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HB1835 • 2026

Human Services, Dept. of

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49 and Title 71, relative to food assistance.

Budget Children Education
Active

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

Sponsor
Hale, Bailey
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

The official source material does not provide specific details on how many families will benefit or the exact amount of federal funding. The bill text only mandates applying for SEBT grants if available but does not specify other provisions like phasing out state-funded grocery assistance programs.

Summer Food Assistance Program Act

This bill requires Tennessee's Department of Human Services to apply for federal grants and funds through the Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer (SEBT) program when available.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires the state's human services department to apply for federal SEBT grants if the program is offered in a given year.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Children who are eligible for food assistance during summer months.
  • Tennessee's Department of Human Services.

Terms To Know

SEBT
Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer, a program that provides food assistance to children during the summer break from school.
Department of Human Services
The state agency responsible for managing social services and welfare programs.

Limits and Unknowns

  • It is unclear how many families will benefit from this program.
  • The bill does not specify the exact amount of federal funds that Tennessee might receive through SEBT.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  2. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed behind the budget

  3. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  4. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  5. 2026-03-24 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  6. 2026-03-24 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  7. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  8. 2026-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  9. 2026-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  10. 2026-03-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  11. 2026-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  12. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  13. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  14. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  15. 2026-03-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    No Action Taken

  16. 2026-03-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  17. 2026-03-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  18. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  19. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  20. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  21. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage, refer to Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee

  22. 2026-02-27 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  23. 2026-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Health Subcommittee for 3/4/2026

  24. 2026-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  25. 2026-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Health and Welfare Committee calendar for 3/4/2026

  26. 2026-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  27. 2026-02-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  28. 2026-02-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  29. 2026-02-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  30. 2026-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  31. 2026-02-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  32. 2026-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  33. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Health Subcommittee

  34. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, ref. to Health Committee - Finance, Ways & Means Committee

  35. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Health and Welfare Committee

  36. 2026-01-22 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  37. 2026-01-22 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  38. 2026-01-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  39. 2026-01-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

The federal s
ummer
e
lectronic
b
enefits
t
ransfer (SEBT)
program
provides benefits on
EBT
cards so that families can purchase food for their children during the summer months when school is not in session.
Currently, the following 38 states participate in the SEBT program:
Alabama
,
Arizona
,
Arkansas
,
California
, C
olorado
,
Connecticut
,
Delaware
,
Hawaii
,
Illinois
, I
owa
,
Kansa
s, K
entucky
, Lo
uisiana
,
Maine
,
Maryland
,
Massachusetts
,
Michigan
,
Minnesota
,
Missouri
,
Monta
n
a
,
Nebraska
,
Nevada
,
New Hampshire
,
New Jer
sey
,
New Mexico
,
New York
,
North Carolina
,
North Dakota
,
Ohio
, O
regon
,
Pennsylvania
,
Rhode

Island
,
Utah
,
Vermont
,
Virginia
,
Washington
,
West
Virginia
, and
Wisconsin
.

In any year in which the SEBT program is offered,
this bill requires
the department
of human services to
apply for, and if approved, accept federal grants and other federal funds available to this state through the SEBT program.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
SENATE BILL 1911
By Bailey

HOUSE BILL 1835
By Hale
HB1835
011938
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49
and Title 71, relative to food assistance.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 71, Chapter 5, Part 3, is amended by
adding the following as a new section:
In any year in which the summer electronic benefits transfer (SEBT) for children
program established under 42 U.S.C. § 1762 is offered, the department shall apply for,
and if approved, accept federal grants and other federal funds available to this state
through the SEBT program for the purpose of providing nutrition assistance during the
summer months for each eligible child to ensure continued access to food when school
is not in session.
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.