House Bill 1740 amends the Tennessee Code Annotated regarding the Individualized Education Act, specifically focusing on the definitions and requirements for "eligible students" and "participating schools." The bill redefines "eligible student" to include those with specific disabilities as outlined by the state board of education, as well as children with medical conditions that prevent them from attending school in person. Additionally, it clarifies the definition of "participating school" to include nonpublic schools and home schools for eligible students with medical conditions. The bill also introduces a new subsection that exempts certain eligible students and participating schools from specific provisions of the law.

Furthermore, the bill establishes new responsibilities for parents of eligible students, requiring them to ensure that funds from an individualized education account (IEA) are used only for approved expenses. It mandates the department to monitor these funds for compliance and grants the department the authority to suspend or terminate a student's participation in the program if the parent fails to comply with the requirements. The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2026.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 49-10-1402(3), 49-10-1402, 49-10-1402(6), 49-10-1404, 49-10-1403(d), 49-10-1403, 49-10-1405(a)(7), 49-10-1405