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SB1713 • 2026

State Government

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4; Title 5; Title 6; Title 7 and Title 49, relative to discriminatory preferences.

Education
Active

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

Sponsor
Johnson, Maberry
Last action
2026-03-16
Official status
Rcvd. from S., held on H. desk.
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The candidate explanation included details about municipal and metropolitan government officials that were not supported by the initial official source material, which only specifies county governments. However, these details are present in later sections of the bill text.

Annual Reports on Discriminatory Preferences

This bill requires leaders of state departments, agencies, local governments, and public colleges to send yearly reports to the comptroller stating they haven't used unfair practices to increase diversity.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires the head of each state department or agency to submit an annual attestation of compliance with anti-discrimination policies to the comptroller by January 1, 2027, and annually thereafter.
  • Requires county government leaders to submit similar annual attestations of compliance to the comptroller by January 1, 2027, and annually thereafter.
  • Municipal government heads must also send yearly attestations of compliance with anti-discrimination policies to the comptroller by January 1, 2027, and annually thereafter.
  • Metropolitan government leaders are required to provide annual attestations of compliance with anti-discrimination policies to the comptroller by January 1, 2027, and annually thereafter.
  • Leaders of public colleges and universities must report annually to the comptroller about their adherence to anti-discriminatory policies by January 1, 2027, and annually thereafter.

Who It Names or Affects

  • State department heads
  • Agency directors
  • County government leaders
  • Municipal government officials
  • Metropolitan government leaders
  • College and university presidents

Terms To Know

Comptroller of the Treasury
The person in charge of managing a state's financial affairs.
Discriminatory preferences
Policies or practices that favor certain groups over others based on race, gender, etc., to increase diversity.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify what happens if a leader fails to submit the required report.
  • It is unclear how the comptroller will use these reports once received.
  • There are no penalties outlined for non-compliance with this reporting requirement.

Amendments

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

Amendment 1-0 to HB1664

Plain English: The amendment requires heads of various government entities in Tennessee to submit yearly reports to the comptroller about following certain rules.

  • Adds new subsections (c) to existing laws for state departments, county governments, municipal governments, metropolitan governments, and public institutions of higher education requiring them to send annual compliance reports to the comptroller starting January 1, 2027.
  • The specific rules mentioned in subsection (a) are not detailed in this amendment text, so it's unclear exactly what compliance is being reported on.
Amendment 2-0 to HB1664

Plain English: The amendment adds a new subsection to Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 4-1-427, allowing the attorney general and reporter to investigate allegations that state departments are violating laws against discriminatory preferences.

  • Adds a new subsection to Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 4-1-427, giving the attorney general and reporter authority to look into claims of violations by state entities regarding discriminatory preferences.
  • The amendment text does not specify what actions can be taken after an investigation is completed.
  • It's unclear how this new subsection will interact with existing laws or regulations.
Amendment 1-0 to SB1713

Plain English: The amendment requires heads of various government entities in Tennessee to submit yearly reports to the comptroller about following certain rules.

  • Adds new subsections (c) to existing laws for state departments, county governments, municipal governments, metropolitan governments, and public institutions of higher education.
  • These new subsections require each entity's head to send an annual report showing compliance with specific rules to the comptroller of the treasury by January 1st starting from 2027.
  • The amendment does not specify what 'certain rules' in subsection (a) are, which could be unclear without additional context.
  • It is not clear how these new requirements will affect the operations of government entities beyond reporting compliance.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 4/16/2026

  2. 2026-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 4/14/2026

  3. 2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass; ref to Calendar & Rules Committee

  4. 2026-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Education Committee for 4/8/2026

  5. 2026-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  6. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass. if am., ref. to Education Committee

  7. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 3/31/2026

  8. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in State & Local Government Committee to 3/31/2026

  9. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 3/24/2026

  10. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in State & Local Government Committee to 3/24/2026

  11. 2026-03-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rcvd. from S., held on H. desk.

  12. 2026-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  13. 2026-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Engrossed; ready for transmission to House

  14. 2026-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed Senate as amended, Ayes 27, Nays 6

  15. 2026-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Senate adopted Amendment (Amendment 1 - SA0549)

  16. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 3/18/2026

  17. 2026-03-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 3/12/2026

  18. 2026-03-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec for pass if am by s/c ref. to State & Local Government Committee

  19. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Departments & Agencies Subcommittee for 3/10/2026

  20. 2026-03-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 6, Nays 2 PNV 0

  21. 2026-03-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action Def. in s/c Departments & Agencies Subcommittee to 3/10/2026

  22. 2026-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Departments & Agencies Subcommittee for 3/3/2026

  23. 2026-02-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate State and Local Government Committee calendar for 3/3/2026

  24. 2026-01-22 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate State and Local Government Committee

  25. 2026-01-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  26. 2026-01-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Departments & Agencies Subcommittee

  27. 2026-01-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, ref. to State & Local Government Committee - Education Committee

  28. 2026-01-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  29. 2026-01-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  30. 2026-01-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  31. 2026-01-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

ON MARCH 12, 2026, THE SENATE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED SENATE BILL 1713, AS AMENDED.

AMENDMENT #1 clarifies
that either the executive head or president of each public institution of higher education
,
or the chief executive head of any of its campuses
,
subject to the present law
that
prohibits discriminatory preferences for diversity, equity, and inclusion in public institutions of higher education
must
submit an annual attestation of compliance to the comptroller of the treasury no later than January 1, 2027, and each January 1 thereafter.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
HOUSE BILL 1664
By Maberry

SENATE BILL 1713
By Johnson
SB1713
010704
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4;
Title 5; Title 6; Title 7 and Title 49, relative to
discriminatory preferences.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 4-1-427, is amended by adding the
following as a new subsection:
(c) The executive head of each department, agency, or other unit of state
government subject to this section shall submit an annual attestation of compliance with
subsection (a) to the comptroller of the treasury not later than January 1, 2027, and each
January 1 thereafter.
SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 5-1-135, is amended by adding the
following as a new subsection:
(c) The executive head of each county government subject to this section shall
submit an annual attestation of compliance with subsection (a) to the comptroller of the
treasury not later than January 1, 2027, and each January 1 thereafter.
SECTION 3. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 6-54-150, is amended by adding the
following as a new subsection:
(c) The executive head of each municipal government subject to this section
shall submit an annual attestation of compliance with subsection (a) to the comptroller of
the treasury not later than January 1, 2027, and each January 1 thereafter.
SECTION 4. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 7-3-107, is amended by adding the
following as a new subsection:

- 2 - 010704

(c) The executive head of each metropolitan government subject to this section
shall submit an annual attestation of compliance with subsection (a) to the comptroller of
the treasury not later than January 1, 2027, and each January 1 thereafter.
SECTION 5. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 49-7-192, is amended by adding the
following as a new subsection:
(c) The executive head or president of each public institution of higher education
subject to this section shall submit an annual attestation of compliance with subsection
(a) to the comptroller of the treasury not later than January 1, 2027, and each January 1
thereafter.
SECTION 6. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.