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SB1696 • 2026

Education

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

Education
Did Not Pass

The latest official action shows that this bill did not move forward in that session.

Sponsor
Akbari, Love
Last action
2026-03-18
Official status
Failed (no second) in Senate Education Committee
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary and text do not provide specific details on how schools should determine what constitutes 'substantially similar' or 'reasonably comparable'.

Education Opportunity Act

This bill allows Tennessee's public schools and institutions to offer programs that benefit one gender if they also provide substantially similar or reasonably comparable benefits for the other gender through different programs.

What This Bill Does

  • Allows a public institution of education in Tennessee to provide an opportunity or benefit exclusively to one sex, as long as it provides a substantially similar or reasonably comparable opportunity or benefit to the opposite sex through a different program.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Public schools and educational institutions in Tennessee

Terms To Know

Substantially similar
Very close or nearly the same, but not exactly identical.
Reasonably comparable
Comparable in a fair way that makes sense and is just right.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill did not pass and was stopped in the Senate Education Committee.
  • It does not specify how schools should decide what counts as 'substantially similar' or 'reasonably comparable'.

Bill History

  1. 2026-03-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Taken off notice for cal. in Education Committee

  2. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Failed (no second) in Senate Education Committee

  3. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  4. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Education Committee for 3/24/2026

  5. 2026-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in Education Committee to 3/24/2026

  6. 2026-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Education Committee calendar for 3/18/2026

  7. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action deferred in Senate Education Committee to 3/18/2026

  8. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Education Committee for 3/17/2026

  9. 2026-03-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in Education Committee to 3/17/2026

  10. 2026-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Education Committee calendar for 3/11/2026

  11. 2026-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Education Committee for 3/10/2026

  12. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Education Committee for 3/10/2026

  13. 2026-03-03 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  14. 2026-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Education Administration Subcommittee for 3/3/2026

  15. 2026-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Education Administration Subcommittee

  16. 2026-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Ref. to Education Committee

  17. 2026-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  18. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  19. 2026-01-22 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Education Committee

  20. 2026-01-22 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  21. 2026-01-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  22. 2026-01-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

Abstract summarizes the bill.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
HOUSE BILL 1948
By Love

SENATE BILL 1696
By Akbari
SB1696
010216
- 1 -

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

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 49-50-1801, is amended by adding
the following as a new subsection:
(f) A public institution of education that provides an opportunity or benefit
exclusively to one (1) sex does not violate this section if the institution provides a
substantially similar or reasonably comparable opportunity or benefit to the opposite sex
through a different program.
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.