SB1569 • 2026

Correction, Dept. of

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4; Title 41 and Title 49, relative to education.

Crime Education Taxes

Active

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

Sponsor: White, Raper
Last action: 2026-04-06
Official status: Effective date(s) 07/01/2026
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source does not provide details on what happens if an inmate does not respond to the assessment or how electronic notices will be ensured.

Tennessee Inmate Education Assessment Act

This law requires Tennessee's Department of Correction to assess inmates' education levels and interests annually and inform them about educational opportunities.

What This Bill Does

Requires the Department of Correction to conduct an annual assessment of each inmate serving time for a felony offense, starting from July 1, 2026.
The assessment must find out what grade or education level the inmate has completed, as well as their interest in continuing, completing, or advancing their education.
After conducting the assessment, the department must notify inmates about educational programs and opportunities available to them within 90 days.
Allows the notice to be given electronically if feasible.

Who It Names or Affects

Inmates serving time for felony offenses in Tennessee
The Department of Correction

Terms To Know

Education Assessment: A survey or evaluation given to inmates to find out their highest grade level and interest in further education.

Limits and Unknowns

Does not specify what happens if an inmate does not respond to the assessment.
The law only applies to those serving time for felony offenses, excluding other types of offenders.
It is unclear how the department will ensure that all inmates receive electronic notices if feasible.

Amendments

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

HA0575

Amendment 1-0 to HB1771

Plain English: The amendment changes how inmates eligible for educational programs are notified about their opportunities.

Removes and replaces subsection (c) in SECTION 1 to require the Department to notify inmates serving time for felony offenses about available educational programming within 90 days of an education assessment.

The amendment text does not specify how the notification will be delivered or what happens if it is not feasible to provide electronically.

SA0460

Amendment 1-0 to SB1569

Plain English: The amendment changes how inmates eligible for educational programs are notified about their opportunities.

Removes and replaces subsection (c) in SECTION 1 of SB1569 to require the Department to notify inmates serving time for felony offenses about available education programs within 90 days after an assessment.

The amendment text does not specify how the educational assessments are conducted or what qualifies as 'eligible' for these programs, which limits a full understanding of who will receive notifications and when.

Bill History

2026-04-06 Tennessee General Assembly
Effective date(s) 07/01/2026
2026-04-06 Tennessee General Assembly
Pub. Ch. 607
2026-04-06 Tennessee General Assembly
Comp. became Pub. Ch. 607
2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly
Signed by Governor.
2026-03-13 Tennessee General Assembly
Transmitted to Governor for action.
2026-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly
Signed by H. Speaker
2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly
Enrolled and ready for signatures
2026-03-10 Tennessee General Assembly
Sponsor(s) Added.
2026-03-09 Tennessee General Assembly
Passed H., Ayes 93, Nays 0, PNV 1
2026-03-09 Tennessee General Assembly
Am. withdrawn. (Amendment 1 - HA0575)
2026-03-09 Tennessee General Assembly
Subst. for comp. HB.
2026-03-09 Tennessee General Assembly
Sponsor(s) Added.
2026-03-09 Tennessee General Assembly
Comp. SB subst.
2026-02-23 Tennessee General Assembly
H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 3/9/2026
2026-02-23 Tennessee General Assembly
Reset on cal. for 3/9/2026
2026-02-23 Tennessee General Assembly
Sponsor(s) Added.
2026-02-19 Tennessee General Assembly
Rcvd. from S., held on H. desk.
2026-02-19 Tennessee General Assembly
H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 2/23/2026
2026-02-18 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 2/19/2026
2026-02-18 Tennessee General Assembly
Rec. for pass. if am., ref. to Calendar & Rules Committee
2026-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly
Engrossed; ready for transmission to House
2026-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly
Sponsor(s) Added.
2026-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly
Passed Senate as amended, Ayes 32, Nays 0
2026-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly
Senate adopted Amendment (Amendment 1 - SA0460)
2026-02-11 Tennessee General Assembly
Sponsor(s) Added.
2026-02-11 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 2/18/2026
2026-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 2/12/2026
2026-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 2/12/2026
2026-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly
Rec for pass if am by s/c ref. to State & Local Government Committee
2026-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on s/c cal Departments & Agencies Subcommittee for 2/10/2026
2026-02-03 Tennessee General Assembly
Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 9, Nays 0 PNV 0
2026-01-28 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on Senate State and Local Government Committee calendar for 2/3/2026
2026-01-22 Tennessee General Assembly
Assigned to s/c Departments & Agencies Subcommittee
2026-01-22 Tennessee General Assembly
P2C, ref. to State & Local Government Committee
2026-01-21 Tennessee General Assembly
Intro., P1C.
2026-01-20 Tennessee General Assembly
Filed for introduction
2026-01-14 Tennessee General Assembly
Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate State and Local Government Committee
2026-01-13 Tennessee General Assembly
Introduced, Passed on First Consideration
2026-01-09 Tennessee General Assembly
Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

ON FEBRUARY 12, 2026, THE SENATE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED SENATE BILL 1569, AS AMENDED.

AMENDMENT #1 clarifies that the written notice to inmates concerning the educational programming and opportunities may be made electronically if feasible.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HOUSE BILL 1771
By Raper

SENATE BILL 1569
By White
SB1569
009340
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4;
Title 41 and Title 49, relative to education.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 41, Chapter 1, Part 1, is amended by
adding the following as a new section:
(a) As used in this section, "education assessment" means an assessment,
evaluation, or survey administered to an inmate in the custody or under the supervision
of the department of correction that is designed to collect information regarding the
highest grade or educational level attained by the inmate, as well as to determine the
inmate's interest in continuing, completing, or advancing their education.
(b) The department shall conduct an education assessment:
(1) During the intake of each inmate sentenced to serve a period of
confinement for committing a felony offense and at least annually thereafter; and
(2) At least annually for each inmate who, on or after July 1, 2026, is
serving a period of confinement for committing a felony offense.
(c) The department shall notify each inmate who is serving a period of
confinement for committing a felony offense and who is eligible to continue, complete, or
advance their education of the educational programming and opportunities available to
the inmate. The notice required in this subsection (c) must be provided in writing no
later than ninety (90) days from the date of the education assessment.
SECTION 2. This act takes effect July 1, 2026, the public welfare requiring it.