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HB0408 • 2026

Education

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4 and Title 49, relative to education.

Education
Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
White
Last action
2025-04-29
Official status
Comp. became Pub. Ch. 234
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide detailed information on how TSAC programs will be affected beyond July 1, 2025.

Changes to Tennessee Education Laws

This law changes how certain education programs and financial aid are managed in Tennessee.

What This Bill Does

  • Removes TSAC from being a division within THEC.
  • Makes THEC responsible for managing TSAC starting July 1, 2025.
  • Requires THEC's review committee to help develop or revise state financial aid programs.
  • Includes the president of the Tennessee Independent Colleges and Universities Association in the review committee for specific tasks.
  • Ends the Tennessee Teaching Scholars program on July 1, 2025, but allows TSAC to handle any remaining loan requirements.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Students who receive financial aid from TSAC
  • Educators involved in the Tennessee Teaching Scholars and Minority Teaching Fellows programs
  • THEC and its review committee

Terms To Know

Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC)
The agency that oversees higher education in Tennessee.
Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation (TSAC)
An organization that provides financial aid to students in Tennessee.

Limits and Unknowns

  • It is not clear how the changes will affect current TSAC programs beyond July 1, 2025.
  • The exact impact on state financial aid development and revision processes is unclear.

Amendments

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

Amendment 1-0 to HB0408

Plain English: The amendment changes how student assistance programs are managed in Tennessee by transferring control from a nonprofit corporation to the Tennessee Higher Education Commission and terminating certain teaching scholarship programs.

  • Transfers governance of the Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation (TSAC) from its current board of directors to the Tennessee Higher Education Commission starting July 1, 2025.
  • Terminates the Tennessee Teaching Scholars Program on July 1, 2025, except for TSAC's responsibility to manage remaining loans.
  • Terminates the Minority Teaching Fellows Program on July 1, 2025, except for TSAC's responsibility to manage remaining loans.
  • The amendment text does not provide detailed information about how the transition of governance will be implemented or what specific changes will occur in parts 3 and 6-9 of this chapter.
  • It is unclear from the provided text how existing student assistance programs will be affected by these changes.
Amendment 1-0 to SB0689

Plain English: This amendment changes how student assistance programs are managed in Tennessee by transferring control from a nonprofit corporation to the Tennessee Higher Education Commission and terminating certain teaching programs.

  • The Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation will be governed by the Tennessee Higher Education Commission starting July 1, 2025.
  • The Tennessee Teaching Scholars Program and the Minority Teaching Fellows Program are set to end on July 1, 2025, except for managing remaining loans.
  • Some parts of the amendment text are technical and may be hard to understand without additional context.

Bill History

  1. 2025-04-29 Tennessee General Assembly

    Comp. became Pub. Ch. 234

  2. 2025-04-29 Tennessee General Assembly

    Effective date(s) 07/01/2025

  3. 2025-04-29 Tennessee General Assembly

    Pub. Ch. 234

  4. 2025-04-23 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Governor.

  5. 2025-04-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Transmitted to Governor for action.

  6. 2025-04-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by H. Speaker

  7. 2025-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Senate Speaker

  8. 2025-04-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Enrolled and ready for signatures

  9. 2025-04-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Concurred, Ayes 31, Nays 0 (Amendment 1 - HA0172)

  10. 2025-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Message Calendar for 4/10/2025

  11. 2025-04-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  12. 2025-04-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Comp. SB subst.

  13. 2025-04-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed H., as am., Ayes 77, Nays 10, PNV 3

  14. 2025-04-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. adopted am. (Amendment 1 - HA0172)

  15. 2025-04-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Subst. for comp. HB.

  16. 2025-03-27 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 4/3/2025

  17. 2025-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 3/27/2025

  18. 2025-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass. if am., ref. to Calendar & Rules Committee

  19. 2025-03-20 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  20. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Education Committee for 3/25/2025

  21. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  22. 2025-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  23. 2025-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Engrossed; ready for transmission to House

  24. 2025-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed Senate as amended, Ayes 31, Nays 0

  25. 2025-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Senate adopted Amendment (Amendment 1 - SA0133)

  26. 2025-03-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 3/17/2025

  27. 2025-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Higher Education Subcommittee for 3/19/2025

  28. 2025-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 9, Nays 0 PNV 0

  29. 2025-03-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Higher Education Subcommittee

  30. 2025-03-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Ref. to Education Committee

  31. 2025-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  32. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Education Committee

  33. 2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  34. 2025-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, caption bill, held on desk - pending amdt.

  35. 2025-02-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  36. 2025-01-31 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  37. 2025-01-28 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

ON MARCH 17, 2025, THE SENATE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED SENATE BILL 689, AS AMENDED.

AMENDMENT #1 rewrites the bill to, instead, make the following revision
s to present law:



Removes the Tennessee student assistance corporation (TSAC) from being operated as a division within the Tennessee higher education commission (THEC).



Terminates the governing board of directors for TSAC on July 1, 2025, and, effective July 1, 2025, requires THEC, to serve as the governing board of directors for TSAC.



Requires THEC's review committee to aid in the development or revision of state financial aid.



Adds to the review committee's membership the president of the Tennessee Independent Colleges and Universities Association but only to serve on the committee for the development or revision of the higher education master plan and for state financial aid.



Terminates the Tennessee teaching scholars program on July 1, 2025, except for the purpose of TSAC administering the program requirements for all remaining outstanding loans.



Terminates the minority teaching fellows program on July 1, 2025, except for the purpose of TSAC administering the program requirements for all remaining outstanding loans.

ON APRIL 3, 2025, THE HOUSE SUBSTITUTED SENATE BILL 689 FOR HOUSE BILL 408, ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1, AND PASSED SENATE BILL 689, AS AMENDED.

AMENDMENT #1 fixes a cross-reference.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
SENATE BILL 689
By White

HOUSE BILL 408
By White

HB0408
001788
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4 and
Title 49, relative to education.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 49-6-810, is amended by deleting
"February 1" and substituting "January 31".
SECTION 2. This act takes effect July 1, 2025, the public welfare requiring it.