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HB0902 • 2026

Education, Curriculum

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

Budget Education
Active

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

Sponsor
Jones R, Hensley
Last action
2026-04-20
Official status
H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 4/21/2026
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Education, Curriculum

ON APRIL 14, 2026, THE SENATE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED SENATE BILL 821, AS AMENDED.

What This Bill Does

  • ON APRIL 14, 2026, THE SENATE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED SENATE BILL 821, AS AMENDED.
  • AMENDMENT #1 r ewrites the bill to, instead, establish a pilot program that provides grants to local education agencies (" LEAs ") to advance substance abuse and violence prevention programs.
  • As used in this amendment, a "substance abuse and violence prevention program" is a program or series of programs that meets all of the following criteria:  Equips students with knowledge, skills, and resilience for healthy living and strong decision-making.
  •  Fosters long-term resilience against substance use, mental health challenges, and preventable disorders by engaging families and communities as active partners in student development.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Amendments

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

Amendment 1-0 to HB0902

Plain English: House Education 1 Amendment No.

  • House Education 1 Amendment No.
  • 1 to HB0902 White Signature of Sponsor AMEND Senate Bill No.
  • 821* House Bill No.
  • 902 HA0552 010405 - 1 - by deleting all language after the enacting clause and substituting: SECTION 1.
Amendment 2-0 to HB0902

Plain English: The amendment adds a new section to Tennessee Code Annotated that establishes a three-year pilot program for grants to help schools prevent substance abuse and violence among students.

  • Adds a definition of 'substance abuse and violence prevention program' which includes educational programs aimed at preventing drug use, promoting healthy living, and fostering resilience in students.
  • Establishes a grant program run by the department of education for three (3) local education agencies (LEAs) to implement substance abuse and violence prevention programs starting from 2026-2027 school year until July 1, 2029.
  • Requires LEAs receiving grants to instruct students in grades 3 through 12 on avoiding tobacco, alcohol, and illicit drugs, prepare annual reports on the effectiveness of their programs, and submit these reports to various state departments and committees.
  • The amendment does not specify how many LEAs will receive grants or which ones they might be.
  • It is unclear from this text alone what specific criteria are used for selecting the three LEAs that will participate in the pilot program.
Amendment 3-0 to HB0902

Plain English: The amendment removes a specific section from the bill that requires funding for certain provisions to be explicitly appropriated by the state.

  • Removes language requiring explicit appropriation of funds for the implementation of the bill's provisions.
  • It is unclear what specific sections or provisions this amendment affects since the exact content being removed is not provided in the official text.
Amendment 1-0 to SB0821

Plain English: Senate Finance, Ways, and Means 1 Amendment No.

  • Senate Finance, Ways, and Means 1 Amendment No.
  • 1 to SB0821 Watson Signature of Sponsor AMEND Senate Bill No.
  • 821* House Bill No.
  • 902 SA0963 015568 - 1 - by deleting all language after the enacting clause and substituting: SECTION 1.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-20 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 4/21/2026

  2. 2026-04-20 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 4/20/2026

  3. 2026-04-20 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  4. 2026-04-20 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Finance, Ways, and Means Committee for 4/20/2026

  5. 2026-04-20 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  6. 2026-04-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/20/2026

  7. 2026-04-16 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  8. 2026-04-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Taken off notice for cal in s/c Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee of Finance, Ways, and Means Committee

  9. 2026-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  10. 2026-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Engrossed; ready for transmission to House

  11. 2026-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed Senate as amended, Ayes 32, Nays 0

  12. 2026-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Senate adopted Amendment (Amendment 1 - SA0963)

  13. 2026-04-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 4/14/2026

  14. 2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/14/2026

  15. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  16. 2026-03-31 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee calendar for 4/1/2026

  17. 2026-03-30 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee calendar for 4/1/2026

  18. 2026-03-30 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rule #83(8) Suspended, to be heard in Senate Finance, Ways & Means Committee on 4/1/2026

  19. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed behind the budget

  20. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 3/18/2026

  21. 2026-02-11 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  22. 2026-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  23. 2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  24. 2026-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Education Committee for 2/10/2026

  25. 2026-02-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action deferred in Senate Finance, Ways & Means Committee / Behind the budget

  26. 2026-01-27 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee calendar for 2/3/2026

  27. 2026-01-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee calendar for 1/27/2026

  28. 2026-01-20 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in Education Committee to 2/3/2026

  29. 2026-01-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Education Committee for 1/20/2026

  30. 2026-01-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action deferred in Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee to 1/27/2026

  31. 2026-01-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee calendar for 1/13/2026

  32. 2025-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action deferred in Senate Finance, Ways & Means Committee to 1st Calendar of 2026

  33. 2025-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in Education Committee to First Calendar of 2026

  34. 2025-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  35. 2025-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Education Committee for 4/1/2025

  36. 2025-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in Education Committee to 4/1/2025

  37. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  38. 2025-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  39. 2025-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Education Administration Subcommittee for 3/18/2025

  40. 2025-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage, refer to Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee

  41. 2025-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action Def. in s/c Education Administration Subcommittee to 3/18/2025

  42. 2025-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Education Administration Subcommittee for 3/11/2025

  43. 2025-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  44. 2025-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  45. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Education Committee

  46. 2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Education Administration Subcommittee

  47. 2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  48. 2025-02-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, ref. to Education Committee

  49. 2025-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  50. 2025-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  51. 2025-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

ON APRIL 14, 2026, THE SENATE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED SENATE BILL 821, AS AMENDED.

AMENDMENT #1

r
ewrites the bill to, instead,
establish
a pilot program that provides grants to
local education agencies ("
LEAs
")
to advance substance abuse and violence prevention programs.
As used in this amendment, a
"substance abuse and violence prevention program" is a program or series of programs that
meets all of the following criteria:



Equips students with knowledge, skills, and resilience for healthy living and strong decision-making.


Fosters long-term resilience against substance use, mental health challenges, and preventable disorders by engaging families and communities as active partners in student development.


Includes a series of lessons that address the risk and protective factors associated with youth substance use and violence.


Is age and developmentally appropriate for the age and maturity level of the student receiving the instruction.


Aligns with the coordinated school health program guidelines developed by the commissioner of education, in consultation with the department of health.


Includes drug prevention-related education that promotes anti-drug norms and teaches drug-refusal skills and life skills training that foster the development of personal self-management skills and general social skills.


Is provided to students throughout the school year.

A grant awarded pursuant to this amendment must not exceed $13,000.

This amendment requires t
he department of education
("department")

to
administer
the
three-year pilot program to provide grants to
three
LEAs to advance
each
LEA's substance abuse and violence prevention program to avoid tobacco, alcohol, and illicit drug use by students. The pilot program begins in the 2026-2027 school year and terminates on July 1, 2029.

GRANT REQUIREMENTS

In order t
o receive a grant through the program,
this amendment requires
an LEA
to
have an existing substance abuse and violence prevention program for students and submit a grant application to the department
of education
by the application deadline established by the department
of education
.

This amendment requires e
ach LEA that receives a grant to instruct students in grades 3-12 on avoiding
tobacco, alcohol, and illicit drugs by implementing a substance abuse and violence prevention program, and prepare a report on the effectiveness of the program, including the instruction provided to students through the program, for the immediately preced
ing school year.

This amendment requires t
he report
to
be submitted by June 30, 2027, for the 2026-2027 school year and by June 30 of each subsequent school year that the pilot program is in effect, to
all of
the following:



D
epartment of education.


D
epartment of mental health and substance abuse services.


D
epartment of human services.


C
hairs of the education and health and welfare committees of the senate.


C
hair
s
of the committee
s
of the house of representatives having jurisdiction over education
, health, and insurance.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
SENATE BILL 821
By Hensley

HOUSE BILL 902
By Jones R

HB0902
002875
- 1 -

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

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49, Chapter 6, Part 10, is amended by
adding the following as a new section:
(a) Each LEA and public charter school shall annually implement an evidence-
based substance abuse and violence prevention program in each school that serves
students in any of the grades three through twelve (3-12) to reduce tobacco, alcohol,
and illicit drug use by students.
(b) The program selected by the LEA or public charter school must:
(1) Include drug-prevention-related education that promotes anti-drug
norms and teaches drug-refusal skills and life skills training that fosters the
development of personal self-management skills and general social skills;
(2) Be provided to students throughout the school year; and
(3) Supplement, not supplant, any other drug abuse or life skills
education provided by the LEA or public charter school, including, but not limited
to, the drug abuse resistance education (DARE) required in chapter 1, part 4 of
this title, the character education required in § 49-6-1007, any instruction
required as part of a coordinated school health program, and the family life
instruction required in part 13 of this chapter.
SECTION 2. This act takes effect July 1, 2025, the public welfare requiring it, and
applies to the 2025-2026 school year and each school year thereafter.