SB0699 • 2026

Education

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 33; Title 37 and Title 49, relative to students of schools where an act of mass violence occurs.

Education Parental Rights Technology

Active

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

Sponsor: Kyle, Jones J
Last action: 2025-02-12
Official status: Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Education Committee
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary does not provide specific details on the exact fiscal impact or the extent of additional equipment or staff needed for remote learning.

Student Comfort through Alternative Restorative Environments (CARE) Act

This act requires local education agencies and public charter schools to allow students affected by mass violence at their schools to participate in virtual education or remote learning for a minimum of 31 calendar days.

What This Bill Does

Defines 'mass violence' as an act that leads to serious bodily injury or death of two or more persons.
Requires local education agencies (LEAs) and public charter schools to adopt policies allowing students to participate in virtual education programs for at least 31 calendar days after mass violence occurs, starting from the date in-person learning resumes.
Allows LEAs to provide remote instruction for up to 31 days or longer as determined by their policy if requested by a student's parent, guardian, or the student themselves (if over 18 years old).
Ensures that participating students are not penalized academically and have access to mental health resources.

Who It Names or Affects

Students enrolled in schools where mass violence occurs
Local education agencies (LEAs) and public charter schools

Terms To Know

mass violence: An act that leads to serious bodily injury or death of two or more persons.
remote instruction: Classroom instruction provided via technology, such as video calls and online classes.

Limits and Unknowns

The exact fiscal impact on schools is uncertain due to unknown factors like the need for additional equipment or staff.
This act applies only to students affected by mass violence in their school during the 2025-2026 and subsequent school years.

Bill History

2025-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly
Failed for lack of second in: Education Administration Subcommittee
2025-02-19 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on s/c cal Education Administration Subcommittee for 2/25/2025
2025-02-18 Tennessee General Assembly
Action Def. in s/c Education Administration Subcommittee to 2/25/2025
2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly
Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Education Committee
2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on s/c cal Education Administration Subcommittee for 2/18/2025
2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly
Introduced, Passed on First Consideration
2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly
Assigned to s/c Education Administration Subcommittee
2025-02-06 Tennessee General Assembly
P2C, ref. to Education Committee
2025-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly
Intro., P1C.
2025-02-03 Tennessee General Assembly
Filed for introduction
2025-02-03 Tennessee General Assembly
Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

This bill creates an exception to present law, which makes the offering of and par
ticipation in virtual education programs discretionary for LEAs.

This bill requires LEAs to
adopt and implement a policy that allows a student who is enrolled in a school of the LEA or a public charter school at the time that an act of mass violence is c
ommitted at the school to
voluntarily
participate in a virtual education program for no less than 31 calendar days from the date that in-person learning first resumes at the school after the act of mass violence is committed.

This bill also requires LE
As to
provide 31 calendar days, or a longer period as determined by a policy established by the LEA, of the required 180 days of classroom instruction via remote instruction to a student who is enrolled in a public school at the time that an act of mass vi
olence is committed at the school
and who voluntarily elects to participate in remote instruction
.

For purposes of this bill,
"mass violence" means any act that leads to serious bodily injury or death, of two or more persons.

A
student who voluntaril
y participates in a virtual school program
or remote instruction pursuant
to this
bill
:

This bill requires that a
n LEA notify the department of education if a student who is enrolled in a school of the LEA participates in a virtual school program
or remo
te instruction
pursuant to this
bill
and report to the department the length of time the student is authorized to participate in the program or remote instruction.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HOUSE BILL 682
By Jones J

SENATE BILL 699
By Kyle

SB0699
002308
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 33;
Title 37 and Title 49, relative to students of
schools where an act of mass violence occurs.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. This act is known and may be cited as the "Student Comfort through
Alternative Restorative Environments (CARE) Act".
SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 49-16-105, is amended by deleting
the section and substituting:
(a)
(1) Except as provided in subsection (b):
(A) This chapter does not require local education agencies to
offer or participate in a virtual education program; and
(B) Participation in a virtual education program by a student is at
the discretion of the LEA in which the student is enrolled or zoned to
attend.
(2) Students who are receiving hospital or homebound instruction are
eligible to participate in a virtual education program that is offered by the LEA.
(b)
(1) As used in this subsection (b), "mass violence" means any act that
leads to serious bodily injury, as defined in § 39-11-106, or death, of two (2) or
more persons.
(2) Each local board of education and each governing body of a public
charter school shall adopt and implement a policy that allows a student who is

- 2 - 002308

enrolled in a school of the LEA or a public charter school at the time that an act
of mass violence is committed at the school to participate in a virtual education
program for no less than thirty-one (31) calendar days from the date that in-
person learning first resumes at the school after the act of mass violence is
committed.
(3) A student's participation in a virtual school program pursuant to this
subsection (b) is voluntary pursuant to the request of the student's parent,
guardian, person who has custody of the student, individual who has caregiving
authority under § 49-6-3001, or the student if the student is at least eighteen (18)
years of age.
(4) A policy adopted pursuant to this subsection (b) must provide that a
student who voluntarily participates in a virtual school program pursuant to this
subsection (b):
(A) Is not subject to academic or other penalization based solely
on participation in the virtual school program; and
(B) Is eligible to receive all counseling and other mental health
resources that are made available to students by the LEA or public
charter school.
(5) An LEA or public charter school shall notify the department of
education if a student who is enrolled in a school of the LEA or the public charter
school participates in a virtual school program pursuant to this subsection (b) or
remote instruction pursuant to § 49-6-3004(j) and report to the department the
length of time the student is authorized to participate in the program or remote
instruction.

- 3 - 002308

SECTION 3. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 49-6-3004, is amended by adding
the following as a new subsection:
(j)
(1) An LEA shall provide thirty-one (31) calendar days, or a longer period
as determined by a policy established by the LEA, of the required one hundred
eighty (180) days of classroom instruction pursuant to subdivision (a)(1) via
remote instruction to a student who is enrolled in a public school at the time that
an act of mass violence is committed at the school. The period of remote
instruction required by this subsection (j) must commence on the date that in-
person instruction first resumes at the school following the commission of the act
of mass violence.
(2) Participation in remote instruction pursuant to this subsection (j) is
voluntary pursuant to the request of the student's parent, guardian, person who
has custody of the student, or individual who has caregiving authority under § 49-
6-3001, if the student is a minor, or the student, if the student is at least eighteen
(18) years of age.
(3) A student who voluntarily participates in remote instruction pursuant
to this subsection (j):
(A) Is not subject to academic or other penalization based solely
on participation in such remote instruction; and
(B) Is eligible to receive all counseling and other mental health
resources that are made available to students who return to in-person
instruction at the school where the act of mass violence is committed
when in-person instruction first resumes.

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(4) An LEA shall comply with the requirements of subdivisions (i)(4)–(7)
when providing remote instruction to a student pursuant to this subsection (j).
(5) As used in this subsection (j):
(A) "Mass violence" means any act that leads to the serious
bodily injury, as defined in § 39-11-106, or the death, of two (2) or more
persons; and
(B) "Remote instruction" has the same meaning as in subdivision
(i)(8).
SECTION 4. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it,
and applies to the 2025-2026 school year and each school year thereafter.