House Bill 178, known as the "Success Sequence Act," aims to promote a structured approach to achieving personal and societal success through a specific sequence of life events. The bill defines the "success sequence" as obtaining a high school diploma, entering the workforce or pursuing further education, getting married, and then having children. This legislative initiative is based on research indicating that children raised in stable, married-parent families tend to have better educational and economic outcomes compared to those raised in single-parent households.

To implement this act, the bill amends Tennessee Code Annotated by adding a new subdivision that outlines the success sequence and requires educational institutions to provide instruction on the positive outcomes associated with following this sequence. The bill emphasizes the importance of marriage and stable family structures in reducing poverty and improving the overall well-being of children. The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2025, and will apply to the 2025-2026 school year and subsequent years.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 49-6-1301, 49-6-1304(a), 49-6-1304