Schools, Charter - As enacted, allows private postsecondary institutions, including those that are religiously affiliated, to operate a public charter school; allows such institutions to apply to the local board of educa, the official text

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Staw f/Jennessee

                             PUBLIC CHAPTER NO. 1128

                                                    SENATE BILL NO. 2318

                                                      By Hensley, Stevens

                                           Substituted for: House Bill No. 2000

                                                           By Cepicky

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49, relative to charter schools.

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

         SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 49-13-104, is amended by deleting
subdivision (16) and substituting instead the following:

                   (16) "Sponsor" means a proposed governing body filing an application for the
          establishment of a public charter school that is not a:

                             (A) For-profit entity;

                             (B) Nonpublic school, as defined in § 49-6-3001; or

                             (C) Postsecondary institution not regionally accredited;

          SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 49-13-106, is amended by deleting
subsection (c) and substituting instead the following:

                   (c)(1) A nonpublic school, as defined in § 49-6-3001, shall not establish a public
                   charter school pursuant to this chapter.

                             (2) A private postsecondary institution, including a private postsecondary
                   institution that is religiously affiliated, that maintains a campus in this state may
                   establish a public charter school pursuant to this chapter.

          SECTION 3. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 49-13-102(e), is amended by deleting the
language "the state's public higher education institutions" and substituting instead the language "the
postsecondary institutions in this state".

          SECTION 4. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 49-13-108(i), is amended by deleting the
language "public institution of higher education" wherever it appears in the subsection and
substituting instead the language "postsecondary institution" and by deleting the language "public
institution of higher education's" in subdivision (2) and substituting instead the language
"postsecondary institution's".

          SECTION 5. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.
         SENATE BILL NO. 2318

PASSED:  April 21, 2026

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                         l                  RAND' McNALLY

                            SPEAKER OF THE SENATE

                         CAMEROll'S'EXTON, SPEAKER
                         HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

APPROVED this :J.:J_,,..J. day of (Y\q,.v.  2026
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                    BILL LEE, GOVERNOR