Tennessee House Bill HB0789

Tennessee 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 2/4/25
• Refer: 2/6/25

Caption

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 8, Chapter 50, Part 1; Title 49, Chapter 7 and Title 49, Chapter 4, relative to higher education.

Summary

HB0789 makes a narrow change to Tennessee’s higher education scholarship law by removing the requirement that a student must apply for the scholarship “no later than sixteen (16) months after completing high school.” The bill does not create a new scholarship program or change eligibility categories in the text provided; instead, it deletes a timing restriction tied to the application deadline. The practical effect is to give applicants more flexibility in when they can seek the scholarship for the 2025-2026 academic year and beyond. Because the bill amends Tennessee Code Annotated Title 49, it affects state higher education administration and any students who would otherwise have been barred from receiving the scholarship solely because they applied after the 16-month window.

Impact

The bill amends Tennessee Code Annotated section 49-4-943(b)(4) by striking the deadline language that required scholarship applications to be filed within 16 months after high school completion. This changes the administration of the affected scholarship program beginning July 1, 2025, and applies prospectively to awards for the 2025-2026 academic year and later. The bill’s impact is limited to scholarship timing rules and does not alter the broader structure of higher education law in the text provided.

Sentiment

No committee transcripts or recorded votes were provided, so there is no direct evidence of debate, support, or opposition in the materials supplied. Based on the bill text alone, the measure appears technical and administrative rather than controversial, with a likely general purpose of expanding access by easing an application deadline.

Contention

The only identifiable point of contention from the text is the removal of a deadline that may have been intended to limit late applications and preserve administrative certainty. Supporters would likely view the change as increasing access and fairness for students who delay college enrollment, while any opponents might argue that loosening the deadline could reduce predictability or weaken program controls. However, no specific objections or supporting arguments are documented in the provided context.