HB 25 - SB 16
FISCAL NOTE
Fiscal Review Committee
Tennessee General Assembly
March 8, 2025
Fiscal Analyst: Alan Hampton | Email: alan.hampton@capitol.tn.gov | Phone: 615-741-2564
HB 25 - SB 16
SUMMARY OF BILL: Prohibits a public school from using public funds to join, become
members of, or maintain membership in an association that regulates interscholastic athletics if the
association prohibits a student from participating in an interscholastic athletic competition due to
the student transferring no more than once from a school at which the student previously
participated in an interscholastic athletic competition regulated by the association.
FISCAL IMPACT:
OTHER FISCAL IMPACT
If the TSSAA does not change the current transfer rule, then public schools would need to change
associations or create a new one and there may be costs associated with such change. However,
due to multiple unknown factors, a precise local impact cannot be determined.
Assumptions:
• Schools in Tennessee must join the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association
(TSSAA) in order to participate in interscholastic athletics.
• The TSSAA’s previous transfer rule required student-athletes who left one school for
another in a different zone to be ineligible for one calendar year from their last varsity game
unless they had a change of address.
• On March 3, 2025, the TSSAA Legislative Council approved a proposal to allow athletes
one free transfer to another school without loss of eligibility if the transfer is for reasons
unrelated to athletics.
• The proposed legislation would require TSSAA to change its transfer rules to allow athletes
one free transfer without any eligibility restrictions, in order for a public school to use
public funds to join or maintain membership in TSSAA.
• If the TSSAA does not change the current transfer rule, then public schools would need to
change associations or create a new one, and there may be costs associated with such
change. However, due to multiple unknown factors, a precise local impact cannot be
determined.
• No impact to state government.
HB 25 - SB 16 2
CERTIFICATION:
The information contained herein is true and correct to the best of my knowledge.
Bojan Savic, Executive Director