Correction, Dept. of - As enacted, requires the department to conduct an annual education assessment of each inmate who is serving a period of confinement for committing a felony offense to ascertain the inmate's highest, the official text

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Sla:te f/Jennessee

                              PUBLIC CHAPTER NO. 607

                                                    SENATE BILL NO. 1569

                                 By White, Yarbro, Jackson, Akbari, Massey, Pody

                                           Substituted for: House Bill No. 1771

                          By Raper, White, Hakeem, Towns, Eldridge, Sparks, Littleton

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4; Title 41 and Title 49, relative to education.

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

          SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 41, Chapter 1, Part 1, is amended by adding
the following as a new section:

                    (a) As used in this section, "education assessment" means an assessment,
          evaluation, or survey administered to an inmate in the custody or under the supervision of
          the department of correction that is designed to collect information regarding the highest
          grade or educational level attained by the inmate, as well as to determine the inmate's
          interest in continuing, completing, or advancing their education.

                    (b) The department shall conduct an education assessment:

                              (1) During the intake of each inmate sentenced to serve a period of
                    confinement for committing a felony offense and at least annually thereafter; and

                              (2) At least annually for each inmate who, on or after July 1, 2026, is serving a
                    period of confinement for committing a felony offense.

                    (c) The department shall notify each inmate who is serving a period of confinement
          for committing a felony offense and who is eligible to continue, complete, or advance their
          education of the educational programming and opportunities available to the inmate. The
          notice required by this subsection (c) must be provided in writing, or electronically if feasible,
          no later than ninety (90) days from the date of the education assessment.

          SECTION 2. This act takes effect July 1, 2026, the public welfare requiring it.
         SENATE BILL NO. 1569

PASSED:  March 9, 2026

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                        -  -                   • w RANDl McNALLY

                                   SPEAKER OF THE SENATE

                           CAMEROWSEXTON, SPEAKER
                           HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Mov« APPROVED this :Jb.Jil day of  Q,,_        2026

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                           BILL LEE, GOVERNOR