Local Education Agencies

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49, relative to the history of communism.

Education

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Bowling, Barrett
Last action: 2026-04-02
Official status: Transmitted to Governor for action.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

Teaching About Communism in Schools

This act requires local education agencies (LEAs) and public charter schools to provide age-appropriate instruction on the history of communism, including its tactics, atrocities, and comparison with democratic principles.

What This Bill Does

Requires LEAs and public charter schools to provide age- and grade-appropriate instruction on the history of communism.
Includes in these lessons details about communist movements in the U.S., atrocities abroad, and comparisons with democracy.
Incorporates discussions on the threat of communism to the U.S. and its allies during the 1900s.
Covers economic, industrial, and political events leading up to communist revolutions.
Requires lessons about communist policies in Cuba and their spread throughout Latin America.

Who It Names or Affects

Local education agencies (LEAs) and public charter schools
Students receiving social studies instruction

Terms To Know

Local Education Agencies (LEAs): School districts or other local organizations responsible for providing educational services.
Public Charter Schools: Independent public schools that operate under a charter, which is a contract between the school and an authorizing agency.

Limits and Unknowns

The exact cost of implementing these changes in local education agencies cannot be precisely determined.
There may be additional expenses for providing classroom materials related to teaching about communism.

Amendments

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

HA0559

Amendment 1-0 to HB1805

Plain English: This amendment adds new requirements for social studies academic standards in Tennessee to include specific content about the history of communism.

Requires the inclusion of the history of communism in U.S. and domestic movements, including tactics used by these movements.
Includes discussion on atrocities committed abroad under communist guidance.
Adds a comparative analysis of political ideologies like communism and totalitarianism against American founding principles.
Incorporates information about the threat of communism to the United States and its allies during the 20th century, including events in China and Latin America.

The exact details on how these standards will be implemented or enforced are not provided in this amendment text.

HA0897

Amendment 2-0 to HB1805

Plain English: The amendment adds two new sections to a bill about teaching history in schools: one section explains the differences between communism, socialism, and democratic socialism; the other discusses historical events related to fear of communism.

Adds a requirement for local education agencies to teach students about the history of communism and its distinctions from socialism and democratic socialism.
Requires local education agencies to include lessons on the Red Scare, the House Un-American Activities Committee, McCarthyism, and the false labeling of Civil Rights activists as 'communists'.

The amendment text does not specify how these new requirements will be implemented or enforced.

SA0540

Amendment 1-0 to SB1890

Plain English: This amendment requires Tennessee schools to include specific topics about the history of communism in their social studies curriculum.

Adds new academic standards on the history of communism for social studies classes.
Includes details such as communist movements in the U.S., atrocities committed abroad, and comparisons with democratic principles.

The exact content and grade level specifics are not detailed in this amendment text.

Bill History

2026-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly
Transmitted to Governor for action.
2026-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly
Signed by H. Speaker
2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly
Signed by Senate Speaker
2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly
Enrolled and ready for signatures
2026-03-30 Tennessee General Assembly
Passed H., Ayes 72, Nays 18, PNV 1
2026-03-30 Tennessee General Assembly
Am. withdrawn. (Amendment 1 - HA0559)
2026-03-30 Tennessee General Assembly
Subst. for comp. HB.
2026-03-30 Tennessee General Assembly
Sponsor(s) Added.
2026-03-30 Tennessee General Assembly
Comp. SB subst.
2026-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly
H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 3/30/2026
2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 3/26/2026
2026-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly
Rec. for pass; ref to Calendar & Rules Committee
2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on cal. Finance, Ways, and Means Committee for 3/17/2026
2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly
Rec. for pass by s/c ref. to Finance, Ways, and Means Committee
2026-03-10 Tennessee General Assembly
Sponsor(s) Added.
2026-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly
Rcvd. from S., held on H. desk.
2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 3/11/2026
2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly
Action Def. in s/c Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee to 3/11/2026
2026-03-03 Tennessee General Assembly
Sponsor(s) Added.
2026-03-02 Tennessee General Assembly
Engrossed; ready for transmission to House
2026-03-02 Tennessee General Assembly
Passed Senate as amended, Ayes 28, Nays 1, PNV 3
2026-03-02 Tennessee General Assembly
Senate adopted Amendment (Amendment 1 - SA0540)
2026-02-27 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 3/2/2026
2026-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly
Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 9, Nays 0 PNV 0
2026-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 3/4/2026
2026-02-19 Tennessee General Assembly
Assigned to s/c Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee
2026-02-19 Tennessee General Assembly
Re-ref. Finance, Ways, and Means Committee
2026-02-18 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on Senate Education Committee calendar for 2/25/2026
2026-02-18 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 2/19/2026
2026-02-17 Tennessee General Assembly
Rec. for pass. if am., ref. to Calendar & Rules Committee
2026-02-11 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on cal. Education Committee for 2/17/2026
2026-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly
Sponsor(s) Added.
2026-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly
Rec. for pass by s/c ref. to Education Committee
2026-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on s/c cal Education Instruction Subcommittee for 2/10/2026
2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly
Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Education Committee
2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly
Assigned to s/c Education Instruction Subcommittee
2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly
P2C, ref. to Education Committee
2026-01-22 Tennessee General Assembly
Introduced, Passed on First Consideration
2026-01-22 Tennessee General Assembly
Intro., P1C.
2026-01-21 Tennessee General Assembly
Filed for introduction
2026-01-21 Tennessee General Assembly
Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

ON MARCH 2,
2026, THE SENATE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED SENATE BILL 1890, AS AMENDED.

AMENDMENT #1
rewrites the bill to
,
instead,
require,
beginning with the next adoption of academic standards in the subject of social studies, the standards recommendation committee
to
include in their final recommendations of academic standards in the subject of social studies to the state board of education, and the state board
,

to
adopt, grade-appropriate academic standards on the history of communism that include:



The history of communism in the United States and domestic communist movements, including the tactics of communist movements.


Atrocities committed in foreign countries under the guidance of communism.


Comparative discussion of political ideologies, such as communism and totalitarianism, which conflict with the principles of freedom and democracy essential to the founding principles of the United States.


The increasing threat of communism in the United States and to our allies throughout the twentieth century, including the events of the Cultural Revolution in the People's Republic of China and other mass killings from communist regimes.


The economic, industrial, and political events that preceded and anticipated communist revolutions.


The communist policies of Cuba and the spread of communist ideologies throughout Latin America, including the roots of the Communist Party of Cuba and guerilla forces throughout Latin America.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HOUSE BILL 1805
By Barrett

SENATE BILL 1890
By Bowling
SB1890
010422
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49,
relative to the history of communism.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49, Chapter 6, Part 10, is amended by
adding the following as a new section:
(a) Each LEA and public charter school shall provide age- and grade-appropriate
instruction to students on the history of communism. The instruction must include:
(1) The history of communism in the United States and domestic
communist movements, including the tactics of communist movements;
(2) Atrocities committed in foreign countries under the guidance of
communism;
(3) Comparative discussion of political ideologies, such as communism
and totalitarianism, which conflict with the principles of freedom and democracy
essential to the founding principles of the United States;
(4) The increasing threat of communism in the United States and to our
allies throughout the twentieth century, including the events of the Cultural
Revolution in the People's Republic of China and other mass killings from
communist regimes;
(5) The economic, industrial, and political events that preceded and
anticipated communist revolutions; and
(6) The communist policies of Cuba and the spread of communist
ideologies throughout Latin America, including the roots of the Communist Party
of Cuba and guerilla forces throughout Latin America.

- 2 - 010422

(b) The department of education shall develop guidance to assist LEAs and
public charter schools in providing the age- and grade-appropriate instruction required in
this section, and may seek input from any individual who was a victim of communism or
any state- or nationally recognized organization dedicated to the victims of communism.
SECTION 2. For purposes of developing guidance for LEAs and public charter schools,
this act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it. For all other purposes,
this act takes effect July 1, 2026, the public welfare requiring it, and applies to the 2026-2027
school year and each school year thereafter.