---
type: "Bill"
title: "Local Education Agencies - As enacted, requires each board of education for an LEA that operates at least one high school to adopt and implement a policy to authorize a high school student to serve as an advisory, nonvoting representative on the board during meetings that are open to the public. - Amends TCA Title 49, Chapter 2."
description: "Local Education Agencies - As enacted, requires each board of education for an LEA that operates at least one high school to adopt and implement a policy to authorize a high school student to serve as an advisory, nonvoting representative on the board during meetings that are open to the public. - Amends TCA Title 49, Chapter 2."
jurisdiction: "us/states/tn"
legislature: "Tennessee General Assembly"
session: "114"
identifier: "SB 161"
citation: "Tennessee SB 161 (114)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: ["Local Education Agencies"]
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: ["Hensley"]
version_count: 4
action_count: 28
vote_count: 4
first_action: "2025-01-15"
last_action: "2025-05-13"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/b5ba98e3-1584-44cd-8d4b-b9e1d0a3924d"
source_url: "https://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/BillInfo/Default?BillNumber=SB0161&ga=114"
source_hash: "6b97e3223a2a1cc56cc720c69ac92463b77e2458856d4cd94537c46659d75abc"
vintage: "2026-07-01"
source_snapshot: "https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-06"
confidence: "reported"
tags: ["legislation", "bill", "us-tn"]
---

# Tennessee SB 161 (114) — Local Education Agencies - As enacted, requires each board of education for an LEA that operates at least one high school to adopt and implement a policy to authorize a high school student to serve as an advisory, nonvoting representative on the board during meetings that are open to the public. - Amends TCA Title 49, Chapter 2.

## Version chain

The bill's text revisions, in order — the diff chain from filing to enrollment.

1. **Amendment HA0163** (committee substitute) — [source](https://capitol.tn.gov/Bills/114/Amend/HA0163.pdf)
2. **Amendment HA0420** (committee substitute) — [source](https://capitol.tn.gov/Bills/114/Amend/HA0420.pdf)
3. **Amendment SA0279** (committee substitute) — [source](https://capitol.tn.gov/Bills/114/Amend/SA0279.pdf)
4. **Current Version** (committee substitute) — [source](https://capitol.tn.gov/Bills/114/Bill/SB0161.pdf)

## Votes

- SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE: Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 8, Nays 0 PNV 1 3/26/2025 Passed — **8–0** (pass) · upper
- FLOOR VOTE: REGULAR CALENDAR AS AMENDED PASSAGE ON THIRD CONSIDERATION 4/16/2025 Passed (1) — **86–1** (pass) · lower
- FLOOR VOTE: as Amended Third Consideration 4/3/2025 Passed (2) — **29–0** (pass) · upper
- FLOOR VOTE: Motion to Concur House Amendment # 2 4/17/2025 Passed (1) — **33–0** (pass) · upper

## Sponsors

- Hensley — primary (person)

## Timeline

The legislative action history — every referral, reading, and vote.

- **2025-01-15** Filed for introduction `filing`
- **2025-01-16** Introduced, Passed on First Consideration `introduction`
- **2025-01-27** Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Education Committee `referral-committee`
- **2025-03-05** Placed on Senate Education Committee calendar for 3/12/2025
- **2025-03-12** Placed on Senate Education Committee calendar for 3/19/2025
- **2025-03-12** Action deferred in Senate Education Committee to 3/19/2025
- **2025-03-19** Placed on Senate Education Committee calendar for 3/26/2025
- **2025-03-19** Action deferred in Senate Education Committee to 3/26/2025
- **2025-03-26** Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 8, Nays 0 PNV 1
- **2025-03-27** Sponsor(s) Added. `sponsorship`
- **2025-04-01** Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 4/3/2025
- **2025-04-03** Engrossed; ready for transmission to House `receipt`
- **2025-04-03** Passed Senate as amended, Ayes 29, Nays 0 `passage`
- **2025-04-03** Senate adopted Amendment (Amendment 1 - SA0279)
- **2025-04-07** Rcvd. from S., held on H. desk.
- **2025-04-16** Placed on Senate Message Calendar for 4/17/2025
- **2025-04-16** Passed H., as am., Ayes 86, Nays 1, PNV 6 `passage`
- **2025-04-16** H. adopted am. (Amendment 2 - HA0420) `amendment-passage`
- **2025-04-16** Am. withdrawn. (Amendment 1 - HA0163) `amendment-withdrawal`
- **2025-04-16** Subst. for comp. HB. `substitution`
- **2025-04-17** Concurred, Ayes 33, Nays 0 (Amendment 2 - HA0420) `passage`
- **2025-04-22** Signed by H. Speaker `passage`
- **2025-04-22** Signed by Senate Speaker `passage`
- **2025-04-22** Enrolled and ready for signatures `enrolled`
- **2025-04-23** Transmitted to Governor for action. `executive-receipt`
- **2025-05-05** Signed by Governor. `executive-signature`
- **2025-05-13** Effective date(s) 05/05/2025, 07/01/2025
- **2025-05-13** Pub. Ch. 359

## Source

OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot [2026-07-01](https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump); origin `ocd-bill/b5ba98e3-1584-44cd-8d4b-b9e1d0a3924d`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official Tennessee legislature records).