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SB1387 • 2026

Scholarships and Financial Aid

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49, Chapter 4, Part 8, relative to the Senator Ben Atchley Opportunity Grant Act.

Education
Active

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

Sponsor
Watson, Garrett
Last action
2026-04-14
Official status
Placed on Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee calendar for 4/21/2026
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details about the funding amount or changes to other postsecondary institutions' eligibility beyond Western Governors University.

Scholarships and Financial Aid Act

This bill changes Tennessee's law to allow students to receive a Senator Ben Atchley Opportunity Grant at Western Governors University.

What This Bill Does

  • Adds Western Governors University as an eligible school for the Senator Ben Atchley Opportunity Grant.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Tennessee resident students enrolled at Western Governors University

Terms To Know

Senator Ben Atchley Opportunity Grant
A scholarship program for Tennessee residents attending eligible postsecondary institutions.
Competency-based model of education
An educational approach that focuses on measuring student learning through demonstrated mastery of skills and knowledge rather than seat time or credit hours.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify how much funding will be available for the grants.
  • It is unclear if there are any changes to other postsecondary institutions' eligibility beyond Western Governors University.

Amendments

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

Amendment 1-0 to HB0645

Plain English: The amendment changes how Tennessee grants scholarships to students attending certain types of colleges and universities.

  • Scholarships will be given to Tennessee resident students at independent nonprofit colleges and universities accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, as well as other eligible private institutions that meet specific criteria.
  • The amendment text does not provide details on how much funding is available or how scholarships are distributed among different types of institutions.
  • It's unclear what specific benefits or restrictions this change will have for students and educational institutions.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee calendar for 4/21/2026

  2. 2025-04-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee calendar for 4/21/2025

  3. 2025-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee calendar for 4/15/2025

  4. 2025-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rule #83(8) Suspended, to be heard in Senate Finance, Ways & Means Committee on 4/15/2025

  5. 2025-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Failed in Education Committee

  6. 2025-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage, refer to Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee

  7. 2025-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Education Committee for 4/1/2025

  8. 2025-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in Education Committee to 4/1/2025

  9. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Education Committee calendar for 3/26/2025

  10. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action deferred in Senate Education Committee to 3/26/2025

  11. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  12. 2025-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in Education Committee to 3/25/2025

  13. 2025-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Education Committee calendar for 3/19/2025

  14. 2025-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Education Committee for 3/18/2025

  15. 2025-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  16. 2025-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in Education Committee to 3/18/2025

  17. 2025-03-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) withdrawn.

  18. 2025-03-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  19. 2025-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Education Committee for 3/11/2025

  20. 2025-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  21. 2025-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  22. 2025-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Withdrawn.

  23. 2025-03-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  24. 2025-02-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Higher Education Subcommittee for 3/5/2025

  25. 2025-02-20 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  26. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Education Committee

  27. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) withdrawn.

  28. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor change.

  29. 2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  30. 2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Higher Education Subcommittee

  31. 2025-02-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  32. 2025-02-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, ref. to Education Committee

  33. 2025-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  34. 2025-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  35. 2025-02-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

Abstract summarizes the bill.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
HOUSE BILL 645
By Carringer

SENATE BILL 1387
By Watson

SB1387
001318
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49,
Chapter 4, Part 8, relative to the Senator Ben
Atchley Opportunity Grant Act.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 49-4-803, is amended by deleting the
section and substituting:
The state shall grant an amount as provided in this part to Tennessee resident
students enrolled at independent, nonprofit colleges and universities accredited by the
College Commission of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and, to the
extent feasible within existing budgetary resources of the Tennessee student assistance
corporation, to Tennessee resident students enrolled at eligible independent
postsecondary institutions, as defined in § 49-4-902(11)(C), and private nonprofit
postsecondary institutions that:
(1) Have established a partnership with this state pursuant to a
memorandum of understanding executed in 2013;
(2) Are accredited by a regional accrediting association;
(3) Use a competency-based model of education;
(4) Have established and continuously maintain a physical campus or
location of operation within this state;
(5) Maintain a governing body or advisory board based in this state with
oversight of operations in this state; and
(6) Have been chartered in this state as a nonprofit entity for at least five
(5) consecutive years.

- 2 - 001318

SECTION 2. This act takes effect July 1, 2025, the public welfare requiring it.