All Roll Calls
Yes: 176 • No: 9
TennesseeHB 2533114th General Assembly (2025-2026)HouseWALLET
AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4, Chapter 29; Title 5, Chapter 21; Title 8, Chapter 50, Part 8; Title 49, Chapter 10, Part 1; Title 49, Chapter 10, Part 14; Title 49, Chapter 11, Part 1; Title 49, Chapter 11, Part 8; Title 49, Chapter 13; Title 49, Chapter 15, Part 1; Title 49, Chapter 16, Part 2; Title 49, Chapter 17; Section 49-2-203; Title 49, Chapter 3, Part 1; Title 49, Chapter 5, Part 4; Title 49, Chapter 50, Part 10; Title 49, Chapter 50, Part 16; Title 49, Chapter 50, Part 18; Title 49, Chapter 6, Part 10; Title 49, Chapter 6, Part 15; Title 49, Chapter 6, Part 22; Title 49, Chapter 6, Part 23; Title 49, Chapter 6, Part 30; Title 49, Chapter 6, Part 34; Title 49, Chapter 6, Part 42; Title 49, Chapter 6, Part 81; Title 49, Chapter 1, Part 2; Title 49, Chapter 1, Part 3 and Section 68-204-110, relative to education.
Sponsored By: William Lamberth (Republican)
Signed by Governor
Education
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
14 provisions identified: 7 benefits, 1 costs, 6 mixed.
Revised education account eligibility for families
Beginning July 1, 2026, Tennessee changes who qualifies for Individualized Education Accounts. Students must live in Tennessee and have a covered disability. An active individualized education program must list that disability as primary or secondary when the state receives the request. Students must have attended Tennessee public school for the full prior year, be first-time Tennessee school enrollees, or have received an account the prior year. Children in the TEIS Extended Option also qualify through eligibility for Part C services and a Part B report listing a covered disability.
Core school protections cannot be waived
Beginning July 1, 2026, the Education Commissioner cannot waive listed protections for students, families, and school employees. These cover civil rights, health and safety, immunizations, weapons bans, personnel background checks, and fingerprinting. They also cover special education services, student due process, parental rights, assessments, and accountability. Public records and open-meeting rules remain protected. Employee protections include educator due process, limits on teacher salary reductions, employee rights and benefits, and license requirements.
Virtual school enrollment limits allow exceptions
Beginning July 1, 2026, a school district's public virtual schools face a combined enrollment cap of 1,500 students. Districts with a virtual school operating on January 1, 2026, may use their 2025–2026 enrollment as the cap. Starting in 2026–2027, districts may exceed their cap if every virtual school shows TVAAS growth of at least “at expectations.” TVAAS is the state's student achievement growth measure. Adult high schools providing virtual instruction are exempt.
School seizure rules cover more medicines
Beginning July 1, 2026, the covered school medication rule uses “an anti-seizure medication” instead of “diazepam gel.” This broadens the category of seizure medicines covered by that rule.
Special school employees gain appeal rights
Beginning July 1, 2026, the State Board of Education must adopt rules giving covered special-school employees equal job-action appeal rights. Their rights must match those of district employees under state education law. Covered schools are the Tennessee School for the Blind, Tennessee School for the Deaf, and West Tennessee School for the Deaf. Alvin C. York Agricultural Institute and any later-established special school are also covered.
Broader checks for school contract workers
Contracts entered into or renewed on or after July 1, 2026, face broader worker background-check requirements. Covered settings include districts, public charter schools, colleges and universities with training schools, and child-care programs. Checks apply when work involves direct contact with children or access to grounds while children are present. A worker continuously employed by the same contractor can carry qualifying checks across covered entities. Covered education boards must adopt policies for contract-worker and volunteer checks. Once Tennessee is accepted into FBI Rap Back, they may use state and national checks and that ongoing screening program. Child-care programs receiving state Human Services funding may instead use that department's statutory background-check process.
Public textbook review and price protections
Beginning July 1, 2026, the Tennessee Textbook Commission must stream meetings online and post recordings on its website. Publishers must provide links to submitted materials for public and advisory-panel review, and the Commission must post them. Contracts for listed books must guarantee prices no higher than those currently offered elsewhere. The chair or executive director must sign two copies using Attorney General-approved forms; the publisher and Commission each keep one. Public charter schools and their governing bodies also become subject to the covered textbook rules.
School camp funds come before tutoring
Beginning July 1, 2026, funds must first serve the purposes set for after-school mini-camps, learning loss bridge camps, and summer learning camps. School districts and public charter schools may use leftover funds for tutoring required by law. Camp money must add to, not replace, other programs outside the regular school day.
Schools must investigate reported antisemitic harassment
Beginning July 1, 2026, district and public charter school Title VI coordinators must investigate reported antisemitic discrimination or harassment complaints. Investigations must follow state law and local governing-body policies before formal reporting to the Department of Education. The Department's Title VI coordinator must report K–12 incidents annually to the Attorney General and General Assembly by December 31. Public higher education institutions must report annually by June 30.
Families lose education-funded disability savings option
Beginning July 1, 2026, families cannot put Individualized Education Account money into ABLE disability savings accounts. Earlier contributions can remain only for the student's education expenses, and the student must qualify for ABLE. Those funds must also follow ABLE account rules.
Licensed school employees keep leave status
Beginning July 1, 2026, employees legally required to hold a public-school license keep full-time status for the covered legal requirement. This applies during paid or unpaid leave while employed by a district or public charter school. The Department of Education must receive leave reimbursement requests in the same fiscal year as the leave.
School start limits preserve calendar flexibility
Beginning July 1, 2026, school districts and public charter schools generally cannot start school before August 1. Their governing body may approve a year-round or alternative calendar by majority vote, following state attendance policies. Charter school directors can request waivers under the covered calendar rule. The law removes the Commissioner's approval step for the covered calendar action. It also extends the referenced district attendance rules to public charter schools.
School search assignments require staff training
Beginning July 1, 2026, district and public charter school directors can designate employees to conduct covered student searches. Those employees must complete orientation and training before conducting a search. The Department of Education must develop or approve the program.
Counties must fund replacement school accounting
Beginning July 1, 2026, the Comptroller must hold a hearing on alleged neglect of required county education financial duties. If neglect is established, the Comptroller must remove the education department from the county financial management system. Covered failures include recordkeeping, accounting, budget procedures, and timely reporting by the system's director or purchasing agent. The county legislative body must then transfer enough money to provide the education department's financial services.
Sponsors & Cosponsors
Sponsor
William Lamberth
Republican • House
Cosponsors
Mark Cochran
Republican • House
White
Affiliation unavailable
Roll Call Votes
Senate vote • 4/22/2026
FLOOR VOTE: Third Consideration 4/22/2026
Yes: 30 • No: 0
House vote • 4/21/2026
FLOOR VOTE: REGULAR CALENDAR AS AMENDED PASSAGE ON THIRD CONSIDERATION 4/21/2026
Yes: 77 • No: 8
House vote • 4/16/2026
HOUSE CALENDAR & RULES COMMITTEE
Yes: 0 • No: 0
House vote • 4/14/2026
HOUSE FINANCE, WAYS, AND MEANS COMMITTEE
Yes: 29 • No: 0
House vote • 4/8/2026
HOUSE FINANCE, WAYS, AND MEANS SUBCOMMITTEE
Yes: 9 • No: 0
House vote • 3/30/2026
HOUSE GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS COMMITTEE
Yes: 11 • No: 0
House vote • 3/25/2026
HOUSE EDUCATION COMMITTEE
Yes: 13 • No: 1
House vote • 3/10/2026
HOUSE K-12 SUBCOMMITTEE
Yes: 7 • No: 0
Bill Text
HA0876
4/21/2026
Enrolled / Public Chapter
Fiscal Note
Introduced
SA0529
SA0809
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HB 2503, AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 3; Title 4; Title 5; Title 6; Title 7; Title 8; Title 10; Title 12; Title 29; Title 35; Title 36; Title 37; Title 39; Title 40; Title 41; Title 42; Title 45; Title 47; Title 49; Title 50; Title 52; Title 53; Title 56; Title 58; Title 63; Title 67; Title 68 and Title 71, relative to health insurance.
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