SB 602 Tennessee Senate · 114th Regular Session (2025-2026)

Education - As enacted, requires the department of education to develop guidelines and criteria for determining how long a student must have been present in a teacher's classroom before the student's record is attributable to the teacher for purposes of evaluating the teacher; authorizes an LEA or public charter school to compensate the estate of a teacher who, on the teacher's death, was in the employ of the LEA or public charter school for the teacher's unused and accrued annual and sick leave in the same manner that the estates of deceased state employees are compensated under present law. - Amends Chapter __ of the Public Acts of 2025 (1st Ex. Sess. – SB 6001 / HB 6004); and TCA Title 4, Chapter 49; Title 8 and Title 49.

SB 602 modifies Tennessee's education law by extending the timeframe for attributing student records to teachers from five to ten business days when evaluating educators. It also allows school districts and public charter schools to pay a teacher's estate for unused vacation and sick leave upon death, following the same process used for deceased state employees. The bill directly affects teachers (through evaluation timelines) and their estates (through leave compensation). Key changes are limited to administrative procedures for teacher evaluations and death benefits, with no new funding or broad policy shifts. The law took effect May 9, 2025.
Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2025
Committee Review
Mar 2025
Senate Passage
Apr 2025
House Passage
Apr 2025
Signed into Law
May 2025
Introduced Feb 10, 2025 Signed May 9, 2025
Floor votes · Senate Apr 9, 2025 · House Apr 16, 2025

How they voted

330
Passed
Total votes 33
Apr 9, 2025
D Democratic5
5 Yea
100% Yea
R Republican28
28 Yea
100% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
29
Key actions
14
Committee
7
Amendments
2
May 9, 2025
Signed into law
Signed by Governor.
lower
Apr 30, 2025
Lower · Passed
Signed by H. Speaker
lower
Apr 29, 2025
Upper · Passed
Signed by Senate Speaker
upper
Apr 21, 2025
Upper · Passed
Concurred, Ayes 33, Nays 0 (Amendment 2 - HA0432)
upper
Apr 16, 2025
Amended
Am. withdrawn. (Amendment 1 - HA0233)
lower
Apr 16, 2025
Lower · Passed
H. adopted am. (Amendment 2 - HA0432)
lower
Apr 16, 2025
Lower · Passed
Passed H., as am., Ayes 89, Nays 2, PNV 1
lower
Apr 9, 2025
Lower · Passed
Senate adopted Amendment (Amendment 1 - SA0284)
lower
Apr 9, 2025
Upper · Passed
Passed Senate as amended, Ayes 27, Nays 0
upper
Mar 26, 2025
Upper · Passed
Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 7, Nays 1 PNV 1
upper
Mar 19, 2025
Lower · Passed
Action deferred in Senate Education Committee to 3/26/2025
lower
Mar 19, 2025
Lower · Passed
Placed on Senate Education Committee calendar for 3/26/2025
lower
Mar 12, 2025
Lower · Passed
Action deferred in Senate Education Committee to 3/19/2025
lower
Mar 12, 2025
Lower · Passed
Placed on Senate Education Committee calendar for 3/19/2025
lower
Mar 5, 2025
Lower · Passed
Placed on Senate Education Committee calendar for 3/12/2025
lower
Feb 12, 2025
Committee
Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Education Committee
upper
Feb 10, 2025
Introduced
Introduced, Passed on First Consideration
lower
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Photo of Paul Bailey
Paul Bailey
RRepublican
TN
15