TennesseeTennessee offers capped prevention grants to three school agencies
Tennessee's Department of Education offers grants capped at $13,300 to three local education agencies that already have prevention programs.
What it does
The Department of Education runs a three-year pilot that offers grants to three local education agencies with existing prevention programs. Each grant is capped at $13,300.
Grant recipients teach students in grades 3–12 to avoid tobacco, alcohol, and illicit drugs through age-appropriate prevention lessons throughout the school year.
Each grant recipient reports yearly on its program's effectiveness, including the prior year's instruction, to state agencies and specified legislative committee chairs.
Argument forGrant funding could help selected agencies teach students in grades 3–12 how to avoid tobacco, alcohol, and illegal drugs.
Argument againstSince the pilot funds only three agencies, other agencies with existing prevention programs may not receive a grant.
More detail
The Department of Education administers a three-year pilot grant program for three local education agencies. The pilot provides grants to three local education agencies. An agency must already have a substance abuse and violence prevention program and submit an application by the department's deadline. Each grant cannot exceed $13,300. The pilot begins in the 2026–2027 school year and ends July 1, 2029.
Grant recipients teach students in grades 3–12 to avoid tobacco, alcohol, and illicit drugs through a substance abuse and violence prevention program. The teaching duty applies to local education agencies that receive a pilot grant and their students in grades 3–12. The program uses age-appropriate lessons about risks and ways to protect against substance use and violence, builds drug refusal and life skills, and involves families and communities. It follows state coordinated school health guidelines and provides instruction throughout the school year.
Each grant recipient prepares and submits a yearly report on its program's effectiveness, including the prior school year's instruction. The reporting duty applies to each local education agency that receives a pilot grant. Recipients send reports to the education, mental health and substance abuse services, and human services departments, and to specified legislative committee chairs. The first report, covering the 2026–2027 school year, is due June 30, 2027. Reports for each later school year during the pilot are due June 30.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed Senate
- Passed House
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- May 27Pub. Ch. 1058Latest
- May 27Effective date(s) 05/22/2026
- May 22Signed by Governor Bill Lee.Became Law
- May 11Transmitted to Governor for action.To Governor
- May 7Signed by H. SpeakerMajor
- Apr 30Enrolled and ready for signaturesMinor
- Apr 30Signed by Senate SpeakerMajor
- Apr 23Concurred, Ayes 32, Nays 0 (Amendment 3 - HA1233)Major
- Vote recorded FLOOR VOTE: Motion to Concur House Amendment # 3 4/23/2026 Passed. Result: pass.Upper
- Apr 22Subst. for comp. HB.Major
- Vote recorded FLOOR VOTE: REGULAR CALENDAR AS AMENDED PASSAGE ON THIRD CONSIDERATION 4/22/2026 Passed. Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 22Am. withdrawn. (Amendment 1 - HA0552)Minor
- Apr 22Am. withdrawn. (Amendment 2 - HA1232)Minor
- Apr 22H. adopted am. (Amendment 3 - HA1233)Major
- Apr 22Passed H., as am., Ayes 87, Nays 1, PNV 1Passed House
- Apr 22Placed on Senate Message Calendar for 4/23/2026
- Apr 16Rcvd. from S., held on H. desk.
- Apr 14Senate adopted Amendment (Amendment 1 - SA0963)
- Vote recorded FLOOR VOTE: as Amended Third Consideration 4/14/2026 Passed. Result: pass.Upper
- Apr 14Passed Senate as amended, Ayes 32, Nays 0Passed Senate
- Apr 14Engrossed; ready for transmission to HouseMinor
- Apr 14Sponsor(s) Added.Minor
- Apr 10Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 4/14/2026
- Apr 1Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 9, Nays 0 PNV 0
- Vote recorded SENATE FINANCE, WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE: Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 9, Nays 0 PNV 0 4/1/2026 Passed. Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 31Placed on Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee calendar for 4/1/2026
- Mar 30Rule #83(8) Suspended, to be heard in Senate Finance, Ways & Means Committee on 4/1/2026
- Mar 30Placed on Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee calendar for 4/1/2026
- Feb 3Action deferred in Senate Finance, Ways & Means Committee / Behind the budget
- Jan 27Placed on Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee calendar for 2/3/2026
- Jan 21Placed on Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee calendar for 1/27/2026
- Jan 13Action deferred in Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee to 1/27/2026
- Jan 5Placed on Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee calendar for 1/13/2026
- 2025
- Apr 8Action deferred in Senate Finance, Ways & Means Committee to 1st Calendar of 2026
- Apr 1Placed on Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee calendar for 4/8/2025
- Mar 12Recommended for passage, refer to Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee
- Vote recorded SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE: Recommended for passage, refer to Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee 3/12/2025 Passed. Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 5Placed on Senate Education Committee calendar for 3/12/2025
- Feb 12Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Education CommitteeMinor
- Feb 10Introduced, Passed on First ConsiderationMinor
- Feb 4Filed for introductionIntroduced
EducationMental Health