Bryan Terry
Bryan Terry | |
|---|---|
| Member of the Tennessee House of Representatives from the 48th district | |
| Assumed office January 13, 2015 | |
| Preceded by | Joe Carr |
| Personal details | |
| Born | October 27, 1968 |
| Nationality |
|
| Party | Republican |
| Residence(s) | Murfreesboro, Tennessee |
| Education | University of Oklahoma (BS) University of Oklahoma College of Medicine (MD) |
| Website | Official website Campaign website |
Bryan Terry (born October 27, 1968) is an American doctor and politician from the state of Tennessee. A Republican, he has represented the 48th district of the Tennessee House of Representatives, based in eastern Murfreesboro, since 2015.[1][2] He is the only Native American serving in the chamber.
Early life
[edit | edit source]Terry was born in Oklahoma, where he went into his family's auto salvage business. After attending the University of Oklahoma and the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine, Terry worked as a doctor in both Oklahoma and Tennessee, including caring for victims of the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995.[3]
Career
[edit | edit source]In 2014, Joe Carr, representative for the 48th district of the Tennessee House of Representatives, announced he would challenge Senator Lamar Alexander in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate. Despite being outspent, Terry won a highly contested primary to succeed Carr, earning 34% of the vote to his two opponents' 33%.[4][5] Terry went on to win the general election easily.
Terry has not faced significant opposition since in his heavily Republican seat, winning handily in 2016 and 2018.[6]
In 2023, Terry supported a resolution to expel three Democratic lawmakers from the legislature for violating decorum rules. The action was widely described as unprecedented.[7]
In 2025, Terry sponsored HB1044, which was substituted by SB955: Medical Ethics Defense Act and went into effect on April 24, 2025. The bill established that "a healthcare provider, including a healthcare professional, healthcare institution, or healthcare payer, has the right to not participate in or pay for a healthcare procedure, treatment, or service that violates the conscience of the healthcare provider." On July 20, 2025, the Nashville Banner reported that a 35-year old woman was denied prenatal care by her physician "because they objected to the fact that she wasn't married, nor did she plan to be" as a direct result of this bill.
Personal life
[edit | edit source]Terry lives in Murfreesboro with his wife, Cheryl, and their 2 children. He is an enrolled member of the Choctaw Nation.[3]
References
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- Living people
- Republican Party members of the Tennessee House of Representatives
- 1968 births
- University of Oklahoma alumni
- Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma people
- Native American state legislators
- People from Murfreesboro, Tennessee
- 20th-century Native American people
- 21st-century Native American politicians
- 21st-century members of the Tennessee General Assembly
- Tennessee politician stubs