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HB0114 • 2026

Scholarships and Financial Aid

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49, Chapter 4, Part 10, relative to tuition assistance for members of the Tennessee national guard.

Technology
Active

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

Sponsor
Lamberth, Johnson
Last action
2025-05-08
Official status
Effective date(s) 05/02/2025
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

Tennessee National Guard Tuition Assistance

This bill amends Tennessee's STRONG Act to remove eligibility limits for tuition assistance and increase the number of reimbursable hours for members of the Tennessee National Guard.

What This Bill Does

  • Removes the limit that a member becomes ineligible after eight full-time equivalent semesters.
  • Increases the maximum number of reimbursable semester hours from 120 to 130.
  • Requires the department of military to pay undergraduate course fees and master's degree program fees in addition to tuition.
  • Defines mandatory fees as parking, technology, and library fees.
  • Changes the application deadline for tuition reimbursement from 90 days to 45 days after course completion.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Members of the Tennessee National Guard who are eligible for tuition assistance.

Terms To Know

STRONG Act
The Tennessee Support, Training, and Renewing Opportunity for National Guardsmen (STRONG) program that provides tuition reimbursement to eligible members.
Tuition Reimbursement
Financial assistance provided by the state to help cover educational costs for National Guard members.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify how much funding will be available beyond fiscal year 2027.
  • It is unclear if there are any additional requirements or changes that may affect eligibility for tuition assistance in the future.

Amendments

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

Amendment 1-0 to HB0114

Plain English: The amendment changes how much financial assistance members of the Tennessee National Guard can receive towards their tuition and course fees at public educational institutions.

  • Changes the amount of financial assistance to cover 100% of maximum resident in-state tuition and undergraduate or master's degree program fees, minus any other state or federal financial aid received by the member.
  • Requires the Department of Military to publish a policy determining payment amounts for course fees on its website by August 1 each year.
  • The amendment text does not specify how much financial assistance is currently provided, so it's unclear what the exact change in amount will be.
  • It's not clear from this text if there are any limits or conditions on when members can apply for this assistance.
Amendment 1-0 to SB1291

Plain English: The amendment changes how much financial assistance members of the Tennessee National Guard can receive towards their tuition and course fees at public educational institutions.

  • Changes the amount of financial assistance to be equal to 100% of the maximum resident in-state tuition and undergraduate or master's degree program fees, minus any other state or federal financial aid received by the member.
  • Requires the Department of Military to publish a policy determining payment amounts for course fees on its website by August 1 each year.
  • The amendment text does not specify how 'other state or federal financial assistance' is determined, which could affect the amount of aid received.
  • It's unclear if there are any limits to the types of public educational institutions that qualify for this assistance.

Bill History

  1. 2025-05-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Effective date(s) 05/02/2025

  2. 2025-05-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Pub. Ch. 334

  3. 2025-05-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Comp. became Pub. Ch. 334

  4. 2025-05-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Governor.

  5. 2025-04-22 Tennessee General Assembly

    Transmitted to Governor for his action.

  6. 2025-04-22 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Senate Speaker

  7. 2025-04-22 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by H. Speaker

  8. 2025-04-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Enrolled; ready for sig. of H. Speaker.

  9. 2025-04-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed Senate, Ayes 32, Nays 0

  10. 2025-04-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Amendment withdrawn. (Amendment 1 - SA0119)

  11. 2025-04-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Senate substituted House Bill for companion Senate Bill.

  12. 2025-04-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  13. 2025-04-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Companion House Bill substituted

  14. 2025-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 4/15/2025

  15. 2025-04-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 4/15/2025

  16. 2025-04-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  17. 2025-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage, refer to Senate Calendar Committee

  18. 2025-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee calendar for 4/8/2025

  19. 2025-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action deferred in Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee to 4/8/2025

  20. 2025-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee calendar for 4/1/2025

  21. 2025-03-20 Tennessee General Assembly

    Received from House, Passed on First Consideration

  22. 2025-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Engrossed; ready for transmission to Sen.

  23. 2025-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed H., as am., Ayes 94, Nays 0, PNV 0

  24. 2025-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. adopted am. (Amendment 1 - HA0002)

  25. 2025-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  26. 2025-03-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 3/17/2025

  27. 2025-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 3/13/2025

  28. 2025-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  29. 2025-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee Ayes 9, Nays 0 PNV 0

  30. 2025-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass; ref to Calendar & Rules Committee

  31. 2025-03-07 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  32. 2025-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Finance, Ways, and Means Committee for 3/11/2025

  33. 2025-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass by s/c ref. to Finance, Ways, and Means Committee

  34. 2025-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Education Committee calendar for 3/12/2025

  35. 2025-02-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 3/5/2025

  36. 2025-02-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee

  37. 2025-02-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  38. 2025-02-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass. if am., ref. to Finance, Ways, and Means Committee

  39. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Education Committee for 2/18/2025

  40. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec for pass if am by s/c ref. to Education Committee

  41. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Education Committee

  42. 2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  43. 2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  44. 2025-02-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  45. 2025-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Higher Education Subcommittee for 2/12/2025

  46. 2025-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  47. 2025-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  48. 2025-01-28 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Higher Education Subcommittee

  49. 2025-01-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Ref. to Education Committee

  50. 2025-01-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C held on desk, pending appointment of Standing Committees

  51. 2025-01-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  52. 2025-01-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

Present law requires the adjutant general for this state's national guard to
provide tuition reimbursement to eligible national guard members ("member") through the Tennessee Support, Training, and Renewing Opportunity for National Guardsmen (STRONG) program ("program"), which terminates on June 30, 2025. This bill deletes the t
e
rmination date and makes other changes as discussed below.

ELIGIBILITY

Present law provides that a member becomes ineligible for tuition reimbursement when the member (i) has attempted 120 semester hours toward the member's first bachelor's degree, (ii)
has completed eight full-time equivalent semesters, or (iii) has earned a first bachelor's degree. This bill removes the eight-semester limitation and changes the maximum number of reimbursable hours from 120 to 130 semester hours.

Present law requires
that members eligible for federal tuition assistance must apply for and use federal tuition assistance. This bill provides that if a member is suspended from receiving federal tuition assistance due to academic performance or recoupment, then such member

is ineligible for tuition reimbursement through the program.

REIMBURSEMENT

Upon successful application by an eligible member attending a public educational institution, present law requires the department of military ("department") to pay 100% of the m
aximum resident in-state tuition charged by the school, less all applicable state or federal financial assistance. This bill requires the department to also pay undergraduate course fees or master's degree program fees in an amount determined annually by

the department's policy.

Present law provides that tuition includes all mandatory fees. This bill defines mandatory fees as parking fees, technology fees, and library fees.

Present law requires members to apply for tuition reimbursement within 90 days
of course completion. This bill changes the application deadline from within 90 days to within 45 days of course completion.

ON MARCH 17, 2025, THE HOUSE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED HOUSE BILL 114, AS AMENDED.

AMENDMENT #1 requires the
department
of military
to
publish the policy establishing the payment amounts for undergraduate course fees and master's degree program fees on the department of military's website by August 1
of
each year for the upcoming academic year.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
SENATE BILL 1291
By Johnson

HOUSE BILL 114
By Lamberth

HB0114
000187
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49,
Chapter 4, Part 10, relative to tuition assistance for
members of the Tennessee national guard.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 49-4-1003, is amended by adding
the following as new subdivisions:
( ) "Mandatory fees" means fees incurred by all students attending an
educational institution; including, but not limited to:
(A) Parking fees;
(B) Technology fees; and
(C) Library fees;
( ) "Master's degree program fees":
(A) Means fees charged by an educational program or educational
institution for a student to attend a master's degree program; and
(B) Does not include tuition;
( ) "Undergraduate course fees":
(A) Means fees charged by an educational program or educational
institution for a student to attend an undergraduate course; and
(B) Does not include tuition;
SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 49-4-1004(b), is amended by
deleting the subsection and substituting instead the following:
(b) Upon successful application by the eligible member attending a public
educational institution, the department of military shall pay the educational institution an

- 2 - 000187

amount equal to one hundred percent (100%) of the maximum resident in-state tuition
and, in an amount determined annually by the department of military's policy,
undergraduate course fees or master's degree program fees charged by the educational
institution attended for the educational program to which the member successfully
applied, less all other state or federal financial assistance as described in § 49-4-1005.
Such financial assistance must be credited first to the member's tuition, subject to § 49-
4-1005.
SECTION 3. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 49-4-1005, is amended by adding
the following as a new subdivision (9) and redesignating the current subdivision (9) and
subsequent subdivisions accordingly:
(9) A member is ineligible for tuition reimbursement pursuant to this part if the
member is suspended from receiving federal tuition assistance due to academic
performance or recoupment;
SECTION 4. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 49-4-1005(3), is amended by
deleting "one hundred twenty (120) semester hours" wherever it appears and substituting "one
hundred thirty (130) semester hours".
SECTION 5. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 49-4-1005(3), is amended by
deleting "or eight (8) full-time equivalent semesters".
SECTION 6. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 49-4-1005(3), is amended by
deleting subdivision (B), adding "or" at the end of subdivision (A), and redesignating subdivision
(C) as subdivision (B).
SECTION 7. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 49-4-1005(11), is amended by
deleting the subdivision and substituting:
(11) Members must submit an application for tuition reimbursement under this
part within forty-five (45) days of course completion.

- 3 - 000187

SECTION 8. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 49-4-1008, is amended by deleting
the section.
SECTION 9. If a provision of this act or its application to a person or circumstance is
held invalid, then the invalidity does not affect other provisions or applications of the act that can
be given effect without the invalid provision or application, and to that end, the provisions of this
act are severable.
SECTION 10. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.