Tune in Today for HB1214/SB1194 Coverage
UPDATE 3/22/23: HB1214 has been rolled two weeks until Wednesday, April 5, 2023.
On Wednesday, March 22, 2023, the House Education Administration Committee and the Senate Education Committee will hear readings on House Bill 1214 (HB1214) and Senate Bill 1194 (SB1194). Both have the potential to change the homeschool definition and how parents in Tennessee educate their children. Coverage of the committee meetings may be viewed online for families to continue following the progress of the bills.
Cameron Sexton (HB1214), Speaker of the Tennessee House of Representatives, and Randy McNally (SB1194), Lieutenant Governor and Speaker of the Senate Senator, introduced the original bills on Tuesday, January 31, 2023.
State Tennessee Representative Bryan Richey (R – Blount County) held a webinar on Saturday, March 18, 2023, and the Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) hosted one on Monday, March 20, 2023. Both webinars were well attended for an online event and provided informative updates regarding HB1214. That bill along with SB1194 have received pushback from homeschoolers across the State of Tennessee.
Some of the expressed concerns to HB1214 and SB1194 are:
- A public school and government funded option being included in the homeschool definition.
- Homeschool students that opt for the hybrid option (under the homechool definition) being expected to meet public school requirements that include attendance at a public school.
- Reasoning behind making any changes to the homeschool definition, and potential future government overreach into individual homeschools.
Both bills underwent amendments shortly before they were to be presented on March 15, 2023, at the committee meetings. There was a strong call for homeschoolers to contact their state representatives to express their opposition to the bills, referred to as HB1214/SB1194, before both meetings. It is not clear if the response from the homeschool community caused a deferment, but homeschoolers across the state have been taking advantage of the additional time to contact their state representatives { find your legislators here } by e-mail and telephone calls to express their disapproval of HB1214/SB1194.
You may watch the committee meetings online. If you are not able to watch the meetings live, the videos of both will be accessible after each meeting.
Online Access to Committee Meetings
The House Education Administration Committee meeting { see agenda – HB1214, Item #3 } will be held on Wednesday, March 22, 2023, at 1:30 p.m. CST and may be accessed through here.
The Senate Education Committee meeting { see agenda – SB1194, Item #78 } will be held on Wednesday, March 22, 2023, at 3 p.m. CST and may be accessed through here.
See all meetings happening today as well as upcoming ones that could affect homeschool, and other matters in your life.
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