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TennesseeSB 0134114th General Assembly (2025-2026)SenateWALLET

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4 and Title 49, relative to education.

Sponsored By: Jack Johnson (Republican)

Became Law

Education, Dept. of

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

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

State and schools cannot regulate pods

Parents can form learning pods with little government control. State, local, and school districts cannot regulate pods or require teacher licenses, background checks, or school-facility rules. Pods do not have to register or report to the government, and officials cannot start site visits just because a pod meets there. School districts cannot punish or treat students or parents differently for joining a pod. In any challenge, the government must prove with clear and convincing evidence that a rule is narrowly tailored for safety, does not single out learning, does not unduly limit parental care, and fits this law. A pod is a voluntary group of parents for K–12 learning and is not a nonpublic school.

Hosts get code relief, need alarms

Places used by learning pods are generally exempt from extra local and state building and fire codes. The location must still meet safety rules for its main use and have smoke alarms or a detection system. If there is a fuel‑burning appliance or an attached garage, carbon monoxide alarms must be installed.

How pods count for school attendance

A child in a learning pod meets compulsory attendance if the child is enrolled in a public, church‑related, or private school. If the child is not enrolled in one of those, the parent must follow § 49-6-3050(b) for the pod to count.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • Jack Johnson

    Republican • Senate

Cosponsors

  • Janice Bowling

    Republican • Senate

  • Paul Rose

    Republican • Senate

  • John Stevens

    Republican • Senate

  • Page Walley

    Republican • Senate

  • Dawn White

    Republican • Senate

  • Ken Yager

    Republican • Senate

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 160 • No: 55

House vote • 4/16/2025

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

Yes: 58 • No: 28

House vote • 4/16/2025

FLOOR VOTE: REGULAR CALENDAR PREVIOUS QUESTION PASSAGE ON THIRD CONSIDERATION 4/16/2025

Yes: 65 • No: 27

Senate vote • 4/3/2025

FLOOR VOTE: as Amended Third Consideration 4/3/2025

Yes: 28 • No: 0

Senate vote • 3/26/2025

SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE

Yes: 9 • No: 0

Actions Timeline

  1. Pub. Ch. 305

    5/13/2025

  2. Effective date(s) 05/02/2025

    5/13/2025

  3. Signed by Governor.

    5/2/2025Senate

  4. Transmitted to Governor for action.

    4/22/2025Senate

  5. Enrolled and ready for signatures

    4/21/2025Senate

  6. Signed by Senate Speaker

    4/21/2025Senate

  7. Signed by H. Speaker

    4/21/2025House

  8. Subst. for comp. HB.

    4/16/2025House

  9. Am. withdrawn. (Amendment 1 - HA0301)

    4/16/2025House

  10. Passed H., Ayes 58, Nays 28, PNV 6

    4/16/2025House

  11. Rcvd. from S., held on H. desk.

    4/7/2025House

  12. Senate adopted Amendment (Amendment 1 - SA0270)

    4/3/2025Senate

  13. Passed Senate as amended, Ayes 28, Nays 0, PNV 1

    4/3/2025Senate

  14. Sponsor(s) Added.

    4/3/2025Senate

  15. Engrossed; ready for transmission to House

    4/3/2025Senate

  16. Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 4/3/2025

    4/1/2025Senate

  17. Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 9, Nays 0 PNV 0

    3/26/2025Senate

  18. Action deferred in Senate Education Committee to 3/26/2025

    3/19/2025Senate

  19. Placed on Senate Education Committee calendar for 3/26/2025

    3/19/2025Senate

  20. Placed on Senate Education Committee calendar for 3/19/2025

    3/12/2025Senate

  21. Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Education Committee

    1/16/2025Senate

  22. Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

    1/15/2025Senate

  23. Filed for introduction

    1/14/2025Senate

Bill Text

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