Education - As enacted, requires that certain employees of state special schools receive the same leave and certain other benefits as employees of LEAs and public charter schools. - Amends TCA Title 8, Chapter 50 and Tit, the official text

~tate of ij[ennessee

                          PUBLIC CHAPTER NO. 284

                                                   HOUSE BILL NO. 676

By Representatives Stinnett, Davis, Keisling, Todd, Parkinson, Bricken, Alexander, Love,
                                                     Clemmons, Butler

                                        Substituted for: Senate Bill No. 705

 By Senators Massey, Briggs, Campbell, Gardenhire, Harshbarger, Hatcher, Pody, Rose,
                                                        Yager, Yarbro

         AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 8, Chapter 50 and Title 49, relative
to employees of state special schools.

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

          SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 49-50-1001 (b)(2), is amended by
deleting the subdivision and substituting the following:

                    (2) Subject to Section 3, determine the salary and terms of employment for
          employees of state special schools;

          SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 49-50-1001 (c), is amended by
deleting the language "For the purposes of this part" and substituting "As used in this part" and
by adding the following as a new, appropriately designated subdivision:

                    () "Teacher":

                              (A) Unless the context requires otherwise, means a person licensed by
                    the state board of education and employed at a state special school; and

                              (8) Does not include:

                                        (i) The chief administrative officer of a state special school; and

                                        (ii) Those who are considered state employees for leave purposes
                              under title 8, chapter 50, part 8.

          SECTION 3. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 49-50-1001, is amended by adding
the following as a new, appropriately designated subsection:

                    ( ) In managing and controlling the state special schools, the department of
          education must provide the following to the teachers of state special schools:

                               (1) Eligibility to accumulate and use leave in the same manner as public
                    school teachers under chapter 5, part 7 of this title; and

                               (2) Eligibility for paid family leave in accordance with§ 8-50-814.

           SECTION 4. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 49-50-1003(d), is amended by
 deleting "professional personnel" and substituting "licensed personnel".

           SECTION 5. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 49-50-1003, is amended by adding
 the following new subsections:

                     (e) Any percentage increase to the salary schedule of an LEA where a state
           special school is located must also result in an equivalent percentage increase to the
           salary schedule for that state special school.

                     (f) When the general assembly appropriates monies in the budget for salaries,
           raises, bonuses, or other incentives for public school teachers and other licensed
HB676
         personnel employed in an LEA or public charter school in this state, the department of
         education shall also obligate and expend appropriations in an equivalent amount for
          salaries, raises, bonuses, or other incentives for the teachers and other licensed
          personnel employed in the state special schools managed and controlled by the
          department of education. It is the legislative intent that the general assembly will
          appropriate monies in a sufficient amount to effectuate this subsection (f). The state is
          not prohibited from providing the teachers and other licensed personnel employed in the
          state special schools more than what is required by this part.
          SECTION 6. This act takes effect July 1, 2025, the public welfare requiring it, and

applies to the 2025-2026 school year and each school year thereafter.

                                                                 2
                     HOUSE BILL NO. 676

PASSED:  April 9, 2025

                                   CAMERO~XTON,SPEAKER
                                   HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                        Qr-..1. .... "" 'Isa~
                                   '-    RANDY-Jvr~ALLT

                                       SPEAKER OF THE SENATE

Jytll APPROVED this  day of Aer.1        2025

   ~~ -

BILL LEE, GOVERNOR