Committee advances bill requiring a civics course for Tennessee public university graduates

Representative Gantt (speaker 13) introduced HB 291 as a bipartisan effort "about strengthening civic literacy" that would require every student graduating from a Tennessee public university to engage directly with foundational texts including the U.S. and Tennessee Constitutions, Declaration of Independence, Federalist Papers, Emancipation Proclamation, Gettysburg Address and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s "Letter from Birmingham Jail." He said the Institute of American Civics at the University of Tennessee would develop curriculum templates while institutions retain instructional authority.

Michael Poliakoff (speaker 14), introduced by the sponsor, testified in support, calling civic illiteracy "an urgent need" and citing survey results he said showed limited student knowledge and concerning responses: "Right now only 3 Tennessee universities have a requirement for a course in US history or government" and he cited a College Pulse survey result on civic knowledge (Michael Poliakoff). Members pressed on fiscal and implementation details: Lou Hanneman of THEC (speaker 17) said campuses would determine how to absorb the requirement within existing general-education credit buckets and raised questions about the fiscal note that estimated 61 new positions. Representative Reedy (speaker 18) and Representative Johnson (speaker 6) both questioned the cost estimate and whether the fiscal note undercounts adjunct options and actual student totals. The committee voted to advance HB 291 to finance (vote recorded 17 ayes, 1 no).