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TennesseeHB 1162114th General Assembly (2025-2026)HouseWALLET

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49, relative to public charter schools.

Sponsored By: Robert Stevens (Republican)

Became Law

Schools, Charter

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

2 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.

County charters can use city buildings

Beginning with the 2025-2026 school year, a charter authorized by a county school system in a county with only one city school system can lease city school buildings when it needs more space. The building must be inside that city system, not in a district with a special written agreement or created on or after January 1, 2014, and the charter must sign a lease for school use. Using city buildings does not change who runs the charter or its enrollment area. Students who live in the county and attend that charter are treated as in-district for enrollment and funding. A district that only hosts the leased site, but did not authorize a charter, does not have to follow one set of charter compliance rules tied to facility use.

Where charters can open and who gets in

Beginning with the 2025-2026 school year, charter schools approved by the state commission must operate inside the same local school board area that first denied their application. The only exception is the new city-facility rule in this law. When seats are limited, charter schools must give priority to students who live in the school's district and attended another public school last year. If a charter is authorized by a county school system, county residents who attended a different district in the same county last year also get priority.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • Robert Stevens

    Republican • House

Cosponsors

  • Dawn White

    Republican • Senate

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 129 • No: 26

Senate vote • 4/21/2025

FLOOR VOTE: Third Consideration 4/21/2025

Yes: 28 • No: 4

House vote • 4/16/2025

FLOOR VOTE: REGULAR CALENDAR AS AMENDED PASSAGE ON THIRD CONSIDERATION 4/16/2025

Yes: 74 • No: 22

House vote • 4/14/2025

HOUSE CALENDAR & RULES COMMITTEE

Yes: 0 • No: 0

House vote • 4/2/2025

HOUSE EDUCATION COMMITTEE

Yes: 19 • No: 0

House vote • 3/25/2025

HOUSE K-12 SUBCOMMITTEE

Yes: 8 • No: 0

Actions Timeline

  1. Pub. Ch. 518

    5/27/2025

  2. Effective date(s) 05/21/2025

    5/27/2025

  3. Signed by Governor.

    5/21/2025

  4. Transmitted to Governor for his action.

    5/9/2025House

  5. Signed by Senate Speaker

    5/8/2025Senate

  6. Signed by H. Speaker

    4/30/2025House

  7. Enrolled; ready for sig. of H. Speaker.

    4/24/2025House

  8. Senate substituted House Bill for companion Senate Bill.

    4/21/2025Senate

  9. Passed Senate, Ayes 28, Nays 4

    4/21/2025Senate

  10. Received from House, Passed on First Consideration

    4/17/2025Senate

  11. H. adopted am. (Amendment 1 - HA0303)

    4/16/2025House

  12. Passed H., as am., Ayes 74, Nays 22, PNV 0

    4/16/2025House

  13. Engrossed; ready for transmission to Sen.

    4/16/2025House

  14. Sponsor(s) Added.

    4/10/2025House

  15. H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 4/14/2025

    4/10/2025House

  16. Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 4/10/2025

    4/9/2025House

  17. Rec. for pass. if am., ref. to Calendar & Rules Committee

    4/2/2025House

  18. Placed on cal. Education Committee for 4/1/2025

    3/26/2025House

  19. Rec for pass if am by s/c ref. to Education Committee

    3/25/2025House

  20. Placed on s/c cal K-12 Subcommittee for 3/25/2025

    3/19/2025House

  21. Action Def. in s/c K-12 Subcommittee to 3/25/2025

    3/18/2025House

  22. Placed on s/c cal K-12 Subcommittee for 3/18/2025

    3/12/2025House

  23. Action Def. in s/c K-12 Subcommittee to 3/18/2025

    3/11/2025House

  24. Placed on s/c cal K-12 Subcommittee for 3/11/2025

    3/5/2025House

  25. Action Def. in s/c K-12 Subcommittee to 3/11/2025

    3/4/2025House

Bill Text

  • HA0303 (Substitute)

    4/16/2025

    PDF

  • Enrolled / Public Chapter

    PDF

  • Fiscal Note

    PDF

  • Introduced

    PDF

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