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HB1664 • 2026

State Government

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4; Title 5; Title 6; Title 7 and Title 49, relative to discriminatory preferences.

Education
Active

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

Sponsor
Maberry, Johnson
Last action
2026-04-08
Official status
Rec. for pass; ref to Calendar & Rules Committee
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official summary does not provide details on how the comptroller will use these reports or what actions might follow non-compliance, leaving this information uncertain.

Annual Reports on Discriminatory Preferences

This bill requires leaders of state departments, agencies, local governments, and public universities to report annually to the comptroller that they have not used discriminatory preferences for diversity, equity, or inclusion.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires the head of each state department or agency to send a yearly report to the comptroller stating they haven't implemented discriminatory practices to increase diversity, equity, or inclusion.
  • Requires county government leaders to submit similar annual reports to the comptroller.
  • Municipal government leaders must also provide these yearly reports to the comptroller.
  • Leaders of metropolitan governments need to send yearly compliance reports to the comptroller.
  • Public university presidents and executive heads have to report annually to the comptroller about their adherence to non-discriminatory practices.

Who It Names or Affects

  • State department or agency leaders
  • County government leaders
  • Municipal government leaders
  • Metropolitan government leaders
  • Public university presidents and executive heads

Terms To Know

Comptroller of the Treasury
A state official who manages financial records and reports for the government.
Discriminatory preferences
Policies or practices that give unfair advantages to certain groups based on race, gender, etc., to increase diversity.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify what happens if a leader fails to submit the required report.
  • It is unclear how the comptroller will use these reports or what actions might follow non-compliance.
  • The bill only applies to entities subject to specific sections of Tennessee law.

Amendments

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

Amendment 1-0 to HB1664

Plain English: The amendment requires the heads of various government entities in Tennessee to submit yearly reports to the comptroller of the treasury starting from January 1, 2027.

  • Adds new subsections (c) to existing sections of state laws requiring annual attestations of compliance with certain rules by executive heads of departments and agencies.
  • Specifies that these attestations must be submitted annually on or before January 1st starting from 2027.
  • The amendment does not specify what the requirements in subsection (a) are, only that compliance with them needs to be attested.
Amendment 2-0 to HB1664

Plain English: The amendment adds a new subsection to Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 4-1-427, allowing the attorney general and reporter to investigate allegations that state departments are violating laws against discriminatory preferences.

  • Adds a new subsection to Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 4-1-427, giving the attorney general and reporter authority to investigate claims of violations related to discriminatory preferences.
  • The amendment text does not specify what actions can be taken after an investigation is completed.
  • It's unclear how this new subsection will interact with existing laws or regulations.
Amendment 1-0 to SB1713

Plain English: The amendment requires the heads of various government entities in Tennessee to submit yearly reports to the comptroller of the treasury starting from January 1, 2027.

  • Adds new subsections (c) to existing sections of state laws requiring annual attestations of compliance with certain rules by executive heads or presidents of departments, agencies, counties, municipalities, metropolitan governments, and public institutions of higher education.
  • Specifies that these reports must be submitted annually starting from January 1, 2027.
  • The exact nature of the compliance with subsection (a) is not detailed in this amendment text.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass; ref to Calendar & Rules Committee

  2. 2026-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Education Committee for 4/8/2026

  3. 2026-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  4. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  5. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 3/31/2026

  6. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in State & Local Government Committee to 3/31/2026

  7. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 3/24/2026

  8. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in State & Local Government Committee to 3/24/2026

  9. 2026-03-16 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  10. 2026-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  11. 2026-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Engrossed; ready for transmission to House

  12. 2026-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed Senate as amended, Ayes 27, Nays 6

  13. 2026-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Senate adopted Amendment (Amendment 1 - SA0549)

  14. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 3/18/2026

  15. 2026-03-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec for pass if am by s/c ref. to State & Local Government Committee

  16. 2026-03-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 3/12/2026

  17. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Departments & Agencies Subcommittee for 3/10/2026

  18. 2026-03-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action Def. in s/c Departments & Agencies Subcommittee to 3/10/2026

  19. 2026-03-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 6, Nays 2 PNV 0

  20. 2026-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Departments & Agencies Subcommittee for 3/3/2026

  21. 2026-02-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate State and Local Government Committee calendar for 3/3/2026

  22. 2026-01-22 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate State and Local Government Committee

  23. 2026-01-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Departments & Agencies Subcommittee

  24. 2026-01-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, ref. to State & Local Government Committee - Education Committee

  25. 2026-01-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  26. 2026-01-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  27. 2026-01-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  28. 2026-01-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  29. 2026-01-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

ON MARCH 12, 2026, THE SENATE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED SENATE BILL 1713, AS AMENDED.

AMENDMENT #1 clarifies
that either the executive head or president of each public institution of higher education
,
or the chief executive head of any of its campuses
,
subject to the present law
that
prohibits discriminatory preferences for diversity, equity, and inclusion in public institutions of higher education
must
submit an annual attestation of compliance to the comptroller of the treasury no later than January 1, 2027, and each January 1 thereafter.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
SENATE BILL 1713
By Johnson

HOUSE BILL 1664
By Maberry
HB1664
010704
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4;
Title 5; Title 6; Title 7 and Title 49, relative to
discriminatory preferences.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 4-1-427, is amended by adding the
following as a new subsection:
(c) The executive head of each department, agency, or other unit of state
government subject to this section shall submit an annual attestation of compliance with
subsection (a) to the comptroller of the treasury not later than January 1, 2027, and each
January 1 thereafter.
SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 5-1-135, is amended by adding the
following as a new subsection:
(c) The executive head of each county government subject to this section shall
submit an annual attestation of compliance with subsection (a) to the comptroller of the
treasury not later than January 1, 2027, and each January 1 thereafter.
SECTION 3. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 6-54-150, is amended by adding the
following as a new subsection:
(c) The executive head of each municipal government subject to this section
shall submit an annual attestation of compliance with subsection (a) to the comptroller of
the treasury not later than January 1, 2027, and each January 1 thereafter.
SECTION 4. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 7-3-107, is amended by adding the
following as a new subsection:

- 2 - 010704

(c) The executive head of each metropolitan government subject to this section
shall submit an annual attestation of compliance with subsection (a) to the comptroller of
the treasury not later than January 1, 2027, and each January 1 thereafter.
SECTION 5. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 49-7-192, is amended by adding the
following as a new subsection:
(c) The executive head or president of each public institution of higher education
subject to this section shall submit an annual attestation of compliance with subsection
(a) to the comptroller of the treasury not later than January 1, 2027, and each January 1
thereafter.
SECTION 6. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.