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HB0846 • 2026

Architects, Engineers and Designers

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49; Title 62 and Title 63, relative to testing requirements.

Education
Active

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

Sponsor
Reneau, Crowe
Last action
2026-04-01
Official status
Rec. for pass. if am., ref. to Health Committee
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source does not specify the exact sections of Titles 49, 62, and 63 that are being updated.

Architects, Engineers, and Designers Testing Requirements

This bill requires the state board to post information about engineering intern certificate exams and professional engineer registration exams on their website.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires the State Board of Examiners for Architects and Engineers to publish exam dates and locations online.
  • Publishes the minimum passing grade needed for these exams on the board's website.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Architects
  • Engineers

Terms To Know

State Board of Examiners for Architects and Engineers
The group that oversees licensing exams for architects, engineers, and designers in Tennessee.

Limits and Unknowns

  • Does not specify how the board will enforce these requirements.
  • It is unclear if this bill has been passed into law yet.

Amendments

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

Amendment 1-0 to HB0846

Plain English: The amendment adds new sections to Tennessee law allowing individuals with religious or sincerely held beliefs against biometric data collection to seek reasonable accommodations when taking exams or completing continuing education for professional licenses, while still permitting certain forms of identification and background checks.

  • Adds definitions for terms like 'biometric data', 'board', 'contractor', and 'qualifying objection'.
  • Requires boards, contractors, and third-party administrators to provide reasonable accommodations to individuals with religious or sincerely held beliefs against biometric data collection when taking exams or completing continuing education.
  • Allows boards and related entities to still obtain fingerprints or government-issued photo IDs for verification purposes.
  • The amendment text is truncated, so some details may be missing from the explanation.
Amendment 1-0 to SB1150

Plain English: The amendment adds new sections to Tennessee Code Annotated that allow individuals with religious objections to avoid providing biometric data for testing and licensing requirements while still allowing other forms of identification.

  • Adds definitions for 'biometric data', 'board', 'contractor', and 'qualifying objection' in Title 62, Chapter 76, Part 1; Title 63, Chapter 1, Part 1; and Title 49, Chapter 5, Part 1.
  • Requires boards or contractors to provide reasonable accommodations for individuals with religious objections against providing biometric data as a prerequisite for testing or continuing education requirements.
  • Permits boards or contractors to still obtain fingerprints or government-issued photo IDs for verification purposes.
  • The amendment does not specify how the 'reasonable accommodation' will be implemented in practice.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass. if am., ref. to Health Committee

  2. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Commerce Committee for 4/1/2026

  3. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in Commerce Committee to 4/1/2026

  4. 2026-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Senate Reset on Final calendar

  5. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Commerce Committee for 3/25/2026

  6. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  7. 2026-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 3/19/2026

  8. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Business & Utilities Subcommittee for 3/18/2026

  9. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action Def. in s/c Business and Utilities Subcommittee to 3/18/2026

  10. 2026-03-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 8, Nays 0 PNV 1

  11. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Business & Utilities Subcommittee for 3/11/2026

  12. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action Def. in s/c Business and Utilities Subcommittee to 3/11/2026

  13. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Commerce and Labor Committee calendar for 3/10/2026

  14. 2026-03-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Reset on Final calendar of Senate Commerce and Labor Committee

  15. 2026-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Business & Utilities Subcommittee for 3/4/2026

  16. 2026-02-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Commerce and Labor Committee calendar for 3/3/2026

  17. 2026-02-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action Def. in s/c Business and Utilities Subcommittee to 3/4/2026

  18. 2026-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  19. 2026-02-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Business & Utilities Subcommittee for 2/18/2026

  20. 2026-02-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Business & Utilities Subcommittee

  21. 2026-02-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Ref. to Commerce Committee - Health Committee

  22. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Commerce and Labor Committee

  23. 2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  24. 2025-02-06 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  25. 2025-02-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  26. 2025-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  27. 2025-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

Abstract summarizes the bill.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
SENATE BILL 1150
By Crowe

HOUSE BILL 846
By Reneau

HB0846
002674
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49;
Title 62 and Title 63, relative to testing
requirements.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 62-2-405, is amended by adding the
following at the end of subsection (a):
The board shall publish the time and place at which the examinations are
administered and the acceptable grade necessary for passage of the
examinations on the board's website.
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.