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SB1911 • 2026

Human Services, Dept. of

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49 and Title 71, relative to food assistance.

Budget Children
Active

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

Sponsor
Bailey, Hale
Last action
2026-04-14
Official status
Placed on Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee calendar for 4/21/2026
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details about the number of eligible children or the criteria for eligibility.

Summer Food Assistance Program Act

This bill requires Tennessee's Department of Human Services to apply for and accept federal grants through the Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer (SEBT) program when available.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires the state department to apply for federal funds available through the SEBT program when it is offered.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Children who are eligible for the SEBT program
  • Tennessee's Department of Human Services

Terms To Know

SEBT Program
Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer program that provides food assistance to children during summer months.
Department of Human Services
The state agency responsible for managing social services and welfare programs, including nutrition assistance.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify the exact number or criteria for eligible children.
  • It is unclear how many additional positions will be required to manage the program beyond what is currently funded.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee calendar for 4/21/2026

  2. 2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/14/2026

  3. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed behind the budget

  4. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/1/2026

  5. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  6. 2026-03-24 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  7. 2026-03-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass; ref to Finance, Ways, and Means Committee

  8. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  9. 2026-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  10. 2026-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  11. 2026-03-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  12. 2026-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  13. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  14. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  15. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  16. 2026-03-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    No Action Taken

  17. 2026-03-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  18. 2026-03-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  19. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  20. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage, refer to Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee

  21. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  22. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  23. 2026-02-27 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  24. 2026-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Health and Welfare Committee calendar for 3/4/2026

  25. 2026-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  26. 2026-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Health Subcommittee for 3/4/2026

  27. 2026-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  28. 2026-02-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  29. 2026-02-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  30. 2026-02-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  31. 2026-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  32. 2026-02-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  33. 2026-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  34. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Health and Welfare Committee

  35. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Health Subcommittee

  36. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, ref. to Health Committee - Finance, Ways & Means Committee

  37. 2026-01-22 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  38. 2026-01-22 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  39. 2026-01-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  40. 2026-01-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

The federal s
ummer
e
lectronic
b
enefits
t
ransfer (SEBT)
program
provides benefits on
EBT
cards so that families can purchase food for their children during the summer months when school is not in session.
Currently, the following 38 states participate in the SEBT program:
Alabama
,
Arizona
,
Arkansas
,
California
, C
olorado
,
Connecticut
,
Delaware
,
Hawaii
,
Illinois
, I
owa
,
Kansa
s, K
entucky
, Lo
uisiana
,
Maine
,
Maryland
,
Massachusetts
,
Michigan
,
Minnesota
,
Missouri
,
Monta
n
a
,
Nebraska
,
Nevada
,
New Hampshire
,
New Jer
sey
,
New Mexico
,
New York
,
North Carolina
,
North Dakota
,
Ohio
, O
regon
,
Pennsylvania
,
Rhode

Island
,
Utah
,
Vermont
,
Virginia
,
Washington
,
West
Virginia
, and
Wisconsin
.

In any year in which the SEBT program is offered,
this bill requires
the department
of human services to
apply for, and if approved, accept federal grants and other federal funds available to this state through the SEBT program.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
HOUSE BILL 1835
By Hale

SENATE BILL 1911
By Bailey
SB1911
011938
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49
and Title 71, relative to food assistance.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 71, Chapter 5, Part 3, is amended by
adding the following as a new section:
In any year in which the summer electronic benefits transfer (SEBT) for children
program established under 42 U.S.C. § 1762 is offered, the department shall apply for,
and if approved, accept federal grants and other federal funds available to this state
through the SEBT program for the purpose of providing nutrition assistance during the
summer months for each eligible child to ensure continued access to food when school
is not in session.
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.