Senate Bill 298 amends Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49, Chapter 6, to establish guidelines for the nonsectarian, nonreligious study of the Bible in public education. The bill modifies existing language by replacing the term "curriculum" with "course" in Section 49-6-1026(b). It also revises Section 49-6-1026(c) to outline the approval process for Bible courses developed by local education agencies (LEAs) or public charter schools, requiring these courses to be sanctioned by the local board of education or governing body and to adhere to specific academic standards. Additionally, the Department of Education is tasked with providing a list of approved Bible courses and making available the curricula and instructional materials used by LEAs and public charter schools.

Furthermore, the bill expands the definition of LEAs to include public charter schools in subsections (d) and (e) of Section 49-6-1026. It mandates that the state board of education include an elective Bible course in its list of approved high school courses and requires the Department of Education to notify LEAs and public charter schools annually about their eligibility to offer state-funded Bible courses. The act is set to take effect upon becoming law and will apply to the 2025-2026 school year and subsequent years.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 49-6-1026(b), 49-6-1026, 49-6-1026(c)