House Bill 1789 amends various sections of the Tennessee Code Annotated related to higher education, specifically focusing on the classification of students for tuition purposes. The bill modifies Section 49-7-168(b) by replacing the reference to "49-8-104" with "49-8-102, 49-8-104." It introduces a new subsection (d) that allows institutions of higher education to classify the spouses of service members who are U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents as in-state students for tuition purposes, even if they have not resided in the state for the required one-year period, provided they meet certain criteria.

Additionally, the bill updates the definition of "military-affiliated" in Section 49-7-1303 by replacing the existing subdivision (1) with a broader definition that includes active-duty personnel, reservists, National Guard members, ROTC cadets, and dependents of active-duty military personnel or veterans. It also changes Section 49-7-1304(b) to mandate that institutions "shall classify" eligible students rather than allowing them the discretion to do so. The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2026, and will apply to the 2026-2027 academic year and subsequent years.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 49-7-168(b), 49-7-168, 49-7-1303, 49-7-1304(b), 49-7-1304