Brandon Ogles (born August 8, 1976) was an American politician who served in the Tennessee House of Representatives. As a Republican, he represents District 61, located in northern Williamson County, and includes the city of Brentwood and part of Franklin.
Ogles first announced his candidacy on November 8, 2017, after then-incumbent Charles Sargent chose not to run for reelection. After election as the state representative for Tennessee's House District 61 in 2018, Ogles served as vice-caucuses chair, the first time that a freshman legislator was elected to leadership in the House of Representatives in Tennessee.
He served on the Judiciary Committee, Criminal Justice Subcommittee, Finance, Ways & Means Committee, Ways & Means Subcommittee, and the Joint Pensions and Insurance Committee. He was the majority caucus vice chairman.
He served his first term in Tennessee's 111th General Assembly (2018-2020) and was re-elected to the 112th General Assembly (2020–2022).
Biography
Early life and career
Ogles moved to the Williamson County area when he was eight years old with deep family roots in Tennessee dating back to the state's founding.
After graduating from Franklin High School in his hometown in 1995, Ogles attended Lipscomb University in 1995 and graduated in 1999 with a Bachelor of Science in management with a double minor in finance and psychology. In college, Ogles was a member of the Financial Management Association National Honor Society, a program known for its members' significant contributions to the finance profession as distinguished scholars. While in college, Ogles also sat for and passed the Tennessee Real Estate exam, becoming a licensed real estate agent.
As an Eagle Scout, Ogles mentored a close friend who suffered traumatic abuse while scouting and ultimately took his own life. The event greatly impacted Ogles and motivated him to draft and pass legislation focused on sexual abuse and enact harsher penalties for those who harm children.
Ogles started his business in 2006 and is the co-owner of Branch Building Group. He is a former reserve officer in Williamson County and a real estate investor.
Legislation
During his time serving as Tennessee State representative, Ogles achieved several legislative objectives that focused on enhancing school safety and reforming criminal justice. One of his most noteworthy achievements was the successful passing of HB1158, the Secure of Tennessee Schools Act of 2018. This legislation permits local education agencies (LEAs) to establish a threat assessment team, which develops holistic, intervention-focused methods to prevent violence, manage potential threat reports, and implement a system that cultivates a secure, supportive, and effective educational environment. HB1158 received unanimous approval in both the House and Senate before being signed into law by Governor Lee on May 10, 2019, as Public Chapter.
School safety
HB2761, a bill requiring firearm safety training in Tennessee schools. This bill mandates safety training for children to identify a firearm, never touch a firearm, and notify an adult of the presence of a firearm in Tennessee schools. It was the first bill of its kind, supported by the Tennessee Firearm Association and passed the House unanimously. The National Rifle Association of America subsequently lobbied against it and was not calendared or voted on in the Senate.
Ogles has made significant legislative achievements to increase security in Tennessee schools, including, but not limited to: