Tennessee · 114th Regular Session (2025-2026) · Bill

SB 494: Education - As introduced, enacts the "Family Right to Educational Emancipation (FREE) Act," which creates a new category of independent home schools that are not subject to the data collection, reporting, or assessment requirements applicable to existing independent home school programs and that exempts such home school students and parents from compulsory school attendance requirements; prohibits the department of safety from conditioning the issuance of a driver license or learner's permit on a school-aged applicant's attendance record or enrollment status. - Amends TCA Title 37; Title 49; Title 50 and Title 55.

In committee Last action April 11, 2025: Sponsor(s) Added.

Plain-language summary

SB 494 is a bill introduced in the Tennessee Senate on January 29, 2025. According to its official title, it concerns: Education - As introduced, enacts the "Family Right to Educational Emancipation (FREE) Act," which creates a new category of independent home schools that are not subject to the data collection, reporting, or assessment requirements applicable to existing independent home school programs and that exempts such home school students and parents from compulsory school attendance requirements; prohibits the department of safety from conditioning the issuance of a driver license or learner's permit on a school-aged applicant's attendance record or enrollment status. - Amends TCA Title 37; Title 49; Title 50 and Title 55. Primary sponsor: Janice Bowling (Republican). Most recent recorded action (April 11, 2025): Sponsor(s) Added.

Sponsors

Primary sponsor: Janice Bowling (Republican).