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PUBLIC CHAPTER NO. 314
SENATE BILL NO. 298
By Roberts, Rose
Substituted for: House Bill No. 1197
By Kumar, Powers, Reedy, Fritts, Howell
AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49, Chapter 6, relative to the nonsectarian,
nonreligious study of the Bible.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 49-6-1026(b), is amended by deleting the
word "curriculum" and substituting the word "course".
SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 49-6-1026(c), is amended by deleting the
subsection and substituting the following:
(c)(1)
(A) Except as provided in subdivision (c)(1)(8), any course for an
academic study of the Bible using a curriculum and instructional materials
developed by an LEA or a public charter school must be approved by the local
board of education or the public charter school governing body and comply with
subdivisions (a)(1 )-(3).
(8) A course for an academic study of the Bible that was approved by
the department before July 1, 2025, is not required to be approved pursuant to
subdivision (c)(1)(A).
(2) The department of education shall make available on its website:
(A) A list identifying each LEA or public charter school that offers a Bible
course approved pursuant to subdivision (c)(1); and
(B) The academic standards for a Bible course that have been approved
by the state board of education under subsection (a).
(3) Each LEA a.nd public charter school shall make available on its website all
Bible course curricula, including a list of instructional materials, developed by the LEA
or public charter school that. have been approved by the local board of education or
public charter school governing body.
(4) The state board of education shall include in its list of approved high school
courses an elective Bible course developed pursuant to this section.
(5) The department shall notify each LEA and public charter school in writing,
no later than July 1 of each year, of the LEA's or public charter school's ability to offer
an elective state-funded Bible course consisting of a nonsectarian, nonreligious
academic study of the Bible in accordance with this section, and the ability of an LEA
or public charter school to develop its own Bible course curriculum.
•sECTION 3. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 49-6-1026, is amended by adding the
language "or public charter school" immediately following the language "LEA" wherever it appears in
subsections (d) and (e).
SB 298
SECTION 4. This act takes effect July 1, 2025, the public welfare requiring it, and applies to
the 2025-2026 school year and subsequent school years.
2
SENATE BILL NO. 298
PASSED: April 15, 2025
RANDI McNALLY
SPEAKER OF T~E SENATE
CAMEkOIQ SEXTON, SPEAKER
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
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APPROVED this ;;f- s day of (V\_GU../\, 2025
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