Brian Kelsey

Kelsey works as a constitutional lawyer for the Liberty Justice Center, representing clients throughout the country for free whose constitutional rights have been violated.

Liberty Justice Center[1], Oct. 2018 - present

The Kelsey Firm, PLLC,[2] Aug. 2009 - Oct. 2018

Federalist Society, Memphis Lawyers Chapter Board Member and former Law School Chapter President

University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law, Fall 2017 Adjunct Law Professor on Lobbying

University of Memphis, Fall 2010 & Fall 2011 Undergraduate Adjunct Professor of Constitutional Law

Kelsey has worked in the Office of the Counsel to the President, under George W. Bush, in the U. S. Senatorial Office of Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, in the U. S. Senate Committee Office of Fred Thompson, and in the U. S. Congressional Office of Ed Bryant.[3]

Minority Floor Leader, 2007-2008

Civil Practice & Procedure Subcommittee Chairman, 2009

Judiciary Committee Chairman, 2013-2018

• Only Senator in Tennessee history to successfully pass two constitutional amendments.[4]
• Passed constitutional amendment for federal-model judicial selection.
• Sponsored governor's Civil Justice Act of 2011.[5]
• Governor's Task Force on Sentencing and Recidivism.Member,2015.[6]
• Sponsored govenor's Public Safety Act of 2016.[7]

Fiscal Review Committee, Member, 2010-2014, 2017-2018

Education Committee, Member, 2011-present, First Vice Chairman, 2019-present

• Governor's Charter School Reform Act, 2011[8]
• Governor's Public Charter School Commission, 2019[9]
• Drafted Education Savings Account Conference Committee Report, 2019

Finance Ways and Means Committee, Member, 2010-2011, 2019-present

State and Local Committee, Member, 2019-present

Tennessee Holocaust Commission, Member, 2013-present[10]

Brian Kelsey was first elected as a state representative to the 104th Tennessee General Assembly (2004–2006). He served on the House Children and Family Affairs Committee; the House Commerce Committee; the House Domestic Relations Subcommittee; and the House Utilities, Banking and Small Business Subcommittee.[11] Kelsey was the former chairman of the House Civil Practice Subcommittee.

Kelsey ran for the District 31 seat vacated after the resignation of former Senator Paul Stanley. In 2010, Kelsey won re-election for a full term as the Senator from the Thirty-First District.

In the 106th General Assembly, Kelsey served on the Senate Government Operations Committee and the Senate Judiciary Committee.

In the 107th General Assembly, Kelsey was assigned to the Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee; the Senate Judiciary Committee; and he was named Secretary of the Senate Education Committee. Kelsey was elected by his Republican colleagues to the Joint Committee on Fiscal Review, which consists of members from both chambers who oversee the Fiscal Review Office.

In the 108th General Assembly, Kelsey served as the Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee. Kelsey was also a member of the Senate Education Committee and Joint Fiscal Review Committee.

In the 109th General Assembly, Kelsey served as the Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee. Kelsey was also a member of the Senate Education Committee and Government Operations Committee.

During the 110th General Assembly, Kelsey serves as the Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee. Kelsey was also a member of the Senate Education Committee and Joint Fiscal Review Committee.[12]

In 2018 Kelsey defeated Gabby Salinas for the District 31 seat. Kelsey received 51% of the vote in his district as did Bill Lee. U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn lost his district.[13]

In the 111th General Assembly, Kelsey serves as First Vice Chairman of the Education Committee; the Finance Ways and Means Committee; and the State and Local Committee.

• 2018 Memphis Area Association of GovernmentsLegislator of the Year
• 2017 American Conservative Union Conservative Excellence Award
• 2015 American Conservative Union Conservative Excellence Award
• 2013 Knoxville News Sentinel Supermajority Operative of the Year
• 2013 Outstanding State Senator, County Officials Association of TN
• 2012 National Federation of Independent Business Guardian of Small Business Award
• 2011 Memphis Area Association of GovernmentsLegislator of the Year
• 2011 Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Memphis' Finest Young Professionals
• 2008 Memphis Area Legal Services - pro bono service award
• 2005 Business Tennessee Magazine - "30 Under 30"
• 2004 Memphis Business Journal - "Top 40 Under 40"[14]

Kelsey is the only legislator in Tennessee history to sponsor two successful amendments to the state constitution: forever prohibited a state income tax,[15] and the other followed a Founding Fathers model for selecting appellate judges.[16] He also sponsored the governor's comprehensive tort reform act in 2011,[17] and passed a law to prohibit ObamaCare Medicaid expansion[18] in Tennessee in 2014. In 2019, his conference committee report instituting an Education Savings Account program was signed into law[19] by Governor Bill Lee.