[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6298037,"mediaKeyId","2505661-372f90a43b789ca5b7d511c013e1c0ce","parentId",2505661,"title","Subcommittee approves bill to modernize THEC authorities and streamline program approvals","audioSeconds",221,"startMs",1638000,"endMs",1859000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2505661-372f90a43b789ca5b7d511c013e1c0ce&start=1638&end=1859","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2505661-372f90a43b789ca5b7d511c013e1c0ce/thumbnail_1638000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6298037/Tennessee/Subcommittee-approves-bill-to-modernize-THEC-authorities-and-streamline-program-approvals","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6298037-0d75872c42ef3eb6e33a17a4803ced7b/orig.mp4?Expires=1770447613&Signature=TZ1MkaG9pMQJ3m0TucTSswPRKIPsdSSLEQHWnSKuESd0Au0Bq7CvHldMyjv3QL~gdIH6WE7z17MFIr6XlnescvwPF8FrYy2FF8jRrT~6n9Af7PaGM7LRDTZjqg41FbcQ3eW16x-lXeHjjI27FFC0JRggT8Q1CzG1Gf0gjfPhYnblcGyaWXb3l1AT4nfr2Go14kPqAlf~XmLrKdxD98bBiNZjeMjTtjTA6t013mVguDPfxviipuP8StKWoG70K4YD0J19kXxtq5k~iZBaghEA9QisOIF9KKqB23MsfrPZFS5DSsCYNUseHN7W6opfF~HH4RdBRPPtB55zqo0L1eBnmw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","TN State Legislature","date","2025-03-05T00:00:00Z","article","The House Higher Education Subcommittee unanimously approved House Bill 1227, which updates statutes governing the Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC) to clarify responsibilities for tuition-policy guidance, student-access outreach, and academic-program approval processes.

Representative Lehi, sponsor of an amendment that was adopted, told the committee the amendment \"clarifies THEC's authority to identify capital investment needs for the state,\" and that the bill aligns statute language to current practice on student-facing functions. The bill also revises THEC's tuition-and-fee guidance to permit institution-specific flexibility while maintaining an affordability focus and expands the statutory definition of a quality nondegree credential to expressly include registered apprenticeships, occupational licensure, and certificates that culminate in industry-recognized credentials.

The measure permits THEC to delegate some academic-program approval authority to the executive director to allow expedited approvals between commission meetings and to authorize expedited approval for certain off-site campus locations. The bill also clarifies that searches for THEC's executive director position are subject to the same public-notice and confidentiality rules applied to institutional presidents and chancellors.

Committee procedure and vote: the subcommittee adopted the amendment and then voted 5-0 to report the bill to the full Education Committee.

Why it matters: Sponsor testimony framed the bill as a modernization measure intended to improve institutional responsiveness to market demands and to align statutory language with historical practice. Supporters said delegation to an executive director is intended to speed approvals without removing oversight.

Next steps: House Bill 1227 will be considered by the full Education Committee.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Higher Education Subcommittee\tMar 5, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Higher Education Subcommittee unanimously advanced House Bill 1227, a measure that updates THEC authority and streamlines academic-program approvals, after adopting an amendment clarifying capital-investment identification.","taxTitle","Higher Education, House of Representatives, Committees, Legislative, Tennessee","taxId",79845,"location","Tennessee","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6298042,"Higher Education Subcommittee advances bill to extend Ben Ashley supplemental awards to Western Governors University",1272,357000,1629000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2505661-372f90a43b789ca5b7d511c013e1c0ce&start=357&end=1629","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2505661-372f90a43b789ca5b7d511c013e1c0ce/thumbnail_357000.jpg","/articles/6298042/Tennessee/Higher-Education-Subcommittee-advances-bill-to-extend-Ben-Ashley-supplemental-awards-to-Western-Governors-University","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6298042-e6519381c92ee503816f62a28210cfa1/orig.mp4?Expires=1770447613&Signature=R-HL~DiroksUtXnfewmMTDM-iCMpdF7wflu5RvtyYdndX9SoGZntqMjLy8Bt~IOoxpEmsvEUBD9S8d16mwHx5K1aHWuZqvG7uI7Hl6ysgJIjsKIjMauC~genYdJVks0kY0~prGWq8~UidkszOlmZIdeeQw34uZzqJ~Bpwo1bSSz2XPQNi1yZSX47XKZ4KdNYuk462gDHCqEi2HbWQkGIbm-dvJN3mk8VesrMXOxmIqb9KMzw3QAvchgGppP46ONWoZHCpvazjayM5mpH14hVj9Gzq-S27rl0T4nW5hgETbJ3cqLNrhlW~RUqK1BYL8p7QRAZPpzHaMAw~wY9WXejZg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Tennessee House Higher Education Subcommittee voted 4-1 to advance House Bill 645, a measure to add Western Governors University to the list of institutions eligible for the Ben Ashley supplemental award that augments the Tennessee Student Assistance Award (TSAA).

Sponsor Chairman Garrett, a member of the Higher Education Subcommittee and the bill’s sponsor, told the committee the bill would open state scholarship dollars to working adults who attend WGU and similar competency-based programs. \"This legislation comes to me from Western Governors ... it opens up an opportunity that folks that are working, they may have kids,\" Garrett said, describing the institution as an online option for nurses and teachers.

The measure matters because the Ben Ashley component is an augmentation to the TSAA targeted at low-income students attending private institutions. Lou Hanneman of the Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC) and the Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation (TSAC) told the committee the TSAA appropriation is roughly $113 million and is fully subscribed in typical years. \"As I understand, this has a little over a $2,000,000 fiscal note, which again represents those would be 1,200 students who otherwise would have received this award,\" Hanneman said.

Hanneman told members the money for the TSAA and its Ben Ashley supplement comes from the general fund, not lottery proceeds, and that awards are distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. He warned that adding WGU to the supplemental eligibility would shift a portion of a fixed pool to WGU students: \"If we add WGU, then that means dollars that go to WGU would be dollars that wouldn't go to a student at another private university like Carson Newman or Vanderbilt or Lipscomb.\"

Representative Glenn said he would support the bill but asked for further study in subsequent committees to ensure the change would not harm students at public institutions. Hanneman reiterated that WGU students already qualify for the base TSAA award; the bill concerns only the additional Ben Ashley supplement.

Action and next steps: the committee clerk recorded 4 ayes and 1 nay; the bill was reported out to the full Education Committee.

Why it matters: Supporters argued the change increases access for working adults — an average age of about 33 was cited for WGU enrollees — and helps fill workforce needs such as nursing and teaching. Opponents and staff cautioned the change draws from a fully subscribed, recurring general fund pot and carries a recurring fiscal impact of roughly $2 million unless the legislature increases the TSAA appropriation.

Votes at a glance
House Bill 645 — Advance to full Education: 4 ayes, 1 nay. Fiscal note: approximately $2,000,000 recurring (staff estimate).","The Higher Education Subcommittee voted 4-1 to advance House Bill 645, which would make Western Governors University eligible for the Ben Ashley supplemental component of the Tennessee Student Assistance Award; staff warned the program is fully subscribed and the fiscal note is about $2 million.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6298032,"Subcommittee adopts amendment to HB738 clarifying high-school cosmetology/barbering enrollment path to TCAT; sends bill to lottery calendar",125,1860000,1985000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2505661-372f90a43b789ca5b7d511c013e1c0ce&start=1860&end=1985","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2505661-372f90a43b789ca5b7d511c013e1c0ce/thumbnail_1860000.jpg","/articles/6298032/Tennessee/Subcommittee-adopts-amendment-to-HB738-clarifying-high-school-cosmetologybarbering-enrollment-path-to-TCAT-sends-bill-to-lottery-calendar","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6298032-fcf1c036925b3940a8ee5c17af8780a6/orig.mp4?Expires=1770447613&Signature=gkscKt0hS3dHpIjhnhGupVaJ1G44tYiJEEDmx5ouRs9PdwBFdjHH2Mp1EJEptZRFzytiFw3KIEb2WAfdKb6TckBgB7INlZLfrjCshn0SmIzNxN-uc3Lmd73RR1RaTvNEV2JHyzqsGH2qyzMvXqi0kt0BJtY8cUu4o9RAZEmtPzTJhSkZi4hvI24rc0OOZMxk4F6KYPXKlgLpsse0xGfx08rMjsX~nwoCmSTqlxT~KjgWPwwwgx11eSbNSs2Oap3C1hUosfJ7AaOgGF9ZAOrxXbAwJ-XO3AvmWYXVR6laaGKRsLWIoExPXDWCPQ~65RUjSon3UAXWhzKC~YlHg7u-vg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Higher Education Subcommittee adopted Amendment 4246 to House Bill 738, clarifying that the bill applies to students enrolled in cosmetology or barbering courses in high school who then seek enrollment at a Tennessee College of Applied Technology (TCAT). Representative Parkinson offered the amendment and, after a motion and second, members voted to add it.

Representative Parkinson said the amendment \"clarifies which students that we're talking about, and we are talking about enrollment cosmetology or barbering, course in high school and then, seek to go to a TCAT.\" The committee chair welcomed a visiting Bartlett alderman but no additional outside testimony was offered in the record.

Committee action: the committee adopted Amendment 4246 (voice vote recorded as \"ayes have it\") and the sponsor indicated the bill will be placed on the lottery calendar for a later hearing.

Why it matters: Supporters said the change simply clarifies the intended student group (high-school students transitioning to TCAT programs) and avoids ambiguity about which enrollments the bill affects. The measure was not taken up on the lottery calendar during this meeting; committee members said the lottery calendar and the committee's final calendar will be coordinated on the same day.

Next steps: House Bill 738, as amended, will be scheduled for the lottery calendar for future consideration.","Members added Amendment 4246 to House Bill 738 to clarify which high-school cosmetology or barbering students may transition to Tennessee College of Applied Technology enrollment; the bill will be placed on the lottery calendar for later hearing.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Subcommittee approves bill to modernize THEC authorities and streamline program approvals

Higher Education Subcommittee advances bill to extend Ben Ashley supplemental awards to Western Governors University

Subcommittee adopts amendment to HB738 clarifying high-school cosmetology/barbering enrollment path to TCAT; sends bill to lottery calendar