Bill > SB0689

This bill makes several changes to Tennessee's education and higher education administrative structures. It restructures the Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation (TSAC) by transferring its governance to the Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC) effective July 1, 2025, while maintaining the corporation's existing functions of administering student assistance programs. The bill modifies the composition of the review committee for higher education, adding the president of the Tennessee Independent Colleges and Universities Association for specific planning purposes. Additionally, the bill terminates two specific educational loan programs - the Tennessee Teaching Scholars Program and the Minority Teaching Fellows Program - as of July 1, 2025, though TSAC will continue to administer any existing outstanding loans. The bill also makes a technical correction to a statutory reference in Section 49-4-943(a), changing a reference from "§ 33-1-101" to "§ 52-1-101". These changes are designed to streamline educational administrative processes and adjust existing educational support programs, with the modifications set to take effect on July 1, 2025.