Senate Bill 1899 amends various sections of the Tennessee Code Annotated related to higher education governance, particularly concerning faculty tenure and the appointment of chief executive officers at state institutions. The bill introduces a new provision allowing the president of an institution governed by the board of regents or a state university board to suspend a faculty member, including those with tenure, without pay during investigations into their potential termination. This provision is added as subsection (b) to Section 49-8-302. Additionally, the bill modifies Section 49-9-209(d)(1) to grant authority to the board to adopt policies regarding the granting and removal of tenure and to allow for the suspension of faculty members under similar circumstances.

Furthermore, the bill establishes new confirmation requirements for chief executive officers of state institutions and the president of the University of Tennessee system, effective for appointments made on or after July 1, 2026. It stipulates that if the Senate or House fails to confirm these appointments within ninety days of the next regular session, the respective officer's employment will be terminated. The act takes effect upon becoming law for policy adoption, while other provisions will be effective from July 1, 2026, applying to actions occurring thereafter.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 49-8-302, 49-9-209(d)(1), 49-9-209, 49-8-203(a)(1), 49-8-203