Children - As introduced, prohibits private schools participating in the individualized education account program, education savings account program, or that enroll recipients of an education freedom scholarship from employing an individual that has committed child abuse, severe child abuse, child sexual abuse, or child neglect; requires the department of human services to review, upon the request of certain child care agencies, an employee or potential employee to determine whether the individual has a record of perpetrating the abuse or neglect of children or adults. - Amends TCA Title 10, Chapter 7, Part 5; Title 37; Title 49 and Title 71.

114th Regular Session (2025-2026) Introduced by Becky Jo Alexander

Bars private schools in state education programs from hiring those with child abuse records; requires DHS to review employee backgrounds for child care agencies upon request.

Taken off notice for cal in s/c Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee of Finance, Ways, and Means Committee

#children

Legislative bill overview

HB 2475 prohibits private schools participating in state education funding programs (individualized education accounts, education savings accounts, and education freedom scholarships) from employing individuals with records of child abuse, severe abuse, sexual abuse, or neglect. It also requires the Department of Human Services to conduct background reviews of employees and potential employees in child care agencies upon request to determine abuse or neglect histories.

Why is this important

Child safety in educational and care settings is a fundamental public concern. This bill attempts to create additional screening mechanisms beyond existing background check requirements, potentially affecting hiring practices across multiple sectors serving children. The real-world impact depends heavily on implementation details, funding, and how "records" are defined and accessed.

Potential points of contention

Scope and existing protections: Tennessee may already have background check requirements for school employees; the bill's added value and potential regulatory duplication should be clarified

Definition and records access: What constitutes a "record" of abuse is critical—whether it includes substantiated findings, convictions only, or unproven allegations affects who gets disqualified, and interagency data-sharing raises privacy questions

Private school participation: Restricting participation in state funding programs based on hiring practices may create compliance burdens on smaller private schools or limit school choice for families in underserved areas

DHS capacity and liability: Requiring DHS to conduct reviews on request raises questions about agency resources, response timelines, and potential liability if reviews miss relevant history or falsely flag individuals