KLS Keeping Law Simple Legislation in plain English

Straight-ahead summaries built from the official bill text. We keep the source links front and center and leave the decision up to you.

Back to Tennessee

SB1890 • 2026

Local Education Agencies

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

Education
Active

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

Sponsor
Bowling, Barrett
Last action
2026-04-14
Official status
Signed by Governor.
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The exact cost of providing local education agencies with necessary classroom materials is indeterminate due to multiple unknown factors.

History of Communism Education Act

This act requires Tennessee schools to include grade-appropriate instruction on the history of communism in their social studies curriculum.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires local education agencies and public charter schools to provide age- and grade-appropriate instruction on the history of communism, including its tactics and impact.
  • Includes teaching about atrocities committed under communist regimes and comparing communism with other political ideologies like totalitarianism.
  • Instructs schools to discuss the threat of communism in the United States and Latin America throughout the 1900s.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Local education agencies
  • Public charter schools
  • Students receiving social studies instruction

Terms To Know

LEA
Local Education Agency, which refers to a public school system or other local agency that is responsible for providing educational services.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The exact cost of implementing these new standards and providing necessary classroom materials cannot be determined precisely.
  • There may be an increase in state expenditures if the State Board of Education performs an off-cycle review, but the amount is estimated to be up to $235,500 over two fiscal years.

Amendments

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

Amendment 1-0 to HB1805

Plain English: House Education 1 Amendment No.

  • House Education 1 Amendment No.
  • 1 to HB1805 White Signature of Sponsor AMEND Senate Bill No.
  • 1890 House Bill No.
  • 1805* HA0559 013035 - 1 - by deleting all language after the enacting clause and substituting: SECTION 1.
Amendment 2-0 to HB1805

Plain English: Amendment No.

  • Amendment No.
  • 2 to HB1805 Jones J Signature of Sponsor AMEND Senate Bill No.
  • 1890 House Bill No.
  • 1805* HA0897 016848 - 1 - by deleting "; and" in subdivision (5) of Section 1 and substituting ";", by deleting "." in subdivision (6) of Section 1 and substituting ";", and by adding the following new subdivisions at the end of the amendatory language in Section 1: (7) Explaining the history of communism in the world and how communism differs from socialism and democratic socialism; and (8) The history of the Red Scare, the House Un-American Activities Committee, McCarthyism, and the false labeling of Civil Rights activists as "communists" for challenging segregation.
Amendment 1-0 to SB1890

Plain English: Senate Education 1 Amendment No.

  • Senate Education 1 Amendment No.
  • 1 to SB1890 White Signature of Sponsor AMEND Senate Bill No.
  • 1890 House Bill No.
  • 1805* SA0540 013035 - 1 - by deleting all language after the enacting clause and substituting: SECTION 1.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Governor.

  2. 2026-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Transmitted to Governor for action.

  3. 2026-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by H. Speaker

  4. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Senate Speaker

  5. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Enrolled and ready for signatures

  6. 2026-03-30 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed H., Ayes 72, Nays 18, PNV 1

  7. 2026-03-30 Tennessee General Assembly

    Am. withdrawn. (Amendment 1 - HA0559)

  8. 2026-03-30 Tennessee General Assembly

    Subst. for comp. HB.

  9. 2026-03-30 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  10. 2026-03-30 Tennessee General Assembly

    Comp. SB subst.

  11. 2026-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 3/30/2026

  12. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 3/26/2026

  13. 2026-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass; ref to Calendar & Rules Committee

  14. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Finance, Ways, and Means Committee for 3/17/2026

  15. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass by s/c ref. to Finance, Ways, and Means Committee

  16. 2026-03-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  17. 2026-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  18. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 3/11/2026

  19. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action Def. in s/c Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee to 3/11/2026

  20. 2026-03-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  21. 2026-03-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Engrossed; ready for transmission to House

  22. 2026-03-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed Senate as amended, Ayes 28, Nays 1, PNV 3

  23. 2026-03-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Senate adopted Amendment (Amendment 1 - SA0540)

  24. 2026-02-27 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 3/2/2026

  25. 2026-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 9, Nays 0 PNV 0

  26. 2026-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 3/4/2026

  27. 2026-02-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee

  28. 2026-02-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Re-ref. Finance, Ways, and Means Committee

  29. 2026-02-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Education Committee calendar for 2/25/2026

  30. 2026-02-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 2/19/2026

  31. 2026-02-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass. if am., ref. to Calendar & Rules Committee

  32. 2026-02-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Education Committee for 2/17/2026

  33. 2026-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  34. 2026-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  35. 2026-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Education Instruction Subcommittee for 2/10/2026

  36. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Education Committee

  37. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Education Instruction Subcommittee

  38. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, ref. to Education Committee

  39. 2026-01-22 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  40. 2026-01-22 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  41. 2026-01-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  42. 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.