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HB1948 • 2026

Education

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
Love, Akbari
Last action
2026-03-24
Official status
Taken off notice for cal. in Education Committee
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official summary and text do not provide specific details on how schools will implement or interpret 'substantially similar' or 'reasonably comparable'.

Education Opportunity Act

This bill allows Tennessee's public schools and colleges to offer programs or benefits exclusively for one gender if they also provide similar opportunities for the other gender through different programs.

What This Bill Does

  • Allows a public school or college in Tennessee to give special programs or benefits just to boys or just to girls, provided that there is another program available offering similar chances to the opposite gender.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Public schools and colleges in Tennessee
  • Students attending these institutions

Terms To Know

Substantially similar or reasonably comparable opportunity
A chance that is almost the same or very close to being equal to another chance given to a different group.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify how schools and colleges will determine what constitutes 'substantially similar' or 'reasonably comparable'.
  • It remains unclear whether this change applies only to new programs or also affects existing ones.
  • This act is still under consideration by the Tennessee General Assembly.

Bill History

  1. 2026-03-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Taken off notice for cal. in Education Committee

  2. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  3. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Failed (no second) in Senate Education Committee

  4. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  5. 2026-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  6. 2026-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  7. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  8. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  9. 2026-03-10 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  10. 2026-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  11. 2026-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  12. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  13. 2026-03-03 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  14. 2026-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  15. 2026-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Education Administration Subcommittee

  16. 2026-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Ref. to Education Committee

  17. 2026-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, caption bill, held on desk - pending amdt.

  18. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  19. 2026-01-22 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  20. 2026-01-22 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Education Committee

  21. 2026-01-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  22. 2026-01-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

Abstract summarizes the bill.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
SENATE BILL 1696
By Akbari

HOUSE BILL 1948
By Love
HB1948
010216
- 1 -

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

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 49-50-1801, is amended by adding
the following as a new subsection:
(f) A public institution of education that provides an opportunity or benefit
exclusively to one (1) sex does not violate this section if the institution provides a
substantially similar or reasonably comparable opportunity or benefit to the opposite sex
through a different program.
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.