HB0016 • 2026

Traffic Safety

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4; Title 49; Title 54 and Title 55, relative to pedestrian safety.

Budget Education

Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor: Clemmons, Kyle
Last action: 2025-04-09
Official status: Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/14/2025
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details on how much money will be in the fund each year, leaving this as an unknown.

Student Pedestrian Protection Grant Program

This bill establishes a grant program to provide funding for local governments to design, construct, and repair sidewalks around public schools in Tennessee.

What This Bill Does

Establishes the Student Pedestrian Protection Grant Fund within the state's general fund.
Requires the Department of Transportation to allocate grants competitively to local governments for sidewalk infrastructure projects near public schools.
Sets matching requirements for grant recipients, allowing for in-kind project work as part of the match.
Receives quarterly and final reports from grant recipients detailing progress and use of funds.

Who It Names or Affects

Local governments in Tennessee
Public schools in Tennessee

Terms To Know

Grant: Money given by the government to help pay for projects or programs.
In-kind project work: Work done as part of a project that is considered valuable and can be used instead of money to match grant funds.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify the exact amount of funding for each fiscal year.
It's unclear if all local governments will apply for these grants or if some might choose not to participate.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

HA0017

Amendment 1-0 to HB0016

Plain English: The amendment creates a new grant program for local governments to improve sidewalk infrastructure around public schools in Tennessee.

Establishes a student pedestrian protection grant program under the Department of Transportation.
Creates a separate fund within the general fund to hold money for these grants, which can come from appropriations by the General Assembly and other sources like gifts or donations.
Sets rules for how grants are allocated, including requiring local governments to match funds with either cash or approved in-kind work.

The amendment does not specify exact amounts of funding or criteria for matching requirements.

SA0097

Amendment 1-0 to SB0141

Plain English: The amendment creates a new grant program for local governments to improve sidewalk infrastructure around public schools in Tennessee.

Establishes a student pedestrian protection grant program under the Department of Transportation.
Creates a separate fund within the general fund to hold money for these grants, which can come from appropriations and donations.
Sets rules for how grants are awarded competitively, requiring local government matches.
Requires recipients to report on their use of funds quarterly and annually.

The exact criteria for awarding grants and determining match requirements have not been specified in the amendment text.

Bill History

2025-04-09 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/14/2025
2025-04-03 Tennessee General Assembly
Rcvd. from S., held on H. desk.
2025-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed behind the budget
2025-03-31 Tennessee General Assembly
Sponsor(s) Added.
2025-03-31 Tennessee General Assembly
Engrossed; ready for transmission to House
2025-03-31 Tennessee General Assembly
Passed Senate as amended, Ayes 29, Nays 0
2025-03-31 Tennessee General Assembly
Senate adopted Amendment (Amendment 1 - SA0097)
2025-03-28 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 3/31/2025
2025-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/2/2025
2025-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly
Assigned to s/c Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee
2025-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly
Refer to Senate Calendar Committee
2025-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly
Recalled from Senate Finance, Ways & Means Committee
2025-03-20 Tennessee General Assembly
Re-ref. Finance, Ways, and Means Committee
2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 3/20/2025
2025-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly
Refer to Senate Finance, Ways & Means Committee
2025-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly
Recalled from Senate Calendar Committee
2025-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly
Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 9, Nays 0 PNV 0
2025-03-10 Tennessee General Assembly
Rec. for pass; ref to Calendar & Rules Committee
2025-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on cal. Government Operations Committee for 3/10/2025
2025-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on Senate Transportation and Safety Committee calendar for 3/12/2025
2025-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly
Action deferred in Senate Transportation and Safety Committee to 3/12/2025
2025-02-26 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on Senate Transportation and Safety Committee calendar for 3/5/2025
2025-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly
Rec. for pass. if am., ref. to Government Operations Committee
2025-02-19 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on cal. Transportation Committee for 2/25/2025
2025-02-18 Tennessee General Assembly
Rec for pass if am by s/c ref. to Transportation Committee
2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on s/c cal Transportation Subcommittee for 2/18/2025
2025-02-11 Tennessee General Assembly
Action Def. in s/c Transportation Subcommittee to 2/18/2025
2025-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on s/c cal Transportation Subcommittee for 2/11/2025
2025-01-28 Tennessee General Assembly
Assigned to s/c Transportation Subcommittee
2025-01-16 Tennessee General Assembly
Ref. to Transportation Committee- Government Operations for Review
2025-01-16 Tennessee General Assembly
Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Transportation & Safety Committee
2025-01-15 Tennessee General Assembly
P2C held on desk, pending appointment of Standing Committees
2025-01-15 Tennessee General Assembly
Introduced, Passed on First Consideration
2025-01-14 Tennessee General Assembly
Intro., P1C.
2025-01-14 Tennessee General Assembly
Filed for introduction
2024-11-21 Tennessee General Assembly
Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

STUDENT PEDESTRIAN PROTECTION GRANT PROGRAM

This bill requires the department of transportation ("department") to establish and administer a student pedestrian protec
tion grant program ("program"). The purpose of the program is to provide grants to local governments to be used solely for designing, constructing, and repairing or replacing sidewalk infrastructure around public schools in this state.

FUNDING

This bil
l creates a separate fund within the general fund to be known as the student pedestrian protection grant fund. The fund is composed of (i) funds appropriated by the general assembly for the fund; and (ii) gifts, grants, and other donations received by th
e
department for the fund.

GRANTS

This bill requires the department, subject to the availability of funds, to allocate and disperse grants each fiscal year to local governments. The grants must be awarded on a competitive basis. The commissioner of tra
nsportation ("commissioner") must propose the annual recurring budget of the program and establish the selection criteria for awarding grants. This bill prohibits the funds from being obligated or expended under the program unless the local government ag
r
ees to match the proposed expenditures in an amount established by the commissioner. The commissioner must determine whether all, or a portion, of the required match may be provided by in-kind project work approved by the commissioner.

REPORT

This bi
ll requires each recipient of grant funds to provide a quarterly report to the department detailing the progress on use of the funds and a final report once all of the grant funds have been expended. On or before October 1 in any year during which the de
p
artment has allocated and dispersed funds pursuant to this bill, the department must prepare a report to the general assembly regarding the funds received and payments made by the fund.

RULEMAKING

This bill authorizes the commissioner to promulgate rule
s to effectuate this bill.

ON MARCH 31, 2025, THE SENATE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED SENATE BILL 141, AS AMENDED.

AMENDMENT #1 makes the following changes:



Requires, b
efore funds may be appropriated by the general assembly for the
student pedestrian protection grant
fund, the general assembly
to
authorize the appropriation of such funds by means of a separate joint resolution.



Removes the requirement that the commissioner propose the annual recurring budget of the program.



Requires the department to submit a
report to the general assembly regarding the funds received and payments made by the fund
by October 1 of each year regardless of whether the department has allocated and dispersed funds in the year of the report.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

SENATE BILL 141
By Kyle

HOUSE BILL 16
By Clemmons

HB0016
000490
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4;
Title 49; Title 54 and Title 55, relative to pedestrian
safety.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 54, Chapter 4, is amended by adding
the following as a new part:
54-4-701.
The department of transportation shall establish and administer a student
pedestrian protection grant program. The purpose of the program is to provide grants to
local governments to be used solely for designing, constructing, and repairing or
replacing sidewalk infrastructure around public schools in this state.
54-4-702.
(a) There is created a separate fund within the general fund to be known as the
student pedestrian protection grant fund. The fund is composed of:
(1) Funds appropriated by the general assembly for the fund; and
(2) Gifts, grants, and other donations received by the department for the
fund.
(b) Subject to the availability of funds, the department shall allocate and disperse
grants each fiscal year to local governments. The grants must be awarded on a
competitive basis. The commissioner shall propose the annual recurring budget of the
program and shall establish the selection criteria for awarding grants. Funds must not
be obligated or expended under the program unless the local government agrees to
match the proposed expenditures in an amount established by the commissioner. The

- 2 - 000490

commissioner shall determine whether all, or a portion, of the required match may be
provided by in-kind project work approved by the commissioner.
(c) Moneys in the fund must be invested by the state treasurer for the benefit of
the fund in accordance with § 9-4-603. Interest accruing on investments and deposits of
the fund must be returned to the fund and remain part of the fund. Any unencumbered
moneys and any unexpended balance of the fund remaining at the end of a fiscal year
do not revert to the general fund, but must be carried forward until expended in
accordance with this section.
54-4-703.
The commissioner may promulgate rules to effectuate this part in accordance
with the Uniform Administrative Procedures Act, compiled in title 4, chapter 5.
54-4-704.
Each recipient of student pedestrian protection grant funds shall provide a
quarterly report to the department detailing the progress on use of the funds and a final
report once all of the grant funds have been expended. On or before October 1 in any
year during which the department has allocated and dispersed funds pursuant to this
part, the department of transportation shall prepare a report to the general assembly
regarding the funds received and payments made by the fund.
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.