A federal judge says Tennessee’s first-in-the-nation law designed to place strict limits on drag shows is unconstitutional. The law is both unconstitutionally vague and substantially overbroad and encouraged discriminatory enforcement, according to the ruling late Friday by U.S. District Judge Thomas Parker, who was appointed by former President Donald Trump. The law would have banned adult cabaret performances from public property or anywhere minors might be present. Performers who broke the law risked being charged with a misdemeanor or a felony for a repeat offense. Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson, a Republican who was one of the law’s main sponsors, said he was disappointed with the ruling. Initially, the complaint listed Republican Gov. Bill Lee, Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti, and Shelby County District Attorney General Steven Mulroy as defendants. But the plaintiffs later agreed to dismiss the governor and top legal chief — although Skrmetti continued to represent Mulroy for this case. The governor quickly signed off on the statute and it was set to take effect April 1. However, to date, the law has never been enforced because the federal judge had sided with the group that challenged the statute in March, and he temporarily blocked the law.
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