Hearings will be held on Tuesday and Wednesday of this week on a number of bills impacting higher education and the University of Tennessee.
The bills and their brief summaries are listed below. Additional information will be provided throughout the week.
Tuesday, March 5
House Education Committee, 12 P.M. CST (Watch Live)
HB0246 by *Brooks H. (*SB0059 by *Gresham, *Burks.)
Education, Higher – As introduced, authorizes and encourages teacher training programs at public institutions of higher education to offer coursework on neurological or brain science research. – Amends TCA Title 49, Chapter 5, Part 56.
HB0599 by *Forgety. (*SB0545 by *Bell.)
Lottery, Scholarships and Programs – As introduced, allows THEC, the University of Tennessee system and TBR to provide information on financial assistance from net lottery proceeds for attendance at eligible postsecondary institutions in the normal course of development and recruitment of Tennessee students. – Amends TCA Title 49, Chapter 4, Part 9.
*HB0283 by *Forgety. (SB0543 by *Bell, *Crowe.)
Education – As introduced, allows retired teachers’ children who are under 24 years of age to receive a 25 percent discount at any state-operated institution of higher learning; provided, that the parent retired with 30 years of full-time creditable service in Tennessee public schools or received disability retirement after a minimum of 25 years of full-time creditable service in Tennessee public schools. – Amends TCA Title 49, Chapter 7.
*HB0305 by *Sanderson. (SB0402 by *Yager.)
Local Education Agencies – As introduced, allows children of directors of schools that are not certified teachers to receive a 25 percent discount on tuition to any public institution of higher learning. – Amends TCA Title 49.
*HB0887 by *Hawk. (SB1164 by *Hensley.)
Education, Higher – As introduced, allows retired state employees to take one class without charge per semester at public institutions of higher education; allows spouses of state employees to receive a 25 percent discount on tuition at public institutions of higher education. – Amends TCA Section 8-50-114; Section 8-50-115 and Section 49-7-113.
HB0288 by *Fitzhugh, *DeBerry J, *Love, *DeBerry L, *Brooks H, *Pitts, *Sargent, *White M, *Johnson C, *Ramsey, *Harrison, *Lollar, *Holt. (*SB0093 by *Finney L, *Tate, *Hensley, *Dickerson, *Ketron, *McNally.)
Education, Higher – As introduced, requires immunization against meningococcal disease for incoming students at any public institutions of higher learning in the state prior to the student’s enrollment. – Amends TCA Title 49.
Senate Commerce and Labor Committee, 1:30 P.M. CST (Watch Live)
*SB0609 by *Yager, *Tracy, *Massey, *McNally. (HB1000 by *Haynes, *Williams R, *Casada, *McCormick, *Turner M, *Fitzhugh, *Johnson G, *Wirgau, *Lundberg, *Swann, *Harrison, *Sexton, *Turner J, *Johnson C, *Calfee, *Carter, *Todd, *Brooks H, *Cooper , *Towns, *Rich, *White M, *Travis.
Professions and Occupations – As introduced, enacts the “Fairness in Ticketing Act of 2013.” – Amends TCA Title 62.
House Business and Utilities Subcommittee, 1:30 P.M. CST (Watch Live)
HB1000 by *Haynes, *Williams R, *Casada, *McCormick, *Turner M, *Fitzhugh, *Johnson G, *Wirgau, *Lundberg, *Swann, *Harrison, *Sexton, *Turner J, *Johnson C, *Calfee, *Carter, *Todd, *Brooks H, *Cooper , *Towns, *Rich, *White M, *Travis. (*SB0609 by *Yager, *Tracy, *Massey, *McNally.)
Professions and Occupations – As introduced, enacts the “Fairness in Ticketing Act of 2013.” – Amends TCA Title 62.
Wednesday, March 6
Senate Education Committee, 3:00 P.M. CST (Watch Live)
SB 1170 by *Campfield, Summerville (HB 1091 by *Kane)
Education, Higher – As introduced, authorizes certain proprietary postsecondary education institutions that have been approved by an accrediting body recognized by the US department of education to award degrees accepted and approved by postsecondary education institutions in Tennessee. – Amends TCA Title 49, Chapter 7, Part 20.
SB 0208 by *Gresham (HB 0123 by *Ragan, Floyd, Goins)
Veterans – As introduced, enacts the “Military Education Assistance for Tennessee Act,” which provides eligibility for in state tuition to certain honorably discharged veterans; creates tuition waiver program for members of the Tennessee state guard with at least one year of service and tuition discount program for the spouses of such members. – Amends TCA Title 49, Chapter 7, Part 1.
SB 0514 by *Hensley (HB 1185 by *DeBerry J)
Education, Higher – As introduced, prohibits public institutions of higher education from disciplining or discriminating against a student in a counseling, social work, or psychology program because the student refuses to counsel or serve a client as to goals, outcomes, or behaviors that conflict with a sincerely held religious belief of the student, if the student refers the client to a counselor who will provide the counseling or services. – Amends TCA Title 4 and Title 49.
