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TennesseeSB 0729114th General Assembly (2025-2026)SenateWALLET

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49, relative to compensation for licensed personnel.

Sponsored By: Adam Lowe (Republican)

Became Law

Local Education Agencies

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

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

Merit pay rules for teachers

Beginning with the 2025-2026 school year, each school district may create a merit-pay plan for educators. Merit pay only raises pay, either as a one-time bonus or a raise on the commissioner-approved salary schedule. A district can skip merit pay in a year when it does not get enough additional state funds compared to the prior year. The district is not required to use local money to keep past merit pay going. Each district decides whether to adopt the plan and how to award it.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • Adam Lowe

    Republican • Senate

Cosponsors

  • Tom Hatcher

    Republican • Senate

  • Brent Taylor

    Republican • Senate

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 40 • No: 0

Senate vote • 3/24/2025

FLOOR VOTE: Motion to Adopt 3/24/2025

Yes: 32 • No: 0

Senate vote • 3/19/2025

SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE

Yes: 8 • No: 0

Actions Timeline

  1. Pub. Ch. 256

    4/29/2025

  2. Effective date(s) 04/24/2025

    4/29/2025

  3. Signed by Governor.

    4/24/2025Senate

  4. Signed by H. Speaker

    4/21/2025House

  5. Transmitted to Governor for action.

    4/21/2025Senate

  6. Signed by Senate Speaker

    4/17/2025Senate

  7. Enrolled and ready for signatures

    4/16/2025Senate

  8. Subst. for comp. HB.

    4/14/2025House

  9. Passed H., Ayes 94, Nays 0, PNV 1

    4/14/2025House

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

    3/27/2025House

  11. Passed Senate, Ayes 32, Nays 0

    3/24/2025Senate

  12. Engrossed; ready for transmission to House

    3/24/2025Senate

  13. Sponsor(s) Added.

    3/24/2025Senate

  14. Placed on Senate Consent Calendar 2 for 3/24/2025

    3/21/2025Senate

  15. Recommended for passage, refer to Senate Calendar Committee

    3/19/2025Senate

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

    3/12/2025Senate

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

    2/12/2025Senate

  18. Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

    2/10/2025Senate

  19. Filed for introduction

    2/4/2025Senate

Bill Text

  • Enrolled / Public Chapter

    PDF

  • Fiscal Note

    PDF

  • Introduced

    PDF

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