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HB1085 • 2026

Education

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

Education
Enacted

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

Sponsor
Martin G, Lowe
Last action
2025-04-29
Official status
Comp. became Pub. Ch. 270
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide details about the consequences if religious materials are removed for other reasons, leaving this as an open question.

School Library Material Protection Act

This act stops local school boards and charter schools from removing religious materials from their libraries solely because they are religious.

What This Bill Does

  • Adds a new rule to the Tennessee Code that says local boards of education and public charter school governing bodies cannot remove religious material from library collections for the sole reason that it is religious.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Local school boards
  • Public charter schools

Terms To Know

local board of education
The group that makes decisions for a public school system in a specific area.
public charter school governing body
The people or organization responsible for running and making rules for a charter school, which is a type of public school with more freedom to decide how it operates.

Limits and Unknowns

  • Only applies to removing items from library collections; does not cover adding new items or other types of restrictions.
  • Does not specify what happens if religious materials are removed for reasons other than being religious.

Bill History

  1. 2025-04-29 Tennessee General Assembly

    Comp. became Pub. Ch. 270

  2. 2025-04-29 Tennessee General Assembly

    Effective date(s) 04/24/2025

  3. 2025-04-29 Tennessee General Assembly

    Pub. Ch. 270

  4. 2025-04-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Governor.

  5. 2025-04-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Transmitted to Governor for action.

  6. 2025-04-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by H. Speaker

  7. 2025-04-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Senate Speaker

  8. 2025-04-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Enrolled and ready for signatures

  9. 2025-04-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  10. 2025-04-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Comp. SB subst.

  11. 2025-04-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed H., Ayes 94, Nays 0, PNV 0

  12. 2025-04-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Subst. for comp. HB.

  13. 2025-04-07 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. Placed on Regular Calendar 4/10/2025

  14. 2025-04-07 Tennessee General Assembly

    Objected to on Consent Calendar.

  15. 2025-04-07 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  16. 2025-04-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. Placed on Consent Calendar for 4/7/2025

  17. 2025-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 4/3/2025

  18. 2025-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass; ref to Calendar & Rules Committee

  19. 2025-03-27 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  20. 2025-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  21. 2025-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  22. 2025-03-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Engrossed; ready for transmission to House

  23. 2025-03-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed Senate, Ayes 32, Nays 0

  24. 2025-03-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Consent Calendar 2 for 3/24/2025

  25. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  26. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage, refer to Senate Calendar Committee

  27. 2025-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  28. 2025-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal K-12 Subcommittee for 3/18/2025

  29. 2025-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Education Committee calendar for 3/19/2025

  30. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Education Committee

  31. 2025-02-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c K-12 Subcommittee

  32. 2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, ref. to Education Committee

  33. 2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  34. 2025-02-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  35. 2025-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  36. 2025-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

Abstract summarizes the bill.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
SENATE BILL 1112
By Lowe

HOUSE BILL 1085
By Martin G

HB1085
002144
- 1 -

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

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 49-6-3803, is amended by adding
the following as a new subsection:
(i) A local board of education or public charter school governing body shall not
remove a material from a library collection for the sole reason that the material is
religious.
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.