Education, Higher - As enacted, requires the office of the comptroller of the treasury to include in any audit conducted by the office of a governing board of a public institution of higher education an examination into whether each institution governed by the board is complying with the equal protection provisions of the Tennessee and United States constitutions in the institution's admission program and practices. - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 8, Chapter 4; Title 49, Chapter 8; Title 49, Chapter 9 and Title 49, Chapter 7.

This law requires the state comptroller to audit public universities and colleges to check if their admission processes follow equal protection rules from the U.S. and Tennessee constitutions. The audits specifically look at whether schools are complying with a 2023 Supreme Court decision that addressed how colleges consider race in admissions. This change applies to the University of Tennessee system, the state university and community college system, and other state universities. The rule became effective on July 1, 2024, and aims to ensure these institutions handle student admissions in a legally consistent manner.