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                            PUBLIC CHAPTER NO. 1093

                                                   SENATE BILL NO. 1774

                                                               By Rose

                                           Substituted for: House Bill No. 1733

                              By Moody, Russell, Doggett, McCalmon, Bricken, Davis

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 37; Title 39, Chapter 17, Part 3; Title 40; Title
          49 and Title 55, Chapter 10, Part 7, relative to harassment.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:

          SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 39-17-308(e), is amended by deleting
subdivision (1) and substituting:

                    (1) "Bullying" means an act committed by a school employee or student that
          substantially interferes with a victim's educational benefits, opportunities, or performance;
          and:

                              (A) If the act takes place on school grounds, at any school-sponsored activity,
                    on school-provided equipment or transportation, or at any official school bus stop, the
                    act has the effect of:

                                        (i) Physically harming the victim or damaging the victim's property; or

                                        (ii) Knowingly placing the victim or victims in reasonable fear of
                              physical harm to the victim or damage to the victim's property; or

                              (8) If the act takes place off school property or outside of a school-sponsored
                    activity, is directed specifically at a victim or victims and has the effect of creating a
                    substantial disruption to the education environment or learning process;

          SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 39-17-308(e), is amended by adding the
following appropriately designated subdivisions:

                    ( ) "School employee" means an employee of a school or local education agency, as
          defined in § 49-1-103;

                    ( ) "Victim" means:

                              (A) If the act is committed by a school employee, then any student; and

                              (B) If the act is committed by a student, then another student;

          SECTION 3. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 49-6-4503(b)(3), is amended by adding
"and school employee" after "each student".

          SECTION 4. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 49-6-4503, is amended by adding the
following as a new subsection:

                    (e) A teacher or school employee found to have committed an act of harassment,
          intimidation, bullying, or cyberbullying is subject to dismissal or suspension.

          SECTION 5. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 49-5-501 (7), is amended by adding the
following as a new subdivision:
SB 1774
                   (E) Committing an act of harassment, intimidation, bullying, or cyberbullying in

         violation of the school district's policy adopted in accordance with chapter 6, part 45 of this
         title;
         SECTION 6. This act takes effect July 1, 2026, the public welfare requiring it, and applies to
acts committed on or after that date.

                                                               2
         SENATE BILL NO. 1774

PASSED:  April 22, 2026

                                           RANDY llcNALLY

                                  SPEAKER OF THE\sENA TE

                         c./5i7:

                            CAMERONSEXTON,SPEAKER

                            HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

~ M o APPROVED this                      2026
         day of

         6'itYA-
                     BILL LEE, GOVERNOR