Tennessee 2025-2026 Regular Session

Tennessee House Bill HB0407 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1
2	2	SENATE BILL 189
3	3	By Lamar
4	4
5	5	HOUSE BILL 407
6	6	By Hakeem
7	7
8	8
9	9	HB0407
10	10	001242
11	11	- 1 -
12	12
13	13	AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 10,
14	14	Chapter 7 and Title 49, relative to incentives for
15	15	students who obtain testing for certain health
16	16	conditions.
17	17
18	18	BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
19	19	SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49, Chapter 7, Part 1, is amended by
20	20	adding the following as a new section:
21	21	(a) As used in this section:
22	22	(1) "Eligible student" means a student who is enrolled full-time in
23	23	undergraduate studies at a public institution of higher education in this state;
24	24	(2) "Enrolling institution" means a public institution of higher education in
25	25	this state in which an eligible student is enrolled;
26	26	(3) "Sexually transmitted disease (STD)" has the same meaning as in §
27	27	68-10-101; and
28	28	(4) "THEC" means the Tennessee higher education commission.
29	29	(b) The Tennessee higher education commission shall implement a program to
30	30	award grants to eligible students who voluntarily provide their enrolling institution with
31	31	proof of voluntarily receiving testing for STDs. In order to implement this program,
32	32	THEC shall:
33	33	(1) Develop a grant application process that includes a form of proof of
34	34	testing for STDs, which complies with the federal Health Insurance Portability
35	35	and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) (42 U.S.C. § 1320d et seq.) and other
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37	37
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40	40	federal and state confidentiality laws, that an eligible student must provide to their
41	41	enrolling institution as part of a grant application;
42	42	(2) Limit the number of grants that an eligible student may receive under
43	43	this section to one (1) per academic year for up to four (4) academic years;
44	44	(3) Notify each student who is enrolled in a public institution of higher
45	45	education in this state of the grant program and the requirements to apply for and
46	46	receive a grant;
47	47	(4) Ensure that public institutions of higher education in this state accept
48	48	grant applications from their students, verify an applicant's enrollment status as a
49	49	full-time undergraduate student, and report to THEC the number of eligible
50	50	students to whom grants are awarded;
51	51	(5) Remit grant funds to public institutions of higher education for
52	52	distribution to each eligible student who is awarded a grant; and
53	53	(6) Ensure that grant funds are expended in the manner required by
54	54	subsection (d).
55	55	(c) Subject to funding, the amount of a grant awarded pursuant to this section is
56	56	two hundred fifty dollars ($250).
57	57	(d) All grant funds must be expended for tuition, mandatory fees, textbooks, and
58	58	course materials associated with the grant recipient's undergraduate studies at their
59	59	enrolling institution.
60	60	(e) The grant program established pursuant to this section is funded through the
61	61	student STD testing grant fund, which is established as a separate account in the
62	62	general fund. Subject to the availability of revenue at the end of each fiscal year, the
63	63	commissioner of finance and administration is authorized to carry forward any amounts
64	64	remaining in the student STD testing grant fund. Moneys in the student STD testing
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69	69	grant fund must be invested by the state treasurer pursuant to title 9, chapter 4, part 6,
70	70	for the sole benefit of the student STD testing grant fund. The student STD testing grant
71	71	fund is subject to appropriations by the general assembly and gifts, grants, and other
72	72	donations received by THEC for the purpose of supporting the grant program
73	73	established pursuant to subsection (b).
74	74	(f) THEC may promulgate rules to effectuate the purposes of this section in
75	75	accordance with the Uniform Administrative Procedures Act, compiled in title 4, chapter
76	76	5.
77	77	SECTION 2. This act is not an appropriation of funds, and funds must not be obligated
78	78	or expended pursuant to this act unless the funds are specifically appropriated by the general
79	79	appropriations act.
80	80	SECTION 3. For the purpose of promulgating rules, this act takes effect upon becoming
81	81	a law, the public welfare requiring it. For all other purposes, this act takes effect January 1,
82	82	2026, and applies to grants awarded for the 2026-2027 academic year and each year
83	83	thereafter, the public welfare requiring it.