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SB 1327

Education - As introduced, removes a provision that required the board of regents, the University of Tennessee, and the Tennessee Independent Colleges and Universities Association to provide a report by April 1, 2009, to the Tennessee higher education commission on the reasonable efforts their institutions have taken to attempt to deter infringement of copyrighted works over the school's computer and network resources. - Amends TCA Title 49.

114th Regular Session (2025-2026) Introduced by Raumesh Akbari

Removes an expired 2009 reporting mandate requiring Tennessee universities to document copyright infringement prevention efforts, eliminating outdated administrative requirements with no current legal effect.

Assigned to General Subcommittee of Senate Education Committee
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Bill Summary · SB 1327

Legislative bill overview

SB 1327 removes an outdated reporting requirement that has been in Tennessee law since 2009, which mandated higher education institutions (University of Tennessee, board of regents, and independent colleges) submit annual reports to the state higher education commission documenting their efforts to prevent copyright infringement on campus networks. The bill is essentially a cleanup measure eliminating a deadline that has long since passed.

Why is this important

This reflects a broader legislative practice of removing obsolete statutory language that creates unnecessary administrative burden. Since the April 1, 2009 deadline passed over 15 years ago, the reporting requirement is non-functional and creates potential confusion about what institutions are legally required to do. Removing it clarifies current obligations without changing substantive copyright compliance expectations.

Potential points of contention

  • Unclear rationale: The bill provides no explanation for why this specific requirement should be eliminated now, rather than when the deadline first passed
  • Institutional accountability: Some may argue that regular reporting on copyright infringement prevention efforts serves legitimate oversight purposes and shouldn't be eliminated without replacement mechanisms
  • Scope of cleanup: Questions about whether other similarly outdated provisions exist in higher education law and whether a comprehensive cleanup would be more efficient than individual bills

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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