Criminal Offenses

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 39 and Title 49, Chapter 6, relative to assault upon school employees.

Crime Education Labor

Active

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

Sponsor: Dixie, Hensley
Last action: 2025-04-01
Official status: Def. to Summer Study in Criminal Justice Subcommittee
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

Making It a Serious Crime to Hurt School Workers

This bill makes causing bodily harm to school employees while they are performing their duties on school grounds or at sponsored events a serious crime.

What This Bill Does

Defines 'educational employee' as someone employed by any public or private K-12 school.
Makes it a Class E felony to cause bodily injury to an educational employee when the employee is discharging official duties on school grounds, at sponsored activities, using provided equipment or transportation, or at bus stops.

Who It Names or Affects

Educational employees working in K-12 schools
People who commit assaults against these employees

Terms To Know

Felony: A serious crime that can lead to a prison sentence.
Educational employee: Someone employed by any public or private K-12 school, including teachers and staff.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify the exact penalties beyond classifying it as a felony.
It is unclear how this will be enforced in practice.

Amendments

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

SA0213

Amendment 1-0 to SB1411

Plain English: The amendment adds new protections for educational employees by making assault against them a felony offense under certain conditions.

Defines 'educational employee' as anyone working in K-12 schools and 'school' to include both public and private institutions.
Establishes that knowingly causing bodily injury to an educational employee while they are performing their duties is a Class E felony.
Specifies where the assault can occur, including school grounds, sponsored activities, provided transportation or equipment, and official bus stops.

The amendment does not specify penalties beyond classifying the offense as a felony.

Bill History

2026-01-13 Tennessee General Assembly
Assigned to General Subcommittee of Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee
2026-01-05 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee calendar for 1/13/2026
2025-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly
Action deferred in Senate Finance, Ways & Means Committee to 1st Calendar of 2026
2025-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly
Def. to Summer Study in Criminal Justice Subcommittee
2025-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly
Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Finance, Ways & Means Committee Ayes 5, Nays 3 PNV 0
2025-03-31 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 4/1/2025
2025-03-31 Tennessee General Assembly
Action deferred in Senate Judiciary Committee to 4/1/2025
2025-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on s/c cal Criminal Justice Subcommittee for 4/2/2025
2025-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly
Action Def. in s/c Criminal Justice Subcommittee to 4/2/2025
2025-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 3/31/2025
2025-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly
Action deferred in Senate Judiciary Committee to 4/1/2025
2025-03-24 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 3/25/2025
2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on s/c cal Criminal Justice Subcommittee for 3/26/2025
2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly
Action Def. in s/c Criminal Justice Subcommittee to 3/26/2025
2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 3/24/2025
2025-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on s/c cal Criminal Justice Subcommittee for 3/19/2025
2025-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly
Action Def. in s/c Criminal Justice Subcommittee to 3/19/2025
2025-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on s/c cal Criminal Justice Subcommittee for 3/12/2025
2025-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly
Action Def. in s/c Criminal Justice Subcommittee to 3/12/2025
2025-02-26 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on s/c cal Criminal Justice Subcommittee for 3/5/2025
2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly
Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Judiciary Committee
2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly
Assigned to s/c Criminal Justice Subcommittee
2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly
Introduced, Passed on First Consideration
2025-02-06 Tennessee General Assembly
P2C, ref. to Judiciary Committee
2025-02-06 Tennessee General Assembly
Filed for introduction
2025-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly
Intro., P1C.
2025-02-03 Tennessee General Assembly
Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

This bill creates a Class E felony offense for a person who commits
assault against an
educational employee who knowingly causes bodily injury to an educational employee while the educational employee is discharging or attempting to discharge the educational employee's official duties while
(i) o
n the grounds of the school that employs the e
ducational employee;
(ii) a
t an activity that is sponsored by the school that employs the educational employee;
(iii) o
n equipment or a means of transportation that is provided by the school that employs the educational employee; o
r
(
iv
)
a
t an official sch
ool bus stop for students who attend the school that employs the educational employee.
As used in this bill, a "school" means
all public and private schools that conduct classes in any grade from K-12.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

SENATE BILL 1411
By Hensley

HOUSE BILL 721
By Dixie

HB0721
001303
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 39
and Title 49, Chapter 6, relative to assault upon
school employees.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 39, Chapter 13, Part 1, is amended by
adding the following as a new section:
(a) As used in this section:
(1) "Educational employee" means a person who is employed by a
school; and
(2) "School" means all public and private schools that conduct classes in
any grade from kindergarten through grade twelve (K-12).
(b) A person commits assault against an educational employee who knowingly
causes bodily injury to an educational employee while the educational employee is
discharging or attempting to discharge the educational employee's official duties while:
(1) On the grounds of the school that employs the educational employee;
(2) At an activity that is sponsored by the school that employs the
educational employee;
(3) On equipment or a means of transportation that is provided by the
school that employs the educational employee; or
(4) At an official school bus stop for students who attend the school that
employs the educational employee.
(c) Assault against an educational employee is a Class E felony.
SECTION 2. This act takes effect July 1, 2025, the public welfare requiring it.