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News & Press: Policy Update

TICUA Policy Update: Legislation Stalled Behind the Budget and More

Friday, April 23, 2021  

112th General Assembly
Policy Update

March 23, 2021

Legislation Stalled Behind the Budget

Nearly all the remaining bills TICUA is following are awaiting passage of Governor Bill Lee’s final budget.  Bills impacting the lottery scholarship programs, the proposed Tennessee Promise completion grants, and dual enrollment adjustments are all pending consideration.  Movement on these bills is expected this next week or two.   The General Assembly is moving quickly toward an early May adjournment.  

The remaining bill impacting teacher preparation programs is also behind the budget in both chambers. Rep. Terry Weaver and Sen. Janice Bowling are sponsoring (HB1534/SB653) which, as amended, would allow LEAs to create district teacher training for the purpose of adding additional endorsements for those who are currently employed by the LEA.  The House amendment allows for a waiver for the Praxis if the district can verify that that teacher has the content competency.  The Senate’s amendment requires passage of the necessary Praxis exams for the additional endorsement.  

If the House and Senate move their respective versions out of the Finance, Ways, and Means Committees, the bills will most likely end up in a conference committee to iron out this key difference.  TICUA will continue to express concerns about the bills in hopes that the Finance Committees will decline funding for the measures.

Telemedicine Bill Signed by Governor Lee
With the nearing April 28th expiration of Executive Order 77, Governor Bill Lee signed into law SB1265/HB508, sponsored by Sen. Shane Reeves and Rep. Clark Boyd.  The bill codifies Governor Bill Lee's Executive Order allowing pre-licensed graduate students (i.e., counseling, speech pathology, etc.) to be engaged in remote patient contact under the supervision of a licensed professional.  With the Governor’s signature, it finally brings to close a policy issue that has been a concern to TICUA member campuses since the onset of COVID19.
Vaccine Mandate Prohibition Among State Entities

Sen. Janice Bowling and Rep. Bud Hulsey have sponsored HB0013/SB0187 which prohibits the Governor or any government agency from promulgating, adopting, or enforcing an ordinance or resolution, that requires a person to receive an immunization, vaccination, or injection for the COVID19 virus or its variants.  The policy applies to public higher education institutions except for those programs which carry a federal requirement for the vaccination or are in the health-related programs.  The prohibition does not apply to private businesses, including TICUA member institutions.

The bill has passed the House and is now waiting for Senate action.  The Senate has moved the companion bill out of the Health and Welfare Committee, and it is ready to be placed on the Senate floor calendar for the chamber consideration.

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