SB2348 • 2026

Local Education Agencies

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 10 and Title 49, relative to librarians.

Education Technology

Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor: Watson, Martin G
Last action: 2026-04-17
Official status: Transmitted to Governor for action.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source does not provide specific details on the consequences if a school cannot find an endorsed library information specialist or funding mechanisms for the new staffing requirements.

Library Staffing Requirements for High Schools

This bill requires high schools with certain student enrollments to employ library information specialists and sets qualifications for these positions.

What This Bill Does

Requires the state board of education, working with the department of education, to approve an advanced degree in media and technology as a qualification for becoming a library information specialist.
Mandates that high schools with more than 750 but fewer than 1,500 students must have a full-time library information specialist.
Requires smaller high schools (fewer than 750 students) to either hire a part-time library information specialist or designate a teacher as the library information coordinator.
States that if the school library is open during regular hours and no librarian is present, another staff member must supervise the library.

Who It Names or Affects

Public high schools serving grades 9-12
Library information specialists in Tennessee

Terms To Know

library information specialist: A person who is qualified to manage and provide guidance for school libraries.
endorsement: Official recognition that a person meets the required qualifications for a specific job or role.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify what happens if a high school cannot find someone with an endorsement as a library information specialist.
It is unclear how schools will fund these new staffing requirements.
The bill only applies to public schools in Tennessee.

Amendments

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

HA0819

Amendment 1-0 to HB2423

Plain English: House Education 1 Amendment No.

House Education 1 Amendment No.
1 to HB2423 White Signature of Sponsor AMEND Senate Bill No.
2348* House Bill No.
2423 HA0819 015775 - 1 - by deleting subdivision (b)(1) in Section 1 and substituting instead the following: (1) With a current student enrollment between seven hundred fifty (750) students and one thousand five hundred (1,500) students, both inclusive, must, at a minimum, employ a full-time library information specialist with an endorsement as a library information specialist; or

SA0811

Amendment 1-0 to SB2348

Plain English: Senate Education 1 Amendment No.

Senate Education 1 Amendment No.
1 to SB2348 White Signature of Sponsor AMEND Senate Bill No.
2348* House Bill No.
2423 SA0811 015775 - 1 - by deleting subdivision (b)(1) in Section 1 and substituting instead the following: (1) With a current student enrollment between seven hundred fifty (750) students and one thousand five hundred (1,500) students, both inclusive, must, at a minimum, employ a full-time library information specialist with an endorsement as a library information specialist; or

Bill History

2026-04-17 Tennessee General Assembly
Transmitted to Governor for action.
2026-04-16 Tennessee General Assembly
Signed by H. Speaker
2026-04-15 Tennessee General Assembly
Signed by Senate Speaker
2026-04-15 Tennessee General Assembly
Enrolled and ready for signatures
2026-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly
Passed H., Ayes 70, Nays 24, PNV 0
2026-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly
Am. withdrawn. (Amendment 1 - HA0819)
2026-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly
Subst. for comp. HB.
2026-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly
Sponsor(s) Added.
2026-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly
Comp. SB subst.
2026-04-13 Tennessee General Assembly
Engrossed; ready for transmission to House
2026-04-13 Tennessee General Assembly
Passed Senate as amended, Ayes 29, Nays 1
2026-04-13 Tennessee General Assembly
Senate adopted Amendment (Amendment 1 - SA0811)
2026-04-10 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 4/13/2026
2026-04-09 Tennessee General Assembly
H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 4/13/2026
2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly
Sponsor(s) Added.
2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 4/9/2026
2026-04-07 Tennessee General Assembly
Rec. for pass; ref to Calendar & Rules Committee
2026-04-06 Tennessee General Assembly
Refer to Senate Calendar Committee
2026-04-06 Tennessee General Assembly
Recalled from Senate Finance, Ways & Means Committee
2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on cal. Finance, Ways, and Means Committee for 4/7/2026
2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly
Rec. for pass by s/c ref. to Finance, Ways, and Means Committee
2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/1/2026
2026-03-24 Tennessee General Assembly
Assigned to s/c Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee
2026-03-24 Tennessee General Assembly
Rec. for pass. if am., ref. to Finance, Ways, and Means Committee
2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly
Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee Ayes 8, Nays 0 PNV 0
2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on cal. Education Committee for 3/24/2026
2026-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly
Action def. in Education Committee to 3/24/2026
2026-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on Senate Education Committee calendar for 3/18/2026
2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly
Action deferred in Senate Education Committee to 3/18/2026
2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on cal. Education Committee for 3/17/2026
2026-03-10 Tennessee General Assembly
Rec. for pass by s/c ref. to Education Committee
2026-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly
Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Education Committee
2026-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on Senate Education Committee calendar for 3/11/2026
2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on s/c cal Education Administration Subcommittee for 3/10/2026
2026-03-02 Tennessee General Assembly
Introduced, Passed on First Consideration
2026-03-02 Tennessee General Assembly
Approved by Delayed Bills Committee
2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly
Assigned to s/c Education Administration Subcommittee
2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly
P2C, ref. to Education Committee
2026-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly
Intro., P1C.
2026-02-03 Tennessee General Assembly
Filed for introduction
2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly
Refer to Senate Delayed Bills Committee
2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly
Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

This bill requires the state board of education, in consultation with the department of education, to qualify an advanced degree in media and technology as an advanced degree that leads to a library information specialist endorsement.

This bill requires a public school that serves any combination of grades 9-12 with a current student enrollment of more than 750 students but less than 1,500 students, at a minimum, to employ a full-time library information specialist with an endorsement
as a library information specialist. However, such a school with a current student enrollment of fewer than 750 students must employ a part-time library information specialist with an endorsement as a library information specialist, or designate a teach
er
to serve as a library information coordinator. If the library is open during regular school hours and a library information specialist is not present, then a teacher or other staff member must be assigned to supervise students in the library.

ON APRIL 13, 2026, THE SENATE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED SENATE BILL 2348, AS AMENDED.

AMENDMENT #1 r
equires a public school that serves any of the grades 9-12 to employ a full-time library information specialist with an endorsement as a library information specialist if the school has a current

student enrollment between 750 students and
1
,500 students, both inclusive,
instead of
more than 750 students but less than 1,500 students
.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HOUSE BILL 2423
By Martin G

SENATE BILL 2348
By Watson
SB2348
012654
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 10
and Title 49, relative to librarians.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49, Chapter 5, Part 1, is amended by
adding the following as a new section:
(a) The state board of education, in consultation with the department of
education, shall qualify an advanced degree in media and technology as an advanced
degree that leads to a library information specialist endorsement.
(b) A public school that serves any combination of grades nine through twelve
(9-12):
(1) With a current student enrollment of more than seven hundred fifty
(750) students but less than one thousand five hundred (1,500) students must, at
a minimum, employ a full-time library information specialist with an endorsement
as a library information specialist; and
(2) With a current student enrollment of fewer than seven hundred fifty
(750) students must, at a minimum, employ a part-time library information
specialist with an endorsement as a library information specialist, or designate a
teacher to serve as a library information coordinator. If the library is open during
regular school hours and a library information specialist is not present, then a
teacher or other staff member must be assigned to supervise students in the
library.
SECTION 2. This act takes effect July 1, 2026, the public welfare requiring it.