Tennessee House Speaker Cameron Sexton removed all Democratic lawmakers from their standing committee assignments on May 12, 2026, following disruptions during special session debates over redistricting. Democrats argue this strips representation for nearly 2 million constituents; Republicans characterize it as accountability for parliamentary disruptions. This is a significant partisan escalation in state-level legislative punishment — committee assignments control who shapes bills, so removal effectively silences the minority party's input on legislation for the remainder of the session.