# Tennessee SB 0016: AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49, relative to interscholastic athletics.

Tennessee SB 0016, AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49, relative to interscholastic athletics., is a 114th General Assembly (2025-2026) Senate bill sponsored by no sponsor on record; status signed, last action 2026-03-16 (Effective date(s) 07/01/2026) (as of 2026-11-01).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/TN-SB0016-2025-2026
- As of: 2026-11-01
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Tennessee SB 0016
- State: Tennessee
- Session: 114th General Assembly (2025-2026)
- Title: AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49, relative to interscholastic athletics.
- Status: signed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2024-12-17
- Last action: 2026-03-16, Effective date(s) 07/01/2026
- Sponsors: no sponsor on record
- Cosponsors: 5
- Subjects: Education
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 7 (284 yes, 97 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 3

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Sports eligibility safeguards for foster students: benefit, low. Beginning July 1, 2026, public and public charter schools must report a student's foster-care placement to the relevant sports association. Notice is required when the student seeks to play and missing the notice could cause any period of ineligibility. Schools must first get written consent from a…
- Faster student sports eligibility, lawsuit limits: mixed, medium. Beginning July 1, 2026, students gain immediate sports eligibility after their first summer transfer between Tennessee athletic association member schools. The first-transfer rule applies separately to grades 6–8 and grades 9–12. It does not cover school-year transfers or later transfers within the…
- Sports associations face transparency and audit rules: mixed, low. Beginning July 1, 2026, public and public charter schools cannot fund sports association memberships unless association boards voluntarily follow Tennessee open-meeting law. Closed sessions can cover only legally protected information, with no other business. Voluntary associations setting and enfo…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Cosponsor: Raumesh Akbari (Democrat), Senate
- Cosponsor: Tom Hatcher (Republican), Senate
- Cosponsor: Joey Hensley (Republican), Senate
- Cosponsor: Ed Jackson (Republican), Senate
- Cosponsor: Bo Watson (Republican), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-02-09 | Senate | FLOOR VOTE: Motion to Concur House Amendment # 3 2/9/2026 | pass | 30 | 2 |   |
| 2026-02-09 | Senate | FLOOR VOTE: Motion to Concur House Amendment # 1 2/9/2026 | pass | 30 | 2 |   |
| 2026-02-04 | House | FLOOR VOTE: REGULAR CALENDAR MOTION TO ADOPT AMENDMENT # 3 BY CEPICKY PASSAGE ON THIRD CONSIDERATION 2/4/2026 | pass | 82 | 11 |   |
| 2026-02-04 | House | FLOOR VOTE: REGULAR CALENDAR AS AMENDED PASSAGE ON THIRD CONSIDERATION 2/4/2026 | pass | 83 | 10 |   |
| 2025-04-17 | House | FLOOR VOTE: REGULAR CALENDAR MOTION TO CONSIDER AMENDMENT # 2 BY PEARSON AS AMENDED PASSAGE ON THIRD CONSIDERATION 4/17/2025 | fail | 28 | 65 |   |
| 2025-04-07 | Senate | FLOOR VOTE: as Amended Third Consideration 4/7/2025 | pass | 25 | 4 |   |
| 2025-03-26 | Senate | SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE | pass | 6 | 3 |   |

## Actions (39)

- 2026-03-16: Effective date(s) 07/01/2026
- 2026-03-16: Pub. Ch. 533
- 2026-02-23: Signed by Governor. (Senate)
- 2026-02-12: Transmitted to Governor for action. (Senate)
- 2026-02-12: Signed by H. Speaker (House)
- 2026-02-11: Signed by Senate Speaker (Senate)
- 2026-02-10: Enrolled and ready for signatures (Senate)
- 2026-02-10: Enrolled and ready for signatures (Senate)
- 2026-02-10: Sponsor(s) Added. (Senate)
- 2026-02-09: Concurred, Ayes 30, Nays 2 (Amendment 3 - HA0543) (Senate)
- 2026-02-09: Concurred, Ayes 30, Nays 2 (Amendment 1 - HA0299) (Senate)
- 2026-02-06: Placed on Senate Message Calendar for 2/9/2026 (Senate)
- 2026-02-04: Passed H., as am., Ayes 83, Nays 10, PNV 0 (House)
- 2026-02-04: H. adopted am. (Amendment 3 - HA0543) (House)
- 2026-02-02: H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 2/4/2026 (House)
- 2025-04-17: Reset on first calendar for February 2026 (House)
- 2025-04-17: H. adopted am. (Amendment 1 - HA0299) (House)
- 2025-04-17: Subst. for comp. HB. (House)
- 2025-04-09: Rcvd. from S., held on H. desk. (House)
- 2025-04-07: Sponsor(s) Added. (Senate)
- 2025-04-07: Engrossed; ready for transmission to House (Senate)
- 2025-04-07: Passed Senate as amended, Ayes 25, Nays 4 (Senate)
- 2025-04-07: Senate adopted Amendment (Amendment 1 - SA0269) (Senate)
- 2025-04-04: Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 4/7/2025 (Senate)
- 2025-04-03: Sponsor(s) Added. (Senate)
- 2025-04-03: Senate Reset on calendar for 4/7/2025 (Senate)
- 2025-04-01: Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 4/3/2025 (Senate)
- 2025-03-26: Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 6, Nays 3 PNV 0 (Senate)
- 2025-03-19: Placed on Senate Education Committee calendar for 3/26/2025 (Senate)
- 2025-03-19: Action deferred in Senate Education Committee to 3/26/2025 (Senate)
- 2025-03-12: Placed on Senate Education Committee calendar for 3/19/2025 (Senate)
- 2025-03-12: Action deferred in Senate Education Committee to 3/19/2025 (Senate)
- 2025-03-05: Placed on Senate Education Committee calendar for 3/12/2025 (Senate)
- 2025-01-15: Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Education Committee (Senate)
- 2025-01-14: Introduced, Passed on First Consideration (Senate)
- 2025-01-14: Sponsor(s) Added. (Senate)
- 2025-01-14: Sponsor change. (Senate)
- 2024-12-20: Sponsor(s) Added. (Senate)
- 2024-12-17: Filed for introduction (Senate)

## Bill text

- HA0543 (Substitute), 2026-02-04: [PDF](https://capitol.tn.gov/Bills/114/Amend/HA0543.pdf)
- HA0299, 2025-04-17: [PDF](https://capitol.tn.gov/Bills/114/Amend/HA0299.pdf)
- Enrolled / Public Chapter: [PDF](https://publications.tnsosfiles.com/acts/114/pub/pc0533.pdf)
- Fiscal Note: [PDF](https://capitol.tn.gov/Bills/114/Fiscal/HB0025.pdf)
- HA0497: [PDF](https://capitol.tn.gov/Bills/114/Amend/HA0497.pdf)
- Introduced: [PDF](https://capitol.tn.gov/Bills/114/Bill/SB0016.pdf)
- SA0269: [PDF](https://capitol.tn.gov/Bills/114/Amend/SA0269.pdf)

## Related bills

- HB 2666: AN ACT to amend Chapter 131 of the Private Acts of 1969; as amended by Chapter 85 of the Private Acts of 1987; Chapter 74 of the Private Acts of 1995; Chapter… (signed)
- HB 2670: AN ACT to amend Chapter 33 of the Private Acts of 1985; as amended by Chapter 85 of the Private Acts of 2004; and any other acts amendatory thereto, relative t… (signed)
- HB 2656: AN ACT to amend Chapter 325 of the Private Acts of 1945; as amended by Chapter 335 of the Private Acts of 1968; Chapter 282 of the Private Acts of 1972; Chapte… (signed)
- HB 2631: AN ACT to make appropriations for the purpose of defraying the expenses of the state government for the fiscal years beginning July 1, 2025, and July 1, 2026,… (failed)
- HB 2649: AN ACT to amend Chapter 84 of the Private Acts of 1991; as amended by Chapter 162 of the Private Acts of 1994; Chapter 140 of the Private Acts of 1996; Chapter… (signed)
- HB 2533: 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, Chapte… (signed)

## Sources
- [HA0543 (Substitute) (PDF)](https://capitol.tn.gov/Bills/114/Amend/HA0543.pdf)
- [HA0299 (PDF)](https://capitol.tn.gov/Bills/114/Amend/HA0299.pdf)
- [Enrolled / Public Chapter (PDF)](https://publications.tnsosfiles.com/acts/114/pub/pc0533.pdf)
- [Fiscal Note (PDF)](https://capitol.tn.gov/Bills/114/Fiscal/HB0025.pdf)
- [HA0497 (PDF)](https://capitol.tn.gov/Bills/114/Amend/HA0497.pdf)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://capitol.tn.gov/Bills/114/Bill/SB0016.pdf)
- [SA0269 (PDF)](https://capitol.tn.gov/Bills/114/Amend/SA0269.pdf)

## Related
- [HB 2666: AN ACT to amend Chapter 131 of the Private Acts of 1969; as amended by Chapter…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/TN-HB2666-2025-2026)
- [HB 2670: AN ACT to amend Chapter 33 of the Private Acts of 1985; as amended by Chapter 8…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/TN-HB2670-2025-2026)
- [HB 2656: AN ACT to amend Chapter 325 of the Private Acts of 1945; as amended by Chapter…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/TN-HB2656-2025-2026)
- [HB 2631: AN ACT to make appropriations for the purpose of defraying the expenses of the…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/TN-HB2631-2025-2026)
- [HB 2649: AN ACT to amend Chapter 84 of the Private Acts of 1991; as amended by Chapter 1…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/TN-HB2649-2025-2026)
- [HB 2533: AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4, Chapter 29; Title 5, Chapter…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/TN-HB2533-2025-2026)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/TN-SB0016-2025-2026 (as of 2026-11-01).