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HB2148 • 2026

Teachers, Principals and School Personnel

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

Education Labor
Active

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

Sponsor
Jones R, Hensley
Last action
2026-04-07
Official status
Comp. SB subst.
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary does not provide details on how existing teachers with temporary permits will be affected.

Teachers and School Personnel Rules

This bill changes Tennessee's laws about teachers to exclude individuals with temporary academic or clinical permits from certain protections.

What This Bill Does

  • Changes the definition of 'teacher' in state law to not include people holding temporary academic or clinical permits.
  • Updates rules for dismissing nontenured, licensed employees so they do not apply to those holding temporary permits.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Teachers and school personnel in Tennessee
  • Local boards of education

Terms To Know

tenure
A job protection that makes it harder to fire someone after a certain period.
temporary academic permit
A short-term teaching license for educators who do not yet have full certification.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify how temporary permit holders will be treated under other parts of the law.
  • It is unclear what happens to existing teachers with temporary permits when this act becomes law.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Enrolled and ready for signatures

  2. 2026-04-07 Tennessee General Assembly

    Comp. SB subst.

  3. 2026-04-07 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed H., Ayes 74, Nays 16, PNV 0

  4. 2026-04-07 Tennessee General Assembly

    Subst. for comp. HB.

  5. 2026-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 4/7/2026

  6. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 4/2/2026

  7. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass; ref to Calendar & Rules Committee

  8. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Education Committee for 3/31/2026

  9. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in Education Committee to 4/1/2026

  10. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  11. 2026-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  12. 2026-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  13. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  14. 2026-03-10 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  15. 2026-03-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed Senate, Ayes 32, Nays 0

  16. 2026-03-06 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  17. 2026-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  18. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  19. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage, refer to Senate Calendar Committee

  20. 2026-03-03 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  21. 2026-03-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  22. 2026-02-26 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  23. 2026-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  24. 2026-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action deferred in Senate Education Committee to 3/4/2026

  25. 2026-02-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Education Committee calendar for 2/25/2026

  26. 2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Education Administration Subcommittee

  27. 2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, ref. to Education Committee

  28. 2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Education Committee

  29. 2026-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  30. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  31. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  32. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

Abstract summarizes the bill.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
SENATE BILL 2371
By Hensley

HOUSE BILL 2148
By Jones R
HB2148
012110
- 1 -

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

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 49-5-501(10), is amended by
deleting the subdivision and substituting:
(10) "Teacher":
(A) Includes teachers, supervisors, principals, director of schools, and all
other certificated personnel employed by any local board of education, for service
in public elementary and secondary schools in this state, supported in whole or in
part by state or federal funds; and
(B) Does not include an individual who holds a temporary academic
permit or temporary clinical permit pursuant to § 49-5-106;
SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 49-2-301(b)(1)(EE), is amended by
adding the following as a new subdivision:
(viii) This subdivision (b)(1)(EE) does not apply to individuals who hold a
temporary academic permit or temporary clinical permit pursuant to § 49-5-106;
SECTION 3. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.