Charles Nolan "Bud" Hulsey (born May 30, 1949) is an American politician who has been a member of the Tennessee House of Representatives since 2015. A Republican, he represents the 2nd district, which encompasses parts of Sullivan County.
Early life and education Charles Nolan Hulsey was born on May 30, 1949. He graduated from Durango High School in Durango, Colorado in 1967. Hulsey later attended Bob Jones University in Greenville, South Carolina, where he graduated with a BA in education. He later entered the FBI National Academy program through the University of Virginia.
Career After graduating, Hulsey became a Kingsport police lieutenant. He is the owner and President of Burlington Logistics, Inc., a trucking company operating in the Tri-Cities area of Tennessee.
Tennessee House of Representatives (2015–present)
Elections Hulsey ran for election to represent the 2nd district in 2014. During the campaign, Hulsey's campaign chair and former Representative Michael Locke was killed in a hit and run incident by a drunk driver. Hulsey defeated three-term incumbent Tony Shipley in the Republican primary and independent J.R. Enfield in the general election.
He was re-elected in 2016 after a victory over Democrat challenger J.S. Moore. In 2018 and 2020, he defeated Democrat Arvil Love, Jr. In his following elections, he ran uncontested uncontested. In January 2026, Hulsey announced he would not seek a seventh term in office.
Tenure In 2015, Hulsey sponsored the Ben Woodruff and Mike Locke Act. The bill would require those convicted of vehicular manslaughter to serve a minimum of 60 percent of their sentence before becoming eligible for parole, up from the previous 30 percent. Hulsey would later join with Senator Jon Lundberg on the legislation, which was enacted by the Tennessee General Assembly in 2019.
In 2021, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Hulsey proposed legislation protecting religious exemptions and prohibiting mandatory vaccination.
In 2023, the Tennessee House voted on motions to remove three sitting Democratic representatives Gloria Johnson, Justin Jones, and Justin J. Pearson for disrupting proceedings with a protest as citizens were at the capitol voicing their outrage over a Nashville school shooting. Hulsey voted to expel all three representatives. Pearson and Jones were expelled, while Johnson was not.
In 2024, Hulsey proposed to ban lab-grown meat. He argued that exposing humans to lab-grown meat was a violation of the Nuremberg Code.
Committee assignments Hulsey serves in the 114th General Assembly as: Chair, Appropriations and Oversight Committee Member, Agriculture and National Resources Committee Member, Private Acts Committee Member, Finance, Ways, and Means Committee
Hulsey served in the 113th General Assembly as: Chair, Criminal Justice Committee Member, Criminal Justice Subcommittee Member, Agriculture and National Resources Committee Member, Agriculture and National Resources Subcommittee Member, Calendars and Rules Committee
Hulsey served in the 112th General Assembly as: Chair, Corrections Subcommittee Member, Agriculture and National Resources Committee Member, Agriculture and National Resources Subcommittee Member, Criminal Justice Subcommittee Member, State Government Committee
Hulsey served in the 111th General Assembly as: Chair, Corrections Subcommittee Member, State Committee Member, Agriculture and National Resources Committee Member, Agriculture and National Resources Subcommittee Member, Judiciary Committee Member, Public Safety Committee of Extraordinary Session II
Hulsey served in the 110th General Assembly as: Vice-chair, House State Government Committee Member, House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee Member, House State Government Committee
Hulsey served in the 109th General Assembly as: Member, House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee Member, House State Government Committee Member, House State Government Subcommittee
Electoral history
References