AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49, Chapter 4 and Title 49, Chapter 7, relative to the establishment of a higher education scholarship program for students who demonstrate artistic excellence in spoken word poetry.
SB1212 creates the “Speak UP, Tennessee Scholarship Act,” directing the Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation (TSAC) to adopt rules for a new scholarship program for students who demonstrate artistic excellence in spoken word poetry. The program would be open to students in grade 12 and students enrolled in public institutions of higher education in Tennessee, and recipients would be selected through a competitive, performance-based process. The stated purpose is to help students further develop their literary and performance skills through higher education.
The bill authorizes the scholarships to be funded through legislative appropriations, grants, and private donations. It takes effect upon becoming law and applies beginning with the 2025-2026 school year. The measure amends Tennessee Code Annotated Title 49, Chapter 4, Part 7, which governs student assistance and scholarship programs, and it also references Title 49, Chapter 7 in the caption as part of the broader higher education framework.
The bill’s impact on state law would be to add a new state scholarship category within Tennessee’s higher education financial aid system and to require TSAC to establish the program through administrative rulemaking. It would not create a general entitlement to aid, but instead a specialized, competitive scholarship for a narrow group of students with demonstrated spoken word poetry talent. If funded, it would expand the types of merit-based scholarships available under state law and could affect students seeking support for college or other postsecondary education.
The available context shows no recorded committee discussion or votes, so there is no documented floor or committee sentiment to assess from the provided materials. Based on the bill text alone, the proposal appears supportive of arts education and student opportunity, with an emphasis on recognizing spoken word poetry as a form of artistic excellence worthy of scholarship support.
Because there are no transcripts or vote records, no specific opposition is documented in the provided materials. Potential points of contention, if raised, could include whether the state should create a scholarship for such a specialized artistic category, how TSAC would define and evaluate “artistic excellence” in a performance-based selection process, and whether funding should come from appropriations, grants, or private donations rather than a dedicated state funding source.
SB1212 would amend Tennessee’s student assistance statutes to authorize TSAC to create and administer a new scholarship program for spoken word poetry students, adding a specialized merit-based aid option to the state’s higher education framework. It would require rulemaking under the Uniform Administrative Procedures Act and could be funded by state appropriations, grants, or private donations, affecting students in grade 12 and enrolled public higher education students beginning in the 2025-2026 school year.
No committee transcripts or vote history were provided, so there is no direct evidence of legislative debate or recorded support/opposition. The bill’s text suggests a generally positive, arts-supportive intent, aimed at encouraging literary and performance talent among Tennessee students.
No specific contention is documented in the provided materials. Possible areas of debate could include the narrowness of the scholarship category, the subjectivity of judging spoken word poetry excellence, administrative burden on TSAC, and whether the program should rely on appropriations versus private or grant funding.