services, or are concerned about the growing use of AI to deny health insurance claims, please share your stories and concerns with the bill sponsors and these members of our Nashville delegation who serve on the House Health Committee ( Bo Mitchell, Shaundelle Brooks, and John Ray Clemmons) and the House Insurance Committee (Bob Freeman, Harold Love ). Emails and phone numbers for state legislators can be found here.

If you would like to get more involved with the LWVNashville Public Health Committee, please contact Ashudee Kirk at ashudeekirk@gmail.com.

Co-Presidents: Ophelia Doe and Kathryn Anderson

1st Vice Presidents: Karen Hernan and Ethel Detch

Secretary: Ethel Detch

Treasurer: Susan Mattson

Nominating Committee Members:

Betsy Walkup

Constance Caldwell

Hasina Mohyuddin

June Bond

Brenda Wynn

Portfolio Chairs

Communications: Yolonda Beech

Community Connections: Sabina Mohyuddin & Leona Edwards

Education: Dr. Patricia H. Brock, Dr. Leslie Cowell, and MaKenzie Mosby

Environment: Kelley Knott-Sandifer, Simone Chhut, Carynton Howard, and Catherine Price

Health Care/Public Health:  Harper-Grace Niedermeyer and Ashudee Kirk 

Membership: Reba Holmes, Dani Sheree Ross, and Dylan Schlesinger

Metro Government:  Pat McCauley and Brenda Haywood

Voter Services: Sue Johnson

Williamson County Representative:  June Bond

Nominating Committee Chair: Senator Brenda Gilmore 

LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS NASHVILLE
Box 158369, Nashville, Tennessee 37215

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contact@lwvnashville.org

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