Tennessee Senate Bill SB1180

Tennessee 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 2/6/25

Caption

AN ACT to amend Chapter __ of the Public Acts of 2025 (1st Ex. Sess. – SB 6001 / HB 6004); and Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49, Chapter 10, Part 14 and Title 49, Chapter 6, Part 26, relative to background checks.

Summary

SB1180 would expand and standardize background-check requirements for certain people working in Tennessee private schools and participating schools. It requires fingerprint-based or Social Security number-based criminal history checks before hiring teachers or other staff in positions requiring proximity to school children, and before allowing contractors or their employees onto school grounds when children are present or into direct contact with students. The checks must include state and national sex offender registries and the Department of Health’s abuse registry. The bill also requires schools to search the state educator licensure database to see whether an applicant for a teaching or similar position has ever had an educator license suspended or revoked for misconduct in Tennessee. In addition, it directs schools to exclude from employment anyone barred by state law from working in a nonpublic school and anyone who might reasonably pose a threat to student safety. The bill amends provisions in Title 49 governing private schools and participating schools, and it takes effect immediately upon becoming law.

Impact

The bill would amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49, Chapter 10, Part 14 and Title 49, Chapter 6, Part 26, and it also modifies the 2025 public act referenced in the bill text. Its practical effect is to impose clearer, more uniform screening obligations on private schools that enroll recipients and on participating schools, including background checks, registry checks, licensure-discipline checks, and employment exclusions. The affected parties are private schools, participating schools, school employees, contractors, and applicants for positions with proximity to children.

Sentiment

No committee transcripts or recorded votes were provided, so there is no direct evidence of debate, support, or opposition in the available record. Based on the bill’s subject matter, it appears to be framed as a student-safety measure focused on preventing access by individuals with disqualifying criminal, abuse, or licensure histories. The absence of recorded action also means the bill’s political reception cannot be assessed from the supplied materials.

Contention

The main potential points of contention are the scope and cost of the new screening requirements, especially for private schools and their contractors, and the breadth of the exclusion standard for anyone who might reasonably pose a threat to student safety. Another possible issue is the use of Social Security number-based checks as an alternative to fingerprint-based checks, as well as the administrative burden of searching multiple registries and the educator licensure database. No specific objections or proponents are identified in the provided materials.