Tennessee House Bill HB2141

Tennessee 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 2/2/26
• Refer: 2/5/26
• Refer: 3/4/26
• Refer: 3/10/26
• Engrossed: 3/19/26
• Enrolled: 3/27/26
• Passed: 4/16/26
• Chaptered: 4/24/26

Caption

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49, Chapter 7, Part 1, relative to the confidentiality of intercollegiate athletics program records.

Summary

HB2141 amends Tennessee law governing the confidentiality of records related to intercollegiate athletics programs at public institutions of higher education. The bill expands the category of records that must be treated as confidential and exempt from public inspection, notwithstanding the state public records law, for two main types of information: records involving game or player integrity that are traditionally kept private to preserve competitive advantage, and certain commercial contracts entered into solely to support an athletics program when disclosure could harm a business’s economic advantage over competitors. The bill also clarifies that, for the contract category, the public may still access limited information such as the aggregate amount of state-appropriated funds spent under the contract, the existence of the contract, the identity of the contracting parties, and the general topic of the contract. It further limits enforcement by stating that the section does not create a private cause of action or basis for injunctive or equitable relief, except for a business claiming disclosure would undermine its competitive position. A new sunset provision repeals the contract-confidentiality subsection on July 1, 2033.

Impact

HB2141 amends Tennessee Code Annotated § 49-7-170 to broaden confidentiality protections for records tied to public university athletics programs and to carve out a limited exception to the state’s public records framework for certain athletics-related commercial contracts. The bill affects public institutions of higher education, their athletics departments, and private businesses contracting with those programs, while preserving disclosure of certain high-level contract information and state spending totals. It also creates a temporary statutory protection for athletics-related commercial contracts by setting a 2033 repeal date for that subsection.

Sentiment

The bill appears to have had generally favorable support throughout the legislative process. It advanced unanimously in the House Higher Education Subcommittee, the House Education Committee, and on final Senate consideration, and it passed the House floor by a strong margin with only a small number of dissenting votes. The voting pattern suggests broad agreement that the bill serves institutional competitiveness and economic-development interests tied to college athletics.

Contention

The main point of contention is the balance between transparency and competitive confidentiality. Supporters appear to favor shielding sensitive athletics-related records and contracts from public disclosure to protect game integrity, recruiting or operational strategy, and business competitiveness. Potential critics would likely be open-records advocates or transparency-minded legislators concerned that the bill narrows public access to information about public universities and their athletics spending, though the bill preserves disclosure of some core contract details and limits the confidentiality provision with a sunset date.