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HB1747 • 2026

Education

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

Education
Enacted

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

Sponsor
Freeman, Campbell
Last action
2026-04-28
Official status
Comp. became Pub. Ch. 700
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

For the 2026-2027 school year, and each school year thereafter, this bill requires each public high school to provide students who are enrolled in a United States government and civics course with three civic engagement field days, with one field day for each of the three distinct branches of government.

What This Bill Does

  • For the 2026-2027 school year, and each school year thereafter, this bill requires each public high school to provide students who are enrolled in a United States government and civics course with three civic engagement field days, with one field day for each of the three distinct branches of government.
  • Such a civic engagement field day must meet all of the following criteria:  Include structured learning activities aligned with the state board-adopted academic standards for the United States government and civics course.
  •  For purposes of the civic engagement field day that covers the legislative branch, include a class visit to a city council, county commission, or the general assembly.
  •  For purposes of the civic engagement field day that covers the judicial branch, include a class visit to a courthouse to allow students to observe a judicial proceeding or to meet with a judge or court official.

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 HB1747

Plain English: House Education 1 Amendment No.

  • House Education 1 Amendment No.
  • 1 to HB1747 White Signature of Sponsor AMEND Senate Bill No.
  • 1819 House Bill No.
  • 1747* HA0817 012824 - 1 - by deleting all language after the enacting clause and substituting: SECTION 1.
Amendment 1-0 to SB1819

Plain English: Senate Education 1 Amendment No.

  • Senate Education 1 Amendment No.
  • 1 to SB1819 White Signature of Sponsor AMEND Senate Bill No.
  • 1819 House Bill No.
  • 1747* SA0676 012824 - 1 - by deleting all language after the enacting clause and substituting: SECTION 1.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-28 Tennessee General Assembly

    Comp. became Pub. Ch. 700

  2. 2026-04-28 Tennessee General Assembly

    Effective date(s) 04/14/2026

  3. 2026-04-28 Tennessee General Assembly

    Pub. Ch. 700

  4. 2026-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Governor.

  5. 2026-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Transmitted to Governor for action.

  6. 2026-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by H. Speaker

  7. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Senate Speaker

  8. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Enrolled and ready for signatures

  9. 2026-03-30 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  10. 2026-03-30 Tennessee General Assembly

    Comp. SB subst.

  11. 2026-03-30 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed H., Ayes 96, Nays 0, PNV 0

  12. 2026-03-30 Tennessee General Assembly

    Am. withdrawn. (Amendment 1 - HA0817)

  13. 2026-03-30 Tennessee General Assembly

    Subst. for comp. HB.

  14. 2026-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 3/30/2026

  15. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 3/26/2026

  16. 2026-03-24 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  17. 2026-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  18. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Education Committee for 3/24/2026

  19. 2026-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in Education Committee to 3/24/2026

  20. 2026-03-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  21. 2026-03-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Engrossed; ready for transmission to House

  22. 2026-03-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed Senate as amended, Ayes 31, Nays 0

  23. 2026-03-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Senate adopted Amendment (Amendment 1 - SA0676)

  24. 2026-03-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 3/16/2026

  25. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Education Committee for 3/17/2026

  26. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  27. 2026-03-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in Education Committee to 3/17/2026

  28. 2026-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Education Committee for 3/10/2026

  29. 2026-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Education Committee calendar for 3/11/2026

  30. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Education Committee for 3/10/2026

  31. 2026-03-03 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  32. 2026-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Education Instruction Subcommittee for 3/3/2026

  33. 2026-02-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  34. 2026-01-22 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Education Instruction Subcommittee

  35. 2026-01-22 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, ref. to Education Committee

  36. 2026-01-22 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Education Committee

  37. 2026-01-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  38. 2026-01-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  39. 2026-01-20 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  40. 2026-01-20 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

For the 2026-2027 school year, and each school year thereafter, this bill requires each public high school to provide students who are enrolled in a United States government and civics course with three civic engagement field days, with one field day for
each of the three distinct branches of government. Such a civic engagement field day must meet all of the following criteria:



Include structured learning activities aligned with the state board-adopted academic standards for the United States government and civics course.



For purposes of the civic engagement field day that covers the legislative branch, include a class visit to a city council, county commission, or the general assembly.



For purposes of the civic engagement field day that covers the judicial branch, include a class visit to a courthouse to allow students to observe a judicial proceeding or to meet with a judge or court official.



For purposes of the civic engagement field day that covers the executive branch, include a class visit to the office of a mayor, county executive, or to the office of the governor.

If a high school student who is enrolled in the course is absent from school on the day for which a class visit described above occurs, then this bill clarifies that the public high school is not required to reschedule the class visit or arrange for a se
parate visit for the absent student. Additionally, a public high school may prohibit a student who is enrolled in the course from attending a class visit described above for disciplinary reasons in accordance with the disciplinary policy of the LEA or pu
bl
ic charter school.

ON MARCH 16, 2026, THE SENATE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED SENATE BILL 1819, AS AMENDED.

AMENDMENT #1 a
dds that, if
civic engagement field day
s are
impracticable due to budgetary constraints for the LEA or public high school, then the public high school may participat
e
in:

(1) Verified virtual tours of the locations
associated with the three branches of government;

(2) State-approved traveling civics programs; or

(3) Visits to the public high school by public officials who serve the county in which the public high school is located during which time the students participate in interactive instructional sessions.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
SENATE BILL 1819
By Campbell

HOUSE BILL 1747
By Freeman
HB1747
011092
- 1 -

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

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49, Chapter 6, Part 4, is amended by
adding the following as a new section:
(a) Each public high school shall provide students who are enrolled in a United
States government and civics course with three (3) civic engagement field days, one (1)
for each of the three (3) distinct branches of government. A civic engagement field day
required pursuant to this subsection (a) must:
(1) Include structured learning activities aligned with the state board-
adopted academic standards for the United States government and civics
course; and
(2) For purposes of the civic engagement field day that covers the:
(A) Legislative branch, include a class visit to a city council,
county commission, or the general assembly;
(B) Judicial branch, include a class visit to a courthouse to allow
students to observe a judicial proceeding or to meet with a judge or court
official; and
(C) Executive branch, include a class visit to the office of a
mayor, county executive, or to the office of the governor.
(b) If a high school student who is enrolled in the United States government and
civics course is absent from school on the day for which a class visit described in

- 2 - 011092

subdivision (a)(2) occurs, then the public high school is not required to reschedule the
class visit or arrange for a separate visit for the absent student.
(c) A public high school may prohibit a student who is enrolled in the United
States government and civics course from attending a class visit described in
subdivision (a)(2) for disciplinary reasons in accordance with the disciplinary policy of the
LEA or public charter school.
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it,
and applies to the 2026-2027 school year and each school year thereafter.