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SB0689 • 2026

Education

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4 and Title 49, relative to education.

Education
Active

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

Sponsor
White
Last action
2025-04-29
Official status
Effective date(s) 07/01/2025
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary text does not provide detailed information about what happens to TSAC after July 1, 2025.

Changes to Tennessee Education Laws

This bill changes how certain education programs and organizations are run in Tennessee.

What This Bill Does

  • Removes the Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation (TSAC) from being part of the Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC).
  • Makes THEC responsible for TSAC's governing board starting July 1, 2025.
  • Adds a requirement for THEC’s review committee to help develop or revise state financial aid programs.
  • Includes the president of the Tennessee Independent Colleges and Universities Association in the review committee only for certain tasks.
  • Ends the Tennessee Teaching Scholars program on July 1, 2025, except for handling remaining loans.
  • Ends the Minority Teaching Fellows program on July 1, 2025, except for handling remaining loans.

Who It Names or Affects

  • The Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC)
  • Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation (TSAC)
  • People involved in state financial aid programs
  • Teachers and students participating in the Teaching Scholars program
  • Individuals participating in the Minority Teaching Fellows program

Terms To Know

Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC)
A group that oversees higher education in Tennessee.
Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation (TSAC)
An organization that helps with student financial aid and loans.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify what will happen to TSAC after July 1, 2025.
  • It is unclear how the changes will affect current students or teachers in the programs being terminated.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

Amendment 1-0 to HB0408

Plain English: The amendment changes how student assistance programs are governed in Tennessee by transferring control from a board of directors to the Tennessee Higher Education Commission and terminating certain teaching scholarship programs.

  • Transfers governance of the Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation (TSAC) from its current governing board to the Tennessee Higher Education Commission starting July 1, 2025.
  • Terminates the Tennessee Teaching Scholars Program on July 1, 2025, except for TSAC's responsibility to manage remaining outstanding loans.
  • Terminates the Minority Teaching Fellows Program on July 1, 2025, except for TSAC's responsibility to manage remaining outstanding loans.
  • The amendment text does not provide detailed information about how the transition of governance will be implemented or what specific changes will occur in parts 3 and 6-9 of this chapter.
  • It is unclear from the provided text if there are any additional impacts on existing student assistance programs beyond those explicitly mentioned.
Amendment 1-0 to SB0689

Plain English: This amendment changes how certain education programs in Tennessee are managed and governed by altering specific sections of state law.

  • It replaces existing laws to create a nonprofit corporation called the Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation (TSAC) within the Tennessee Higher Education Commission, which will manage student assistance programs.
  • The governing board for TSAC is replaced with the Tennessee Higher Education Commission starting July 1, 2025.
  • A review committee is established by the commission to help develop or revise higher education plans and financial aid policies.
  • It terminates two specific teaching scholarship programs on July 1, 2025, but allows TSAC to handle any remaining loan obligations.
  • The amendment text does not provide detailed information about the operational changes or impacts of these modifications beyond what is explicitly stated in the sections amended.

Bill History

  1. 2025-04-29 Tennessee General Assembly

    Effective date(s) 07/01/2025

  2. 2025-04-29 Tennessee General Assembly

    Pub. Ch. 234

  3. 2025-04-29 Tennessee General Assembly

    Comp. became Pub. Ch. 234

  4. 2025-04-23 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Governor.

  5. 2025-04-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Transmitted to Governor for action.

  6. 2025-04-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by H. Speaker

  7. 2025-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Senate Speaker

  8. 2025-04-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Enrolled and ready for signatures

  9. 2025-04-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Concurred, Ayes 31, Nays 0 (Amendment 1 - HA0172)

  10. 2025-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Message Calendar for 4/10/2025

  11. 2025-04-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed H., as am., Ayes 77, Nays 10, PNV 3

  12. 2025-04-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. adopted am. (Amendment 1 - HA0172)

  13. 2025-04-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Subst. for comp. HB.

  14. 2025-04-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  15. 2025-04-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Comp. SB subst.

  16. 2025-03-27 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 4/3/2025

  17. 2025-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 3/27/2025

  18. 2025-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass. if am., ref. to Calendar & Rules Committee

  19. 2025-03-20 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  20. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Education Committee for 3/25/2025

  21. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  22. 2025-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  23. 2025-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Engrossed; ready for transmission to House

  24. 2025-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed Senate as amended, Ayes 31, Nays 0

  25. 2025-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Senate adopted Amendment (Amendment 1 - SA0133)

  26. 2025-03-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 3/17/2025

  27. 2025-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 9, Nays 0 PNV 0

  28. 2025-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Higher Education Subcommittee for 3/19/2025

  29. 2025-03-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Higher Education Subcommittee

  30. 2025-03-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Ref. to Education Committee

  31. 2025-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Education Committee calendar for 3/12/2025

  32. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Education Committee

  33. 2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  34. 2025-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  35. 2025-02-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  36. 2025-01-31 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  37. 2025-01-28 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

ON MARCH 17, 2025, THE SENATE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED SENATE BILL 689, AS AMENDED.

AMENDMENT #1 rewrites the bill to, instead, make the following revision
s to present law:



Removes the Tennessee student assistance corporation (TSAC) from being operated as a division within the Tennessee higher education commission (THEC).



Terminates the governing board of directors for TSAC on July 1, 2025, and, effective July 1, 2025, requires THEC, to serve as the governing board of directors for TSAC.



Requires THEC's review committee to aid in the development or revision of state financial aid.



Adds to the review committee's membership the president of the Tennessee Independent Colleges and Universities Association but only to serve on the committee for the development or revision of the higher education master plan and for state financial aid.



Terminates the Tennessee teaching scholars program on July 1, 2025, except for the purpose of TSAC administering the program requirements for all remaining outstanding loans.



Terminates the minority teaching fellows program on July 1, 2025, except for the purpose of TSAC administering the program requirements for all remaining outstanding loans.

ON APRIL 3, 2025, THE HOUSE SUBSTITUTED SENATE BILL 689 FOR HOUSE BILL 408, ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1, AND PASSED SENATE BILL 689, AS AMENDED.

AMENDMENT #1 fixes a cross-reference.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
HOUSE BILL 408
By White

SENATE BILL 689
By White

SB0689
001788
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4 and
Title 49, relative to education.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 49-6-810, is amended by deleting
"February 1" and substituting "January 31".
SECTION 2. This act takes effect July 1, 2025, the public welfare requiring it.