SB1180 • 2026

School Vouchers

AN ACT to amend Chapter __ of the Public Acts of 2025 (1st Ex. Sess. – SB 6001 / HB 6004); and Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49, Chapter 10, Part 14 and Title 49, Chapter 6, Part 26, relative to background checks.

Children Education Labor

Active

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

Sponsor: Akbari, Salinas
Last action: 2025-03-26
Official status: Assigned to General Subcommittee of Senate Education Committee
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details on how private schools will implement these requirements or what happens if a background check reveals criminal activity.

School Background Checks for Voucher Programs

This bill requires private schools that accept students with education scholarships to perform background checks on teachers and other staff who work closely with children.

What This Bill Does

Requires private schools accepting scholarship recipients to check the criminal history of anyone applying or already working as a teacher or in positions close to children.
Includes checking state and national sex offender registries, abuse registry, and educator license status for misconduct.
Applies these checks before hiring someone who will have direct contact with students or access to school grounds when kids are present.

Who It Names or Affects

Private schools that accept scholarship recipients and participate in specific education programs.
Teachers and staff members of these private schools who work closely with children or have access to school grounds when students are present.

Terms To Know

Education Freedom Scholarship: A type of financial aid for students to attend private schools.
Educator License: A certification required by the state for teachers and other school staff.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify what happens if a background check reveals criminal activity.
It is unclear how private schools will implement these new requirements.
The exact penalties or consequences for non-compliance are not detailed in the bill.

Bill History

2025-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly
Assigned to General Subcommittee of Senate Education Committee
2025-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly
Failed in s/c K-12 Subcommittee of Education Committee
2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on Senate Education Committee calendar for 3/26/2025
2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly
Action deferred in Senate Education Committee to 3/26/2025
2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on s/c cal K-12 Subcommittee for 3/25/2025
2025-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly
Action Def. in s/c K-12 Subcommittee to 3/25/2025
2025-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on Senate Education Committee calendar for 3/19/2025
2025-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on s/c cal K-12 Subcommittee for 3/18/2025
2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly
Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Education Committee
2025-02-11 Tennessee General Assembly
Assigned to s/c K-12 Subcommittee
2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly
Introduced, Passed on First Consideration
2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly
P2C, ref. to Education Committee
2025-02-06 Tennessee General Assembly
Filed for introduction
2025-02-06 Tennessee General Assembly
Intro., P1C.
2025-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly
Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

This bill requires a private school that e
nrolls a student who is the recipient of an
Education Freedom Act of 2025
scholarship to:

(1) C
onduct a

fingerprint based or social security number based criminal history records check
(including
a check of the state and national sex offender registries
and the department of health's abuse registry
)
:

(
A
) Prior to employment for any person applying for or holding a position as a teacher or any other position requiring proximity to school children; and

(
B
) Prior to permitting any person or an employee
of the person, corporation, or any other entity under contract with the private school and who will have direct contact

with school children or access to the grounds of the school when children are present
; and

(
2
)
S
earch the state's educator licensure d
atabase to determine if an applicant for a teaching position or any other position requiring proximity to school children has ever had an educator license suspended or revoked for misconduct in this state.

Present law generally requires a school that par
ticipates in the
Tennessee Education Savings Account Pilot Program
or Individualized Education Act to c
onduct criminal background checks on employees
. This bill instead requires a school that participates in the
Tennessee Education Savings Account Pilot P
rogram
or Individualized Education Act to conduct checks as described above for schools that enroll education freedom scholarship recipients.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HOUSE BILL 1109
By Salinas

SENATE BILL 1180
By Akbari

SB1180
003231
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Chapter __ of the Public Acts of 2025
(1st Ex. Sess. – SB 6001 / HB 6004); and
Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49, Chapter 10,
Part 14 and Title 49, Chapter 6, Part 26, relative to
background checks.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Chapter __ of the Public Acts of 2025 (1st Ex. Sess. – SB 6001 / HB
6004), is amended by adding the following at the end of Section 2:
49-6-3513. Background checks for persons holding positions requiring proximity
to recipients in private schools.
(a) A private school that enrolls a recipient shall conduct a criminal history
records check:
(1) Prior to employment for any person applying for or holding a position
as a teacher or any other position requiring proximity to school children; and
(2) Prior to permitting any person or an employee of the person,
corporation, or any other entity under contract with the private school and who
will have direct contact with school children or access to the grounds of the
school when children are present.
(b) The criminal history records check must be fingerprint based or social
security number based and include a check of the state and national sex offender
registries and the department of health's abuse registry.
(c) A private school that enrolls a recipient shall search the state's educator
licensure database to determine if an applicant for a teaching position or any other

- 2 - 003231

position requiring proximity to school children has ever had an educator license
suspended or revoked for misconduct in this state.
SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 49-6-2607(e), is amended by
deleting subdivisions (4) and (5) and substituting:
(4) Conduct a criminal history records check that is fingerprint based or social
security number based and that includes a check of the state and national sex offender
registries and the department of health's abuse registry:
(A) Prior to employment for any person applying for or holding a position
as a teacher or any other position requiring proximity to school children; and
(B) Prior to permitting any person or an employee of the person,
corporation, or other entity under contract with a participating school and who will
have direct contact with school children or access to the grounds of the school
when children are present;
(5) Search the state's educator licensure database to determine if an applicant
for a teaching position or any other position requiring proximity to school children has
ever had an educator license suspended or revoked for misconduct in this state; and
(6) Exclude from employment:
(A) Any person who is not permitted by state law to work in a nonpublic
school; and
(B) Any person who might reasonably pose a threat to the safety of
students.
SECTION 3. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 49-10-1404(b), is amended by
deleting subdivision (3) and substituting:

- 3 - 003231

(3) Conduct a criminal history records check that is fingerprint based or social
security number based and that includes a check of the state and national sex offender
registries and the department of health's abuse registry:
(A) Prior to employment for any person applying for or holding a position
as a teacher or any other position requiring proximity to school children; and
(B) Prior to permitting any person or an employee of the person,
corporation, or other entity under contract with a participating school and who will
have direct contact with school children or access to the grounds of the school
when children are present;
(4) Search the state's educator licensure database to determine if an applicant
for a teaching position or any other position requiring proximity to school children has
ever had an educator license suspended or revoked for misconduct in this state; and
(5) Exclude from employment:
(A) Any person who is not permitted by state law to work in a nonpublic
school; and
(B) Any person who might reasonably pose a threat to the safety of
students.
SECTION 4. The heading in this act is for reference purposes only and does not
constitute a part of the law enacted by this act. However, the Tennessee Code Commission is
requested to include the heading in any compilation or publication containing this act.
SECTION 5. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.