| 1 | 1 | | |
|---|
| 2 | 2 | | HOUSE BILL 1005 |
|---|
| 3 | 3 | | By Hakeem |
|---|
| 4 | 4 | | |
|---|
| 5 | 5 | | SENATE BILL 1161 |
|---|
| 6 | 6 | | By Akbari |
|---|
| 7 | 7 | | |
|---|
| 8 | 8 | | |
|---|
| 9 | 9 | | SB1161 |
|---|
| 10 | 10 | | 003068 |
|---|
| 11 | 11 | | - 1 - |
|---|
| 12 | 12 | | |
|---|
| 13 | 13 | | AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49, |
|---|
| 14 | 14 | | relative to student discipline. |
|---|
| 15 | 15 | | |
|---|
| 16 | 16 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE: |
|---|
| 17 | 17 | | SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49, Chapter 6, Part 34, is amended by |
|---|
| 18 | 18 | | adding the following as a new section: |
|---|
| 19 | 19 | | (a) Notwithstanding ยง 49-6-3401, an LEA or public charter school shall not |
|---|
| 20 | 20 | | suspend or expel a student from school if the student is enrolled in any of the grades |
|---|
| 21 | 21 | | pre-kindergarten through two (pre-K-2) unless the student's behavior endangers the |
|---|
| 22 | 22 | | physical safety of other students or school personnel, as determined by the LEA's |
|---|
| 23 | 23 | | director of schools or the director of the public charter school, as applicable. |
|---|
| 24 | 24 | | (b) If the behavior of a student enrolled in the LEA or public charter school in any |
|---|
| 25 | 25 | | of the grades pre-kindergarten through two (pre-K-2) endangers the physical safety of |
|---|
| 26 | 26 | | other students or school personnel, as determined by the LEA's director of schools or |
|---|
| 27 | 27 | | the director of the public charter school, as applicable, then the student may be |
|---|
| 28 | 28 | | suspended for no more than three (3) days. |
|---|
| 29 | 29 | | (c) |
|---|
| 30 | 30 | | (1) Before a student is suspended pursuant to subsection (b), the student |
|---|
| 31 | 31 | | must be provided an opportunity for the student's anger, fear, or anxiety to |
|---|
| 32 | 32 | | subside and for the student's teacher, principal, school counselor, or school |
|---|
| 33 | 33 | | psychologist to have a conversation with the student and the student's parent or |
|---|
| 34 | 34 | | legal guardian concerning the student's behavior and any underlying issues that |
|---|
| 35 | 35 | | may have precipitated the student's behavior. |
|---|
| 36 | 36 | | |
|---|
| 37 | 37 | | |
|---|
| 38 | 38 | | - 2 - 003068 |
|---|
| 39 | 39 | | |
|---|
| 40 | 40 | | (2) The principal of the student's school shall notify the student's parent |
|---|
| 41 | 41 | | or legal guardian of the student's suspension on the day the suspension occurs. |
|---|
| 42 | 42 | | SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it, |
|---|
| 43 | 43 | | and applies to the 2025-2026 school year and each school year thereafter. |
|---|