TN HB1491

Public schools must teach the Bible as literature and provide age-appropriate instruction on biblical history, stories, moral teachings, the life of Jesus, early Christian church history, and the Bible's influence on western civilization, with opt-out provisions for students whose parents request exemption.

Public schools must provide a daily designated period for prayer and Bible reading, requiring signed consent forms from participants that include waivers of legal claims and mandatory arbitration agreements for any disputes.

State officers and employees are prohibited from enforcing "separation of church and state doctrine" or the Establishment Clause unless required by a court judgment directly against them or a directly-on-point U.S. Supreme Court ruling with no reasonable grounds for distinction.

Individuals adversely affected by improper enforcement of church-state separation may sue state officers for declaratory relief, injunctive relief, compensatory damages, and attorney's fees, with jury trial rights guaranteed.

Plaintiffs who sue to enforce separation of church and state in Tennessee courts face mandatory fee-shifting, making them jointly and severally liable for the prevailing defendant's costs and attorney's fees regardless of dismissal reason. Effective July 1, 2026.