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Student-backed bill to make election day an academic holiday rolled for edits
Summary
Representative Barrett presented a bill to require Tennessee public higher-education institutions to observe an academic holiday on general election day to improve youth turnout; the sponsor said language will be refined to limit scope to November even-year general elections and to exempt clinical rotations, and he rolled the bill to allow university input.
Representative Barrett told the committee HB 2167 would require Tennessee's public colleges and TCATs to observe an academic holiday on general election day so students and faculty could vote without class or testing conflicts. "Voting is the foundation of our democracy," testified Colby Norad, a UT Knoxville senior who spearheaded the campus policy change at UT and said local experience improved youth turnout.
Members asked whether the bill would cover August primaries or special elections, how it would treat student-athletes or students on hospital rotations, and whether other institutions had adopted the policy; witnesses and the sponsor said an amendment is expected to narrow the bill to November general elections in even years and to exempt clinical rotations and internships. Representative Barrett said he would roll the bill to incorporate language suggested by the University of Tennessee.
