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HB2588 • 2026

Education, Curriculum

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49 and Title 70, Chapter 2, Part 1, relative to hunter education.

Education
Active

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

Sponsor
Todd, Rose
Last action
2026-03-30
Official status
Effective date(s) 03/26/2026
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

Hunter Education in Schools

This bill allows local education agencies and charter schools to offer hunter education courses as part of physical education, health, or safety instruction for students from grades five through twelve.

What This Bill Does

  • Local education agencies (LEAs) and public charter schools can now teach hunter education courses to students in grades five through twelve.
  • These courses must be approved by the wildlife resources agency before they are taught.
  • Hunter education classes count as part of physical education, health, or safety instruction.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Students from fifth grade up to twelfth grade
  • Local Education Agencies (LEAs) and public charter schools in Tennessee

Terms To Know

LEAs
Local Education Agencies, which are groups that manage public schools.
Wildlife Resources Agency
The agency responsible for managing wildlife and natural resources in Tennessee.

Limits and Unknowns

  • It is not clear how many LEAs or charter schools will offer these courses.
  • The bill does not specify if students are required to take the hunter education course or if it's optional.

Bill History

  1. 2026-03-30 Tennessee General Assembly

    Effective date(s) 03/26/2026

  2. 2026-03-30 Tennessee General Assembly

    Pub. Ch. 630

  3. 2026-03-30 Tennessee General Assembly

    Comp. became Pub. Ch. 630

  4. 2026-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Governor.

  5. 2026-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Transmitted to Governor for his action.

  6. 2026-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Senate Speaker

  7. 2026-03-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by H. Speaker

  8. 2026-03-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Enrolled; ready for sig. of H. Speaker.

  9. 2026-03-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed Senate, Ayes 32, Nays 0

  10. 2026-03-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Senate substituted House Bill for companion Senate Bill.

  11. 2026-03-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Received from House, Passed on First Consideration

  12. 2026-03-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  13. 2026-03-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Engrossed; ready for transmission to Sen.

  14. 2026-03-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed H., Ayes 95, Nays 0, PNV 0

  15. 2026-03-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  16. 2026-03-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Companion House Bill substituted

  17. 2026-03-06 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  18. 2026-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. Placed on Consent Calendar for 3/9/2026

  19. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 3/5/2026

  20. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage, refer to Senate Calendar Committee

  21. 2026-03-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass; ref to Calendar & Rules Committee

  22. 2026-02-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  23. 2026-02-26 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  24. 2026-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  25. 2026-02-23 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  26. 2026-02-17 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  27. 2026-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  28. 2026-02-11 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  29. 2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  30. 2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Education Instruction Subcommittee

  31. 2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, ref. to Education Committee

  32. 2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Education Committee

  33. 2026-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor change.

  34. 2026-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  35. 2026-02-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  36. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  37. 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 2369
By Rose

HOUSE BILL 2588
By Todd
HB2588
012295
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49
and Title 70, Chapter 2, Part 1, relative to hunter
education.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49, Chapter 6, Part 10, is amended by
adding the following as a new section:
LEAs and public charter schools may offer students in any of the grades five
through twelve (5-12) a hunter education course as part of physical education, health, or
safety instruction. A hunter education course offered pursuant to this section must be
approved by the wildlife resources agency as a hunter education course pursuant to §
70-2-108.
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.