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HB1834 • 2026

Local Education Agencies

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

Education
Active

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

Sponsor
Eldridge, Pody
Last action
2026-03-30
Official status
Sponsor(s) Added.
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary and text do not provide details on enforcement mechanisms or consequences for non-compliance.

Tennessee Religious Freedom Act

This bill allows local school boards in Tennessee to start their meetings with a prayer led by a board member, provided that no one is required or coerced into participating.

What This Bill Does

  • Allows local school boards to open their meetings with a prayer led by a board member.
  • Requires the prayer not to require participation of any person in attendance at the meeting.
  • Ensures no person is harassed or coerced to participate in the prayer.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Local school boards and their members
  • People attending local school board meetings

Terms To Know

Free Exercise Clause
A part of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution that protects people's right to practice religion freely.
Establishment Clause
Another part of the First Amendment that prevents the government from creating an official religion or favoring one religion over another.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify what happens if someone feels harassed or coerced during a prayer.
  • It is unclear how this act will be enforced or monitored to ensure compliance with its requirements.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Transmitted to Governor for action.

  2. 2026-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by H. Speaker

  3. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Senate Speaker

  4. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Enrolled and ready for signatures

  5. 2026-03-30 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  6. 2026-03-30 Tennessee General Assembly

    Comp. SB subst.

  7. 2026-03-30 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed H., Ayes 86, Nays 0, PNV 7

  8. 2026-03-30 Tennessee General Assembly

    Subst. for comp. HB.

  9. 2026-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  10. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  11. 2026-03-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass; ref to Calendar & Rules Committee

  12. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  13. 2026-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  14. 2026-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  15. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  16. 2026-03-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  17. 2026-03-10 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  18. 2026-03-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Engrossed; ready for transmission to House

  19. 2026-03-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  20. 2026-03-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed Senate, Ayes 32, Nays 0

  21. 2026-03-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Consent Calendar 2 for 3/9/2026

  22. 2026-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  23. 2026-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  24. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  25. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage, refer to Senate Calendar Committee

  26. 2026-03-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in Education Committee to 3/10/2026

  27. 2026-02-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Education Committee calendar for 3/4/2026

  28. 2026-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  29. 2026-02-17 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  30. 2026-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  31. 2026-02-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Education Administration Subcommittee for 2/17/2026

  32. 2026-02-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  33. 2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Education Committee

  34. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Education Administration Subcommittee

  35. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, ref. to Education Committee

  36. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  37. 2026-01-22 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  38. 2026-01-22 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  39. 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 1957
By Pody

HOUSE BILL 1834
By Eldridge
HB1834
011682
- 1 -

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

WHEREAS, the framers of the United States Constitution intended for citizens to have
the right to freely exercise their religious beliefs; and
WHEREAS, the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment to the United States
Constitution does not specifically exclude school board members from exercising religious
expression; and
WHEREAS, concerning religious exercise within public education, the United States
Supreme Court abandoned Lemon v. Kurtzman, 403 U.S. 602 (1971) and its endorsement test
in establishment of religion cases and instructed that the Establishment Clause must be
interpreted by reference to historical practices and understandings in Kennedy v. Bremerton
School District, 597 U.S. 507 (2022); and
WHEREAS, in Town of Greece v. Galloway, 572 U.S. 565 (2014), a majority of the
Supreme Court held that sectarian prayers at legislative meetings are permissible under the
United States Constitution, stating, "Legislative bodies do not engage in impermissible coercion
merely by exposing constituents to prayer they would rather not hear and in which they need not
participate"; and
WHEREAS, opinions vary among school districts as to whether a personal prayer may
be recited by a school board member during a school board meeting that is open to the public;
and
WHEREAS, the Tennessee General Assembly takes a firm position on religious freedom
by codifying the right of local board of education members to exercise their religious beliefs by
reciting a non-coercive personal prayer to open a school board meeting; now, therefore,

- 2 - 011682

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. This act is known and may be cited as the "Tennessee Religious Freedom
Act."
SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 49-2-203(b), is amended by adding
the following as a new subdivision:
(17) Open a meeting of the board of education with a prayer led by a member of
the board of education; provided, that:
(A) The prayer does not require participation of any person in attendance
at the meeting; and
(B) No person is harassed or coerced to participate in the prayer.
SECTION 3. This act takes effect July 1, 2026, the public welfare requiring it.