Education, Higher

Plain English Breakdown

The bill's effectiveness in increasing STD testing rates is speculative and not supported by the provided official source material.

Tennessee Grant Program for STD Testing

This bill creates a grant program in Tennessee that gives $250 to full-time college students who get tested for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).

What This Bill Does

• Creates a grant program where eligible students can receive up to $250 if they provide proof of getting an STD test.
• Requires the Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC) to develop and manage the application process for these grants.
• Limits each student to one grant per academic year, with a maximum of four grants over their college career.
• Ensures that all funds are used only for tuition, fees, textbooks, and course materials.
• Establishes a special fund in the state's general budget to support this program.

Who It Names or Affects

• Full-time undergraduate students at public colleges and universities in Tennessee.
• The Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC) which will manage the grant program.
• Public institutions of higher education that must accept applications, verify student status, and distribute funds.

Terms To Know

Eligible Student

A full-time undergraduate student enrolled in a public college or university in Tennessee.

THEC

The Tennessee Higher Education Commission, which oversees the grant program.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill requires funding to be available for grants each year.
• It is not clear how many students will apply or receive these grants.

Official Summary Text

This bill requires the Tennessee higher education
commission
(THEC)

to
implement a program to award grants to eligible students who voluntarily provide their enrolling institution with pro
of of voluntarily receiving testing for STDs. "Eligible student" means a student who is enrolled full-time in undergraduate studies at a public institution of higher education in this state
. This bill provides that the grant amount is $250, subject to fu
nding. Additionally, all grant funds must be
expended for tuition, mandatory fees, textbooks, and course materials associated with the grant recipient's undergraduate studies at their enrolling institution
.

In order to implement this program,
this bill
requires
THEC
to do all of the following:



Develop a grant application process that includes a form of proof of testing for STDs, which complies with the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 and other federal and state confidentiality laws, that an eligible student must provide to their enrolling institution as part of a grant application.



Limit the number of grants that an eligible student may receive under this
bill
to one per academic year for up to four academic years.



Notify each student who is enrolled in a public institution of higher education in this state of the grant program and the requirements to apply for and receive a grant.



Ensure that public institutions of higher education in this state accept grant applications from their students, verify an applicant's enrollment status as a full-time undergraduate student, and report to THEC the number of eligible students to whom grants are awarded.



Remit grant funds to public institutions of higher education for distribution to each eligible student who is awarded a grant.



Ensure that grant funds are expended in the manner required by this bill.

This bill provides that the grant program is funded through the
student STD testing grant fund, which is established as a
separate account in the general fund. Subject to the availability of revenue at the end of each fiscal year, the commissioner of finance and administration is authorized to carry forward any amounts remaining in the student STD testing grant fund. The
s
tudent STD testing grant fund is subject to appropriations by the general assembly and gifts, grants, and other donations received by THEC for the purpose of supporting the grant program.

Current Bill Text

SENATE BILL 189
By Lamar

HOUSE BILL 407
By Hakeem

HB0407
001242
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 10,
Chapter 7 and Title 49, relative to incentives for
students who obtain testing for certain health
conditions.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49, Chapter 7, Part 1, is amended by
adding the following as a new section:
(a) As used in this section:
(1) "Eligible student" means a student who is enrolled full-time in
undergraduate studies at a public institution of higher education in this state;
(2) "Enrolling institution" means a public institution of higher education in
this state in which an eligible student is enrolled;
(3) "Sexually transmitted disease (STD)" has the same meaning as in §
68-10-101; and
(4) "THEC" means the Tennessee higher education commission.
(b) The Tennessee higher education commission shall implement a program to
award grants to eligible students who voluntarily provide their enrolling institution with
proof of voluntarily receiving testing for STDs. In order to implement this program,
THEC shall:
(1) Develop a grant application process that includes a form of proof of
testing for STDs, which complies with the federal Health Insurance Portability
and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) (42 U.S.C. § 1320d et seq.) and other

- 2 - 001242

federal and state confidentiality laws, that an eligible student must provide to their
enrolling institution as part of a grant application;
(2) Limit the number of grants that an eligible student may receive under
this section to one (1) per academic year for up to four (4) academic years;
(3) Notify each student who is enrolled in a public institution of higher
education in this state of the grant program and the requirements to apply for and
receive a grant;
(4) Ensure that public institutions of higher education in this state accept
grant applications from their students, verify an applicant's enrollment status as a
full-time undergraduate student, and report to THEC the number of eligible
students to whom grants are awarded;
(5) Remit grant funds to public institutions of higher education for
distribution to each eligible student who is awarded a grant; and
(6) Ensure that grant funds are expended in the manner required by
subsection (d).
(c) Subject to funding, the amount of a grant awarded pursuant to this section is
two hundred fifty dollars ($250).
(d) All grant funds must be expended for tuition, mandatory fees, textbooks, and
course materials associated with the grant recipient's undergraduate studies at their
enrolling institution.
(e) The grant program established pursuant to this section is funded through the
student STD testing grant fund, which is established as a separate account in the
general fund. Subject to the availability of revenue at the end of each fiscal year, the
commissioner of finance and administration is authorized to carry forward any amounts
remaining in the student STD testing grant fund. Moneys in the student STD testing

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grant fund must be invested by the state treasurer pursuant to title 9, chapter 4, part 6,
for the sole benefit of the student STD testing grant fund. The student STD testing grant
fund is subject to appropriations by the general assembly and gifts, grants, and other
donations received by THEC for the purpose of supporting the grant program
established pursuant to subsection (b).
(f) THEC may promulgate rules to effectuate the purposes of this section in
accordance with the Uniform Administrative Procedures Act, compiled in title 4, chapter
5.
SECTION 2. This act is not an appropriation of funds, and funds must not be obligated
or expended pursuant to this act unless the funds are specifically appropriated by the general
appropriations act.
SECTION 3. For the purpose of promulgating rules, this act takes effect upon becoming
a law, the public welfare requiring it. For all other purposes, this act takes effect January 1,
2026, and applies to grants awarded for the 2026-2027 academic year and each year
thereafter, the public welfare requiring it.