Senate Bill 1312, also known as House Bill 1324, amends various sections of the Tennessee Code Annotated related to higher education, specifically focusing on the Tennessee student assistance corporation. The bill establishes the Tennessee student assistance corporation as a nonprofit entity operating under the Tennessee higher education commission, which will take over governance from the current board of directors on July 1, 2025. Additionally, the bill allows the commission to manage funds for student assistance programs and makes several changes to the definitions and terminology used in the law, including the replacement of "Wilder-Naifeh technical skills grant" with "TennesseeWORKS scholarship" throughout multiple sections.

The bill also modifies specific provisions regarding student assistance programs, such as clarifying the types of certifications and licenses that qualify for funding and updating the language related to educational credentials. Notably, it removes certain sections and subdivisions that are no longer applicable, streamlining the legal framework governing student assistance in Tennessee. The act is set to take effect immediately upon becoming law, emphasizing the importance of timely implementation for the welfare of the public.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 49-4-201, 49-4-202, 49-4-708(c)(5), 49-4-708, 49-4-902(33)(B), 49-4-902, 49-4-921(e), 49-4-921, 49-4-923, 49-4-902(46), 49-4-905, 49-4-922, 49-4-937(a), 49-4-937, 49-7-202(c), 49-7-202, 4-29-247(a), 4-29-247