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SB 1118

Education, Higher - As introduced, reduces, from 65 to 62, the minimum age of a person who is eligible to enroll in courses for credit at state-supported colleges and universities without payment of tuition and certain fees; adds law schools and veterinary schools to the list of schools at which disabled persons and persons of a certain age are not eligible to audit or enroll without payment of tuition and fees. - Amends TCA Title 49.

114th Regular Session (2025-2026) Introduced by London Lamar

Tennessee bill reduces senior tuition-free college enrollment age from 65 to 62 while excluding law and veterinary schools from disability/senior fee waivers.

Withdrawn.
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Bill Summary · SB 1118

Legislative bill overview

SB 1118 lowers the minimum age for tuition-free enrollment at Tennessee state colleges and universities from 65 to 62 years old. Additionally, it explicitly excludes law schools and veterinary schools from programs allowing disabled persons and seniors to audit or enroll without paying tuition and fees.

Why is this important

This bill directly affects access to higher education for older adults and disabled individuals by expanding eligibility for tuition-free enrollment while simultaneously narrowing it for professional graduate programs. The changes could influence educational participation rates among seniors on fixed incomes and affect accessibility in specialized degree programs.

Potential points of contention

  • Cost to institutions: Lowering the age threshold expands the pool of tuition-free students, potentially increasing financial burden on state universities already facing budget constraints
  • Equity in professional programs: Excluding law and veterinary schools from tuition-free programs for seniors and disabled persons may be viewed as limiting access to high-demand professional degrees for these populations
  • Fairness of age-based benefits: Questions about whether age 62 versus 65 is the appropriate threshold, and whether this creates inconsistency with federal retirement and benefits programs (which typically use age 65+)

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

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