Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the School Substance Prevention topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
House committee advances HB 902 to finance after sponsor pitches three‑year school prevention pilot
Summary
The Tennessee House Education Committee voted 16–1 (one present not voting) to send House Bill 902 to the Finance Committee after adopting an amendment to create a three‑year pilot that would fund an evidence‑based, repeat‑year substance‑use and violence‑prevention curriculum in five LEAs beginning in 2026–27.
Representative Jones, sponsor of House Bill 902, told the House Education Committee the amended bill would create a three‑year pilot beginning in the 2026–27 school year to award grants to five local education agencies to deliver age‑appropriate, evidence‑based substance‑use and violence‑prevention lessons for students in grades 3–11.
The pilot would establish repeated instruction across grade bands and align with coordinated school health guidelines, the sponsor said. "It is a three year pilot program starting in 26‑27 school year to award grants to 5 local education agencies to advance existing substance abuse and violence prevention programs," Jones told the committee.
Why it matters: lawmakers and presenters framed HB 902 as an attempt to address high overdose and substance‑use rates in Tennessee by making prevention instruction consistent and durable rather than episodic. Supporters cited both local programs and out‑of‑state evidence to argue for early, repeated curricula rather than single‑session efforts such as early versions of DARE.
What supporters told the committee: George Rallis of Murray County described Tennessee as "pretty much tied with West Virginia for having the highest overdose rates in the nation," and told members a 2022 figure of nearly 4,000 overdose deaths underscores the urgency of prevention. Chuck Coble, Marshall County Recovery Foundation chairman, said his district implemented a K–11 prevention curriculum this year and is already seeing teacher buy‑in and early results. Lisa Tipton of Families Free emphasized family and community engagement as integral to sustaining student behavior change.
Points of contention and follow‑up: Representative Johnson asked whether the program would create an unworkable burden on classroom teachers given existing curricular time pressures. Jones said teachers had been consulted, that the pilot would be limited to five LEAs to evaluate fit, and agreed to send committee members the Utah Board of Education data she cited showing substantial reductions in youth substance use where similar programs were adopted.
Formal action: after debate the committee called the previous question and the clerk reported the tally: 16 ayes, 1 nay and 1 present not voting. Chairman Sherman White announced that House Bill 902 moves to the Finance Committee for further consideration.
What’s next: the bill will be considered by the Finance Committee. The sponsor committed to provide the committee with the Utah data she referenced to support the program’s effectiveness.
Quote: "We are just trying to see if we can get it in 5 LEAs and see how it does work in Tennessee," Representative Jones said. "I'll be happy to send the Utah Board of Education data."
