Rep. Mark White

Maddy summaryHB 2426 deletes two outdated provisions from Tennessee law: a 2023-2024 pilot program that awarded grant funds to five local education agencies for preschool initiatives, and a preschool task force created to develop a strategic plan by June 2024. The bill specifically removes Section 49-6-109 of Tennessee Code, which governed these expired efforts. It directly affects the five local education agencies that previously participated in the pilot program and the task force members. This is a procedural update to remove obsolete language, not a new policy change. The bill amends Titles 4 and 49 of Tennessee Code.

Maddy summaryHB 662 changes the deadline for Tennessee's education and health departments to submit a required report about student healthcare procedures in schools. Specifically, it moves the submission date from October 31 to October 1 each year. The report covers self-administered medications and healthcare services for students in all public and nonpublic accredited schools, along with recommendations for improving school health programs. This bill only adjusts the timing of a routine administrative report, with no new requirements for schools or students.

Maddy summaryHB 1979, the "Promising Futures Act," redirects revenue from taxes on vapor and hemp-derived cannabinoid products into a dedicated fund to support child care assistance programs. It directly affects working families needing affordable child care and child care workers, who will receive free child care through a pilot program (categorical eligibility based on job, not income). The fund finances three priority programs: child care workforce scholarships, employer-supported "CareShare Tennessee" initiatives, and expanded access for families ineligible for existing subsidies. Funds must be used solely for these purposes, with up to 10% allowed for administrative costs, and unspent balances carry forward annually. The bill creates new provisions in Tennessee law to establish this funding mechanism and program structure.

Maddy summaryHB 2257 changes the deadline for Tennessee's Department of Education to update a list of state laws about student and parent rights. It replaces the previous requirement (updating within 60 days after the legislature adjourns) with a fixed annual deadline of July 1. This procedural change affects only the Department of Education, requiring them to publish the updated list by July 1 each year instead of after each legislative session. The bill does not alter the content of the rights list or create new policies.

Maddy summaryHB 2095 removes certain reporting deadlines for entities involved in higher education. It revises the Tennessee Student Assistance Award program by establishing a minimum financial need threshold of $100 and requiring payments to be directed to institutions before student disbursement. The bill also mandates regular reviews of college transfer pathways and authorizes the Tennessee Higher Education Commission to hold private meetings for specific purposes. These changes primarily affect students seeking financial aid, participating colleges, and state education administrators.

Maddy summaryHB 2420 requires Tennessee's education commissioner to close virtual schools that fail to meet academic performance standards for three consecutive years (as measured by the Tennessee Value-Added Assessment System) or are identified as priority schools. It directly affects virtual schools and their operators, prohibiting nonprofit or for-profit providers from contracting to operate new virtual schools in Tennessee for five years if their school was closed due to poor academic performance. The bill mandates specific closure procedures, including notifying parents within one week and providing enrollment alternatives within 30 days. This legislation focuses on holding virtual schools accountable for student achievement while establishing clear consequences for underperforming operators.

Maddy summaryHB 1973 amends Tennessee's educator licensure laws to expand protections by prohibiting sexually related behavior between educators and former students (defined as those who graduated or withdrew within the past year). It also removes the option for schools to skip license discipline when educators break employment contracts without valid reasons. The bill requires schools to report violations of these rules to the state board of education, directly affecting teachers, principals, and school personnel whose conduct could lead to licensure penalties. Key provisions include banning behaviors like inappropriate touching, sexual remarks, or pressuring students for favors, regardless of consent. The law becomes effective July 2026, with immediate reporting requirements for violations.

Maddy summaryHB 2096 changes the deadline for Tennessee's Department of Education to submit its annual report on school safety grant funds. It extends the submission date from February 1 to February 15 each year after the initial 2026 report. This procedural bill directly affects the Department of Education by adjusting its reporting timeline under Tennessee Code Annotated § 49-1-225(f). The change takes effect July 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 664 removes outdated language from Tennessee law that required the comptroller's office to submit a report to education committees about community schools by November 1, 2018. This bill deletes the obsolete provision (TCA § 49-6-2406) and corrects related references in the code. It directly affects no current policy or stakeholders, as the reporting deadline expired years ago and the requirement is now irrelevant. The change is purely procedural, eliminating outdated legal language without altering any substantive education policies or obligations.

Maddy summaryHB 1974 requires public school principals to remove a student named as the "respondent" in a court-issued order of protection from any shared classroom or school activity with the student named as the "petitioner" (the protected student), for the duration of the protection order. The bill mandates that schools provide alternative instruction for any classes the removed student misses and applies specifically to orders issued under Tennessee’s domestic violence protections (TCA Title 36). It directly affects public school students involved in protection orders, school administrators, and school districts, ensuring schools comply with court orders to maintain safety. The law takes effect upon enactment and applies only to orders issued on or after that date.