KLS Keeping Law Simple Legislation in plain English

Straight-ahead summaries built from the official bill text. We keep the source links front and center and leave the decision up to you.

Back to Tennessee

HB1789 • 2026

Education, Higher

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

Education
Active

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

Sponsor
Reedy, Crowe
Last action
2026-04-08
Official status
Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/14/2026
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

Higher Education Tuition Classification Act

This act changes Tennessee's higher education laws to allow certain military spouses and dependents to pay in-state tuition rates, regardless of their residency status.

What This Bill Does

  • Changes the law so that a spouse of an active service member can be considered an in-state student for tuition if they live in Tennessee while attending school there.
  • Expands eligibility for in-state tuition to include dependents of military personnel and veterans who are not residents of Tennessee.
  • Requires public institutions to provide in-state tuition rates to military-affiliated individuals instead of just allowing them to do so.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Military spouses attending higher education in Tennessee
  • Dependents of active-duty military personnel or veterans

Terms To Know

in-state tuition
The lower cost charged to students who are residents of the state where their college is located.
military-affiliated individuals
Active-duty military personnel, reservists, members of the national guard, ROTC program cadets, and dependents of active-duty military or veterans.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The exact financial impact on tuition revenue is uncertain because it depends on how many students will be affected by these changes.
  • This act only applies to public institutions in Tennessee.

Amendments

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

Amendment 1-0 to HB1789

Plain English: The amendment changes how certain students are classified for tuition purposes at Tennessee's institutions of higher education.

  • Adds new subsection (d) to Section 49-7-168, allowing spouses of service members who meet specific criteria to be classified as in-state students starting from the 2027-2028 academic year.
  • Modifies Section 49-7-1303 by changing the definition of 'military-affiliated' individuals.
  • Adds new subsection (c) to Section 49-7-1304, allowing veterans and military-affiliated individuals who meet certain criteria to be classified as Tennessee residents for tuition purposes starting from the 2027-2028 academic year.
  • The amendment text does not provide specific details on how these changes will be implemented or enforced, which may require additional clarification.
Amendment 1-0 to SB2094

Plain English: The amendment changes how certain students are classified for tuition purposes at Tennessee's institutions of higher education.

  • Adds new subsection (d) to Section 49-7-168, allowing spouses of service members who meet specific criteria to be classified as in-state students starting from the 2027-2028 academic year.
  • Amends Section 49-7-1303 by changing the definition of 'military-affiliated' individuals.
  • Adds new subsection (c) to Section 49-7-1304, allowing veterans and military-affiliated individuals who meet certain criteria to be classified as Tennessee residents for tuition purposes starting from the 2027-2028 academic year.
  • The amendment text does not provide specific details on how these changes will be implemented or enforced, which may require further clarification.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  2. 2026-04-07 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action deferred in Senate Finance, Ways and Means Committee / Behind Budget

  3. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed behind the budget

  4. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee calendar for 4/7/2026

  5. 2026-03-31 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action deferred in Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee to 4/7/2026

  6. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/1/2026

  7. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  8. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  9. 2026-03-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee calendar for 3/31/2026

  10. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  11. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  12. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee Ayes 7, Nays 0 PNV 0

  13. 2026-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Education Committee calendar for 3/18/2026

  14. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Higher Education Subcommittee for 3/18/2026

  15. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action deferred in Senate Education Committee to 3/18/2026

  16. 2026-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  17. 2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Education Committee

  18. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Higher Education Subcommittee

  19. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, ref. to Education Committee

  20. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  21. 2026-01-22 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  22. 2026-01-22 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  23. 2026-01-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

Abstract summarizes the bill.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
SENATE BILL 2094
By Crowe

HOUSE BILL 1789
By Reedy
HB1789
010448
- 1 -

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

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 49-7-168(b), is amended by deleting
the language "49-8-104" and substituting instead the language "49-8-102, 49-8-104,".
SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 49-7-168, is amended by adding the
following as a new subsection:
(d) Notwithstanding §§ 49-8-102, 49-8-104, and 49-9-105, an institution of higher
education in this state shall classify a student who is the spouse of a service member
who is a United States citizen or lawful permanent resident of the Unites States, but who
has not resided in this state for the one-year period described in subdivision (c)(1)(B), as
an in-state student for tuition purposes if the spouse:
(1)
(A) Is a United States citizen; or
(B) Is a lawful permanent resident of the United States;
(2) Is accepted for admission to the institution;
(3) Enrolls as a student in the institution;
(4) Resides in this state while enrolled in the institution; and
(5) Maintains continuous enrollment in the institution.
SECTION 3. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 49-7-1303, is amended by deleting
subdivision (1) and substituting instead the following:

- 2 - 010448

(1) "Military-affiliated" means active-duty military personnel, reservists, members
of the national guard, reserve officer training corps program cadets, and dependents of
active-duty military personnel or veterans;
SECTION 4. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 49-7-1304(b), is amended by
deleting the language "may classify" and substituting instead "shall classify".
SECTION 5. This act takes effect July 1, 2026, the public welfare requiring it, and
applies to the 2026-2027 academic year and each academic year thereafter.