House Bill 1527, also known as Senate Bill 1710, amends Tennessee Code Annotated to enhance education on child trafficking in public schools. The bill modifies Section 49-1-1002(a) by replacing "healthy school environment, school counseling" with "healthy school environment, child trafficking prevention and awareness education, school counseling." Additionally, it removes subdivision (a)(13)(B) from Section 49-6-1304 and deletes the second sentence in subsection (d) of the same section.

The new legislation mandates that all public schools include child trafficking prevention and awareness education as part of their health education curriculum for students from kindergarten through grade twelve. Local education agencies (LEAs) and public charter schools are required to ensure that this instruction is age-appropriate and progressively builds on students' knowledge each year. By August 1, 2026, and annually thereafter, schools must submit an implementation plan to the commissioner of education detailing their instructional methods, qualifications of instructors, and materials used. Furthermore, by July 1, 2027, and each subsequent year, schools must report on their compliance with these requirements. The act is set to take effect upon becoming law and will apply to the 2026-2027 school year and beyond.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 49-1-1002(a), 49-1-1002, 49-6-1304