Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Education Chaplaincy topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
House committee advances bill allowing volunteer chaplains in Tennessee schools
Summary
On Jan. 20, 2026, the House Finance Ways and Means Committee approved House Bill 1250 to allow local school boards and charter schools to employ or accept volunteer chaplains if the school opts in; sponsor said student contact would require parental permission and school-board rules.
NASHVILLE — The Tennessee House Finance Ways and Means Committee voted Jan. 20 to advance House Bill 1250, a measure that would allow local school boards and charter schools to employ or accept volunteer chaplains to support students, teachers and school facilities if the district or school opts in.
Representative Mayberry, the bill sponsor, described the measure as an opt-in program for districts and charter schools. "I bridal house bill 12 50, which allows local school boards and charter schools to employ or accept a volunteer chaplain to support students, teachers, and facilities if they opt in," Mayberry said when introducing the proposal.
The bill drew a question from Representative Love, who asked whether the legislation contains any prohibition on proselytizing by chaplains while interacting with students. Mayberry replied that any chaplain who would interact with students "would have to get permission from the parent," adding that the school board would set the rules and that a signed waiver would be necessary for a chaplain to interact with students.
After brief discussion, the committee voted to move House Bill 1250 to calendar and rules. Clerk roll-call details were taken; the chairman announced, "The ayes do have it. House bill 12 50 moves on to calendar and rules." No recorded roll-call tally with individual votes was read into the transcript beyond the clerk noting members present earlier in the meeting.
Committee members received additional reminders about committee procedures: the deadline to submit proposed committee amendments is Monday at 10 a.m., local bills with local fiscal impact will only be considered if sponsored or cosponsored by a representative from the affected locality, and requests to testify must be submitted to the chairman's office no later than 24 hours before a scheduled meeting.
The committee also was notified of upcoming department and agency budget hearings scheduled to begin Feb. 9 and to run through Feb. 26. The chairman closed the meeting with no further business.
What happens next: House Bill 1250 will be scheduled for consideration by the full House under the calendar and rules process; the committee record does not specify dates for further floor action or the vote tally by member.
