AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49, relative to higher education.
Summary
SB1368 makes a broad set of changes to Tennessee higher education law. It revises definitions tied to postsecondary access and career readiness, directs the Tennessee Higher Education Commission to develop and evaluate statewide initiatives that connect Tennesseans to affordable education, training, skill development, and credential attainment, and requires the commission to review outcomes-based funding formula changes before they take effect. The bill also expands the commission’s role in reviewing tuition and fee policies, capital project planning, and approval of new instructional locations or out-of-state instructional activity by public institutions.
A major portion of the bill focuses on transparency and search procedures for selecting chief executive officers of public higher education institutions. It makes search materials confidential while a search is underway, but requires finalist records to become public at least 15 days before the final vote, and requires public forums and open meetings for certain leadership searches. The bill also clarifies which higher education leadership positions are covered, including UT and Tennessee Board of Regents leadership, community college presidents, Tennessee Colleges of Applied Technology leaders, and the executive director of THEC.
Impact
The bill amends multiple sections of Tennessee Code Annotated Title 49 and changes how the Tennessee Higher Education Commission and public institutions manage tuition oversight, capital planning, institutional expansion, and executive searches. It gives THEC stronger and more explicit authority to set maximum allowable tuition and fee increases for in-state undergraduate students, while leaving tuition-setting authority for out-of-state and graduate students to institutional governing boards. It also requires commission review of capital projects and institutional location proposals, and deletes a prior section of law, thereby restructuring higher education governance and oversight procedures.
Sentiment
The bill appears to have been broadly supported and noncontroversial in the legislative process. It passed the Senate Education Committee unanimously 9-0, then passed the Senate floor 32-0 on third consideration and the House 95-0 on regular calendar passage. The unanimous votes suggest general agreement with the bill’s higher education governance, transparency, and affordability provisions.
Contention
No major opposition is reflected in the available committee or floor vote record, and there are no transcript snippets indicating substantive debate. The most likely areas where disagreement could have arisen are the bill’s increased oversight of tuition and fee increases, the added commission review of capital projects and new instructional sites, and the public disclosure requirements for presidential searches. However, the recorded votes show no visible contention among legislators.
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AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4; Title 9; Title 13; Title 16; Title 39; Title 55; Title 58; Title 62; Title 65; Title 68 and Title 71, relative to emergency management.
AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 1; Title 2; Title 3; Title 4; Title 5; Title 7; Title 8; Title 9; Title 10; Title 11; Title 12; Title 13; Title 16; Title 20; Title 22; Title 24; Title 31; Title 33; Title 36; Title 38; Title 39; Title 40; Title 43; Title 44; Title 45; Title 47; Title 48; Title 49; Title 50; Title 53; Title 54; Title 55; Title 56; Title 61; Title 62; Title 63; Title 64; Title 65; Title 66; Title 67; Title 68; Title 69 and Title 71, relative to electronic transmissions.
AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 1; Title 2; Title 3; Title 4; Title 5; Title 7; Title 8; Title 9; Title 10; Title 11; Title 12; Title 13; Title 16; Title 20; Title 22; Title 24; Title 31; Title 33; Title 36; Title 38; Title 39; Title 40; Title 43; Title 44; Title 45; Title 47; Title 48; Title 49; Title 50; Title 53; Title 54; Title 55; Title 56; Title 61; Title 62; Title 63; Title 64; Title 65; Title 66; Title 67; Title 68; Title 69 and Title 71, relative to electronic transmissions.
AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4, Chapter 7; Title 8; Title 10; Title 33; Title 36; Title 37; Title 38; Title 39; Title 40; Title 49; Title 50; Title 57; Title 67; Title 68 and Title 70, relative to firearms.
AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4, Chapter 7; Title 8; Title 10; Title 33; Title 36; Title 37; Title 38; Title 39; Title 40; Title 49; Title 50; Title 57; Title 67; Title 68 and Title 70, relative to firearms.
AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4, Chapter 7; Title 8; Title 10; Title 33; Title 36; Title 37; Title 38; Title 39; Title 40; Title 49; Title 50; Title 57; Title 67; Title 68 and Title 70, relative to firearms.