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SB2139 • 2026

Education

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

Education
Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor
White
Last action
2026-04-17
Official status
Transmitted to Governor for action.
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary and text do not provide details on how the changes will affect day-to-day operations beyond the specific rules mentioned.

Changes to School Board Meeting Rules

This bill allows school boards and charter schools in Tennessee to hold meetings electronically under certain conditions related to weather or natural disasters.

What This Bill Does

  • Allows school boards to conduct meetings with electronic participation without a quorum of members being physically present if inclement weather or a natural disaster makes it impractical or unsafe, but limits this to no more than three times per year.
  • Requires that all school board members participating electronically must be visually identified during the meeting.

Who It Names or Affects

  • School boards and charter schools in Tennessee
  • Members of school boards and charter school governing bodies

Terms To Know

Charter School
A public school that operates under a contract or 'charter' with the state, giving it more flexibility than traditional schools.
Quorum
The minimum number of members required to be present at a meeting for official business to be conducted.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill limits electronic-only meetings to no more than three times per year due to weather or natural disasters.
  • It does not specify how the changes will affect day-to-day operations of schools beyond these specific rules.

Amendments

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

Amendment 1-0 to HB2096

Plain English: House Education 1 Amendment No.

  • House Education 1 Amendment No.
  • 1 to HB2096 White Signature of Sponsor AMEND Senate Bill No.
  • 2139* House Bill No.
  • 2096 HA0909 015272 - 1 - by deleting all language after the enacting clause and substituting: SECTION 1.
Amendment 2-0 to HB2096

Plain English: House Education 2 Amendment No.

  • House Education 2 Amendment No.
  • 2 to HB2096 White Signature of Sponsor AMEND Senate Bill No.
  • 2139* House Bill No.
  • 2096 HA0910 016421 - 1 - by adding the following as a new section immediately preceding the last section and renumbering the subsequent section accordingly: SECTION __.
Amendment 1-0 to SB2139

Plain English: Senate Education 1 Amendment No.

  • Senate Education 1 Amendment No.
  • 1 to SB2139 White Signature of Sponsor AMEND Senate Bill No.
  • 2139* House Bill No.
  • 2096 SA0690 015272 - 1 - by deleting all language after the enacting clause and substituting: SECTION 1.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Transmitted to Governor for action.

  2. 2026-04-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by H. Speaker

  3. 2026-04-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Senate Speaker

  4. 2026-04-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Enrolled and ready for signatures

  5. 2026-04-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Concurred, Ayes 32, Nays 0 (Amendment 2 - HA0910)

  6. 2026-04-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Message Calendar for 4/13/2026

  7. 2026-04-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed H., as am., Ayes 87, Nays 2, PNV 0

  8. 2026-04-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. adopted am. (Amendment 2 - HA0910)

  9. 2026-04-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Am. withdrawn. (Amendment 1 - HA0909)

  10. 2026-04-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Subst. for comp. HB.

  11. 2026-04-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Comp. SB subst.

  12. 2026-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 4/9/2026

  13. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 4/2/2026

  14. 2026-03-31 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  15. 2026-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  16. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Education Committee for 3/31/2026

  17. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in Education Committee to 4/1/2026

  18. 2026-03-23 Tennessee General Assembly

    Engrossed; ready for transmission to House

  19. 2026-03-23 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  20. 2026-03-23 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed Senate as amended, Ayes 28, Nays 1

  21. 2026-03-23 Tennessee General Assembly

    Senate adopted Amendment (Amendment 1 - SA0690)

  22. 2026-03-20 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 3/23/2026

  23. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  24. 2026-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  25. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 6, Nays 3 PNV 0

  26. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  27. 2026-03-10 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  28. 2026-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  29. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Education Administration Subcommittee for 3/10/2026

  30. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Education Administration Subcommittee

  31. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Ref. to Education Committee

  32. 2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Education Committee

  33. 2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  34. 2026-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  35. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  36. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  37. 2026-01-23 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

ON MARCH 23, 2026, THE SENATE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED SENATE BILL 2139, AS AMENDED.

AMENDMENT #1 rewrites the bill and revises the requirements for electronic participation in school board meetings under certain circumstances.

Present law generally prohibits conducting a school board meeting with electronic participation unless a quorum of members is physically present at the location of the meeting.

This amendment adds an exception to present law so that a board meeting may be
conducted with electronic participation without a quorum of members being physically present at the location of the meeting in cases where inclement weather or a natural disaster makes the physical presence of a quorum of members at the location of the me
eting impractical or unsafe; provided, that a board meeting must not be conducted with electronic participation without a quorum of members being physically present at the
location of the meeting more than three times per year.

This amendment also adds a requirement that all school board members participating in a board meeting conducted with electronic participation must be visually identified in the meeting.

ON APRIL 9, 2026, THE HOUSE SUBSTITUTED SENATE BILL 2139 FOR HOUSE BILL 2096, ADOPTED AMENDMENT #2, AND PASSED SENATE BILL 2139, AS AMENDED

AMENDMENT #2 adds to this bill by changing present law concerning the application of the open meetings law to charter school governing bodies.

Present law generally requires that the meetings of the governing body of a public charter school be held in compliance with the open meetings law. Present law authorizes the board of directors of a charter management organization (CMO) to conduct a boa
rd meeting concerning a public charter school located in this state by teleconference, videoconference, or other electronic means.

This amendment revises the present law exception to the open meetings law for the board of a CMO. This amendment instead authorizes the governing body of a public charter school to conduct a scheduled board meeting by electronic means in the same manner
local boards of education may conduct, and local board of education members may participate in, board meetings by electronic means. This amendment also authorizes a member of a governing body of a public charter school who does not reside in Tennessee t
o
participate in all scheduled board meetings via electronic means.

ON APRIL 13, 2026, THE SENATE CONCURRED IN HOUSE AMENDMENT #2.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
HOUSE BILL 2096
By White

SENATE BILL 2139
By White
SB2139
012269
- 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 49-1-225(f), is amended by deleting
"By February 1, 2026, and by each February 1 thereafter" and substituting "By February 1,
2026, and by each February 15 thereafter".
SECTION 2. This act takes effect July 1, 2026, the public welfare requiring it.