Tennessee House Bill HB0114

Tennessee 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/13/25
• Refer: 1/16/25
• Refer: 2/12/25
• Refer: 2/18/25
• Refer: 3/5/25
• Refer: 3/11/25
• Engrossed: 3/18/25
• Enrolled: 4/16/25
• Passed: 5/2/25
• Chaptered: 5/8/25

Caption

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49, Chapter 4, Part 10, relative to tuition assistance for members of the Tennessee national guard.

Summary

HB0114 revises Tennessee’s tuition assistance program for members of the Tennessee National Guard. The bill requires the Department of Military, when an eligible Guard member attends a public educational institution, to pay 100% of the maximum resident in-state tuition plus certain undergraduate course fees or master’s degree program fees, as determined annually by departmental policy. It also requires the department to publish the fee-payment policy on its website each year by August 1 for the upcoming academic year. The bill defines several fee categories for purposes of the program, including mandatory fees, undergraduate course fees, and master’s degree program fees. It also changes eligibility and administrative rules by making members ineligible for reimbursement if they are suspended from federal tuition assistance due to academic performance or recoupment, increasing the semester-hour cap from 120 to 130, removing a prior limit tied to eight full-time equivalent semesters, and requiring applications for reimbursement to be submitted within 45 days after course completion. The bill deletes a separate code section, and it includes a severability clause and immediate effective date.

Impact

HB0114 amends Tennessee Code Annotated Title 49, Chapter 4, Part 10, which governs tuition assistance for Tennessee National Guard members. Its practical effect is to expand and clarify state tuition support by covering additional fees beyond tuition, while also tightening administrative deadlines and eligibility conditions. The bill affects the Department of Military, public higher education institutions, and Guard members seeking tuition reimbursement or direct payment under the program.

Sentiment

The available voting record shows strong, unanimous support at every stage, with no recorded dissent in subcommittee, committee, or floor votes. The bill advanced smoothly through the House and was ultimately enacted, suggesting broad agreement that the changes were beneficial to National Guard educational benefits and program administration.

Contention

No substantive opposition appears in the provided committee or floor history, and there are no transcript excerpts indicating debate. The only potentially sensitive issues implied by the text are the expansion of covered fees, which increases state obligations, and the added eligibility restrictions and filing deadline, which could limit access for some Guard members. However, the unanimous votes indicate these points did not generate visible controversy in the recorded proceedings.