NASHVILLE (AP) — A Democratic Tennessee lawmaker has been instructed to take "preventative action" after a House ethics panel found he violated the General Assembly's sexual harassment policy.

House Speaker Glen Casada's office received a letter from the House Workplace Discrimination and Harassment Subcommittee on April 1 that said the panel had met to review several complaints against Rep. Rick Staples of Knoxville.

"Representative Staples has been directed to take preventative action individually to ensure that the violation does not reoccur and report back to the Ethics Subcommittee. Other remedial measures have also been instituted to ensure that the harassment does not reoccur and to correct the effects of the harassment," the letter stated.

The Tennessean first reported the existence of the letter Wednesday. The Associated Press has since obtained a copy.

The letter, which is now part of Staples' legislative personnel file, does not specify exactly what types of actions Staples will take.

"The Ethics Subcommittee is committed to protecting members, employees, and visitors by providing an environment free of discrimination, harassment, or retaliation," the letter continued. "Discrimination and harassment in any form will not be tolerated."

On April 4, Staples told reporters he was sorry his behavior was possibly misinterpreted, but denied he was under investigation.

"If currently or in the past I've had any words or actions that have been misinterpreted, that is due an apology, and I submit that apology," Staples said at the time.

He also said then, "I am under no investigation at this point. I have not been found guilty of anything. Unfortunately, this is being used as a tool and an avenue for political character assassination."

A spokesman for the Democratic House caucus on Wednesday said Staples had no further comment about the letter and declined to answer questions why Staples denied the existence of an investigation when the ethics subcommittee had found three days earlier that he violated the sexual harassment policy.

The allegations were first reported by The Tennessean last week. A woman told the newspaper Staples inappropriately touched her by grabbing and holding on to her waist while standing behind her during a recent visit to the state Capitol. Staples allegedly also made several inappropriate comments about her appearance.

The woman — who was not identified in the report — said she reported the encounter to Democratic Caucus Chairman Mike Stewart of Nashville, but added he only responded after she followed up with his office.

Allegations against Staples surfaced a week after a Republican lawmaker also accused of sexual misconduct was asked by Casada to step down as an education subcommittee chairman.

Rep. David Byrd had faced months of protests from victim advocates calling for his resignation ever since he was named to the committee leadership position.

Two women have said the Waynesboro lawmaker inappropriately touched them nearly three decades ago when he was their high school basketball coach. A third woman said Byrd tried to touch her.