Joey Hensley

Education

Hensley earned his AS from Columbia State Community College, his BS from the University of Memphis and his MD from the University of Tennessee.

Tennessee Legislature

In 2012 and 2013, Hensley introduced a bill, nicknamed “Don’t Say Gay”, to ban schools from discussing LGBT issues; the bill eventually failed.

For several years, Hensley cosponsored a bill allowing counselors and therapists "to refuse to counsel a client as to goals, outcomes, or behaviors that conflict with a sincerely held religious belief of the counselor or therapist," such as LGBT clients. This bill was eventually passed and signed into law on April 27, 2016.

In February 2017, Hensley introduced a bill that would classify children born through artificial insemination as illegitimate, even if both parents are married and consent to the insemination. He also sponsored a bill (known as the "Milo bill" after right-wing pundit Milo Yiannopoulos) requiring public universities “be open to any speaker whom students, student groups, or members of the faculty have invited.”

Elections

Personal life

Hensley has been married four times and is divorced from his fourth wife, Gina. They have three children.

In 2015, Hensley introduced a bill to change the distribution of property in divorce cases, saying that he was prompted to do so by his own divorce proceedings. Shortly thereafter, Hensley's wife took out an order of protection against him, but later asked to have it dismissed.

According to sworn family court testimony, Hensley carried on an affair with Lori Barber, a part-time nurse in his medical practice and his second cousin. Hensley also allegedly prescribed opioids for Barber.