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HB2125 • 2026

Education, Dept. of

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49 and Title 55, relative to driver education.

Education
Active

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

Sponsor
Cochran, Hatcher
Last action
2026-04-01
Official status
Sponsor(s) Added.
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary and text do not provide specific details on funding for implementation, nor do they clarify if existing programs must change their curriculum immediately or can wait until the guidelines are finalized.

Driver Education Guidelines Act

This bill requires the Tennessee Department of Education to work with the Department of Safety to create guidelines for driver education courses in local education agencies and charter schools.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires the Department of Education, in collaboration with the Department of Safety, to develop guidelines for LEAs and public charter schools providing a driver education course that includes safety tips, use of the state's driving manual, and information about drunk driving and distracted driving.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Local education agencies (LEAs) and public charter schools that provide driver education courses.
  • Students who take driver education classes in Tennessee’s LEAs or charter schools.

Terms To Know

LEA
Local Education Agency, which is a school district responsible for providing educational services to students.
Driver license manual
The official guidebook provided by the Department of Safety that teaches new drivers about traffic laws and safe driving practices.

Limits and Unknowns

  • Does not specify how much funding will be given to schools for implementing these guidelines.
  • It is unclear if existing driver education programs need to change their curriculum immediately or can wait until the guidelines are finalized.

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

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  4. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Senate Speaker

  5. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Enrolled and ready for signatures

  6. 2026-03-30 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  7. 2026-03-30 Tennessee General Assembly

    Comp. SB subst.

  8. 2026-03-30 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed H., Ayes 82, Nays 1, PNV 10

  9. 2026-03-30 Tennessee General Assembly

    Subst. for comp. HB.

  10. 2026-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  11. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  12. 2026-03-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass; ref to Calendar & Rules Committee

  13. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  14. 2026-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  15. 2026-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  16. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  17. 2026-03-10 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  18. 2026-03-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  19. 2026-03-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Engrossed; ready for transmission to House

  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. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Education Instruction Subcommittee for 3/10/2026

  23. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage, refer to Senate Calendar Committee

  24. 2026-03-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action Def. in s/c Education Instruction Subcommittee to 3/10/2026

  25. 2026-03-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  26. 2026-02-26 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  27. 2026-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  28. 2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Education Instruction Subcommittee

  29. 2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, ref. to Education Committee

  30. 2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Education Committee

  31. 2026-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) withdrawn.

  32. 2026-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor change.

  33. 2026-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  34. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  35. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  36. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

Present law directs the department of education to promote and expand driver education and training courses throughout public schools. The courses must include an area of instruction dealing with the effects of the consumption of alcoholic beverages on
driving abilities.

This bill requires the department of education, in collaboration with the department of safety, to develop guidelines for local education agencies (LEAs) and public charter schools that provide a driver education and training course that includes all of
the following topics:



Safety tips for safe driving and sharing the road.


Using the driver license manual developed by the department of safety for instructional purposes.


The dangers of driving under the influence and distracted driving.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
SENATE BILL 2535
By Hatcher

HOUSE BILL 2125
By Cochran
HB2125
012182
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49
and Title 55, relative to driver education.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 49-1-204(a), is amended by deleting
the subsection and substituting:
(a)
(1) In order to expand driver education throughout the public schools of
this state and to promote safety on the highways, the department of education is
directed to promote and expand driver education and training courses throughout
the public schools of this state.
(2) The department of education, in collaboration with the department of
safety, shall develop guidelines for LEAs and public charter schools providing a
driver education and training course that includes:
(A) Safety tips for safe driving and sharing the road;
(B) Using the driver license manual developed by the department
of safety for instructional purposes; and
(C) The dangers of driving under the influence and distracted
driving.
SECTION 2. This act takes effect July 1, 2026, the public welfare requiring it.