Tennessee Senate Bill SB0376

Tennessee 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/28/25
• Engrossed: 4/7/25
• Enrolled: 4/15/25
• Passed: 4/24/25
• Chaptered: 4/29/25

Caption

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49, Chapter 7, relative to institutions of higher education.

Summary

SB0376 creates a new section of Tennessee law governing four-year public and private institutions of higher education in the state. The bill prohibits institutions from excluding, denying benefits to, or discriminating against a person on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, or national origin, including discrimination that results from affirmative action practices. It also bars institutions from considering those characteristics in admissions, scholarships, or financial aid decisions, and forbids the use of aggregated data to create admissions or student-population quotas or to make admissions decisions based on race or ethnicity. The bill requires institutions to notify employees in central admissions and financial aid offices about the new requirements before the 2025-2026 academic year, and to provide the notice to new hires in those offices going forward. It also creates a private enforcement mechanism allowing an individual who believes a violation occurred to seek injunctive and declaratory relief in court. The act takes effect upon becoming law.

Impact

SB0376 amends Title 49, Chapter 7 of the Tennessee Code by adding a new anti-discrimination and admissions-neutrality provision for four-year higher education institutions. It affects both public and private colleges and universities in Tennessee by limiting the role of race, color, ethnicity, and national origin in admissions, scholarships, financial aid, and institutional programming, while also exposing institutions to potential court challenges for alleged violations.

Sentiment

The bill appears to have strong support overall, as reflected by its successful committee recommendation and final passage in the Senate with a substantial margin. However, the recorded floor votes show repeated attempts to adopt amendments and some opposition, indicating that while the core bill advanced, there was meaningful disagreement over its details and scope. The final passage vote of 73-22 suggests broad but not unanimous support.

Contention

The main point of contention is the bill’s restriction on considering race, ethnicity, and related characteristics in admissions and financial aid, especially its explicit reference to affirmative action practices and its ban on using aggregated demographic data for quotas or admissions decisions. Supporters likely view the measure as a nondiscrimination and merit-based admissions rule, while opponents appear to have focused on preserving institutional flexibility and the ability to consider race-conscious policies or data in higher education. The multiple failed amendment votes suggest disputes over how far the bill should go and whether it should be narrowed or modified.