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HB 1383

Local Education Agencies - As enacted, authorizes a local legislative body for a county that has adopted a charter form of government to require elections for the county board of education to be held at the same time and on the same election cycle as elections for members of the local legislative body for the county, members of the county board of education to have successive terms of office if members of the local legislative body for the county have successive terms of office and members of the county board of education to have the same term limits as members of the local legislative body for the county. - Amends TCA Title 2; Title 5; Title 7; Title 8 and Title 49.

114th Regular Session (2025-2026) Introduced by Torrey Harris

Allows Tennessee charter counties to sync school board elections with county elections and apply identical term limits to school board members as county officials.

Pub. Ch. 527
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Bill Summary · HB 1383

Legislative bill overview

HB 1383 allows Tennessee counties with charter governments to synchronize school board elections with county government elections, occurring on the same schedule and cycle. The bill also permits counties to apply the same term lengths and term limits to school board members as they do to county legislative members.

Why is this important

This changes how school board elections are administered in certain counties, potentially affecting voter participation rates, campaign coordination, and the operational relationship between county government and education governance. It may reduce election costs by consolidating voting dates while also influencing school board member tenure and turnover patterns.

Potential points of contention

  • Educational independence concerns: Aligning school board election cycles with county politics could increase political influence over education decisions and reduce the traditional separation between educational and general government operations
  • Term limit implications: Applying county term limits to school board members may force experienced education leaders off boards prematurely or prevent them from serving based on political term restrictions rather than educational performance
  • Charter county specificity: The provision applies only to charter counties, creating inconsistent governance structures across Tennessee and potentially giving some counties more control over education administration than others

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

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