# Tennessee SB 2079: AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49, Chapter 14; Title 49, Chapter 7; Title 49, Chapter 8 and Title 49, Chapter 9, relative to higher education. Tennessee SB 2079, AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49, Chapter 14; Title 49, Chapter 7; Title 49, Chapter 8 and Title 49, Chapter 9, relative to higher education., is a 114th General Assembly (2025-2026) Senate bill sponsored by no sponsor on record; status signed, last action 2026-05-01 (Effective date(s) 04/23/2026, 07/01/2026); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-11-01). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/TN-SB2079-2025-2026 - 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 2079 - State: Tennessee - Session: 114th General Assembly (2025-2026) - Title: AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49, Chapter 14; Title 49, Chapter 7; Title 49, Chapter 8 and Title 49, Chapter 9, relative to higher education. - Status: signed - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2026-01-22 - Last action: 2026-05-01, Effective date(s) 04/23/2026, 07/01/2026 - Sponsors: no sponsor on record - Cosponsors: 4 - Subjects: Education, Higher - Touches household money: yes - Roll calls: 4 (129 yes, 11 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 3 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - College boards must plan for tuition relief: benefit, low. Tennessee's public college boards must adopt and implement policies for revenue from out-of-state undergraduate tuition and fees by July 1, 2026. This covers the University of Tennessee Board of Trustees, the Tennessee Board of Regents, and each state university board. Their policies must describe… - Public colleges get on-time graduation goals: benefit, low. Beginning July 1, 2026, Tennessee sets on-time graduation goals for each state higher education institution, starting with the 2026–2027 academic year. For a first degree in a standard program, on-time completion means four academic years at public universities or two at community colleges. The Ten… - Public colleges can get different tuition limits: mixed, low. Beginning July 1, 2026, the Tennessee Higher Education Commission can approve separate tuition and fee increase limits for public colleges. This applies starting with the 2026–2027 academic year and continues afterward. A college's circumstances or needs must justify a separate limit. Its on-time g… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Cosponsor: Paul Bailey (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Janice Bowling (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Mark Pody (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Jessie Seal (Republican), Senate ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-04-06 | House | FLOOR VOTE: REGULAR CALENDAR PASSAGE ON THIRD CONSIDERATION 4/6/2026 | pass | 86 | 8 | | | 2026-03-30 | Senate | FLOOR VOTE: as Amended Third Consideration 3/30/2026 | pass | 28 | 3 | | | 2026-03-18 | Senate | SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE | pass | 8 | 0 | | | 2026-02-18 | Senate | SENATE GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS COMMITTEE | pass | 7 | 0 | | ## Actions (24) - 2026-05-01: Effective date(s) 04/23/2026, 07/01/2026 - 2026-05-01: Pub. Ch. 799 - 2026-04-23: Signed by Governor. (Senate) - 2026-04-15: Transmitted to Governor for action. (Senate) - 2026-04-14: Signed by H. Speaker (House) - 2026-04-09: Signed by Senate Speaker (Senate) - 2026-04-08: Enrolled and ready for signatures (Senate) - 2026-04-06: Passed H., Ayes 86, Nays 8, PNV 0 (House) - 2026-04-06: Am. withdrawn. (Amendment 1 - HA0906) (House) - 2026-04-06: Subst. for comp. HB. (House) - 2026-04-02: Rcvd. from S., held on H. desk. (House) - 2026-03-30: Engrossed; ready for transmission to House (Senate) - 2026-03-30: Sponsor(s) Added. (Senate) - 2026-03-30: Passed Senate as amended, Ayes 28, Nays 3 (Senate) - 2026-03-30: Senate adopted Amendment (Amendment 1 - SA0490) (Senate) - 2026-03-27: Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 3/30/2026 (Senate) - 2026-03-18: Sponsor(s) Added. (Senate) - 2026-03-18: Recommended for passage, refer to Senate Calendar Committee (Senate) - 2026-03-12: Placed on Senate Education Committee calendar for 3/18/2026 (Senate) - 2026-02-18: Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Education Committee Ayes 7, Nays 0 PNV 2 (Senate) - 2026-02-11: Placed on Senate Government Operations Committee calendar for 2/18/2026 (Senate) - 2026-02-05: Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Government Operations Committee (Senate) - 2026-02-02: Introduced, Passed on First Consideration (Senate) - 2026-01-22: Filed for introduction (Senate) ## Bill text - Enrolled / Public Chapter: [PDF](https://publications.tnsosfiles.com/acts/114/pub/pc0799.pdf) - Fiscal Note: [PDF](https://capitol.tn.gov/Bills/114/Fiscal/HB1833.pdf) - HA0906: [PDF](https://capitol.tn.gov/Bills/114/Amend/HA0906.pdf) - Introduced: [PDF](https://capitol.tn.gov/Bills/114/Bill/SB2079.pdf) - SA0490: [PDF](https://capitol.tn.gov/Bills/114/Amend/SA0490.pdf) ## Related bills - SB 2057: AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 7, Chapter 35; Title 7, Chapter 82 and Title 68, Chapter 221, relative to sewer systems. (signed) - SB 2017: AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 8, Chapter 34, Part 6, relative to creditable service for a period of disability. (signed) - SB 1915: AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4, Chapter 1 and Title 4, Chapter 58, relative to public benefits. (signed) - SB 1900: AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 39 and Title 40, relative to first responders. (signed) - SB 1766: AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 7; Title 9; Title 12; Title 13; Title 66; Title 67 and Title 68, relative to infrastructure development distric… (signed) - SB 1771: AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 5; Title 6; Title 7 and Title 13, relative to zoning outside of municipal boundaries. (signed) ## Sources - [Enrolled / Public Chapter (PDF)](https://publications.tnsosfiles.com/acts/114/pub/pc0799.pdf) - [Fiscal Note (PDF)](https://capitol.tn.gov/Bills/114/Fiscal/HB1833.pdf) - [HA0906 (PDF)](https://capitol.tn.gov/Bills/114/Amend/HA0906.pdf) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://capitol.tn.gov/Bills/114/Bill/SB2079.pdf) - [SA0490 (PDF)](https://capitol.tn.gov/Bills/114/Amend/SA0490.pdf) ## Related - [SB 2057: AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 7, Chapter 35; Title 7, Chapter…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/TN-SB2057-2025-2026) - [SB 2017: AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 8, Chapter 34, Part 6, relative…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/TN-SB2017-2025-2026) - [SB 1915: AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4, Chapter 1 and Title 4, Chapt…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/TN-SB1915-2025-2026) - [SB 1900: AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 39 and Title 40, relative to fi…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/TN-SB1900-2025-2026) - [SB 1766: AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 7; Title 9; Title 12; Title 13;…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/TN-SB1766-2025-2026) - [SB 1771: AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 5; Title 6; Title 7 and Title 1…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/TN-SB1771-2025-2026) - [Tennessee bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/tennessee/bills) - [Tennessee state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/tennessee) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/TN-SB2079-2025-2026 (as of 2026-11-01).