Legislative Recap

With the Tennessee 114^th General Assembly officially adjourned, here’s a roundup of what passed and what did not pass in 2026 within Tennessee Skills Coalition’s priorities. 

Increase access to programs that support essential needs, with an emphasis on childcare, so adults from diverse backgrounds are more able to work and participate in skills education and training. 

• HB2425 / SB2404: Intersecting with other TSC priorities, the final version establishes an “early educator workforce development resource task force” and includes plans to establish an early educator apprenticeship program.

• HB1979 / SB2062: Directs a projected ~$10M/annually from a new dedicated revenue source to support a childcare worker childcare subsidy pilot, an employer match childcare subsidy pilot, and to expand Smart Steps to 150% SMI.

• HB1965 / SB1683: Provides liability protections for individuals and entities that provide space for childcare facilities.

• HB2358 / SB1921: Originally intended to require DHS to transfer funds from TANF to CCDF (Smart Steps), the final version requires DHS to report on TANF and CCDF service numbers, expenditures, and remaining balances.

• HB007 / SB172: Would have established a hunger-free campus grant program for higher education institutions to address student hunger.

Expand access to workforce training (career and technical education, work-based learning, short-term credentials, apprenticeships) so workers can quickly acquire the necessary skills for a new or current job.

• HB2617 / SB2193: Would have required participation in Workforce Pell. ***TDLWD and THEC have confirmed that this legislation was not required for the state to participate in Workforce Pell and the state continues to move forward with implementation.***

• HB138 / SB612: Would have created a special fund to provide grants to local education agencies and public charter schools for the acquisition, retention, or expansion of digital career and technical education curricula.

Implement policies that lead to increased enrollment in postsecondary programs, including modifications to  Tennessee Promise and Reconnect that allow part-time students to be eligible, to close the gap between Promise and Reconnect, and to provide first-dollar supports instead of last-dollar.

• HB148 / SB686: Would have created permanent Tennessee Promise Completion Grants to provide support to students in degree completion.

Other bills of interest:

• HB1710 / SB915: Requires every unit of state and local government, including health departments, to verify that the individual is lawfully present in the United States when they apply for any federal, state, or local public benefit, with exact implications for postsecondary education that remain to be determined.

• HB952 / SB1185: Would have authorized business tax credits for small businesses that hire locally or provide workforce training and creates grants to support minority- and women-owned businesses in underserved areas. ***The bill was directed to summer study in the House Business & Utilities Subcommittee.***

• HB1121 / SB1409: Would have expanded eligibility for dual enrollment grants to high school sophomores.

• HB0777 / SB1085: Would have expanded student eligibility for lottery-funded scholarships at private postsecondary institutions in the state to not only those that are accredited but those that are candidates for accreditation.

• HB2181 / SB2261: Would have required nonprofit recipients of state or federal grants to publicly publish salaries of its employees.