Public Employees - As introduced, enacts the "Protecting Religious Liberty and Expression in Public Schools Act." - Amends TCA Title 8; Title 16; Title 20 and Title 49.

HB 1491, the "Protecting Religious Liberty and Expression in Public Schools Act," restricts public school employees from enforcing the "separation of church and state doctrine" unless required by a specific court order or a directly-on-point U.S. Supreme Court ruling. It defines this doctrine to include specific Supreme Court cases like *Lemon v. Kurtzman* and *Everson v. Board of Education*, and prohibits state employees from applying it broadly in school settings. The bill allows students, parents, or others harmed by such enforcement to sue for damages, injunctions, or attorney fees. It directly affects public school staff (teachers, administrators) and students in Tennessee K-12 schools by altering legal standards for religious expression.