TN SB1714

Public schools must teach the Bible as literature and provide age-appropriate instruction on biblical history, moral teachings, the life of Jesus, early Christian church history, and the Bible's influence on western civilization, with an opt-out for students upon parental or adult student request.

Public schools must provide daily opportunities 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 may only enforce "separation of church and state doctrine" or the Establishment Clause when complying with a court judgment directly against them or a directly-on-point U.S. Supreme Court ruling with no reasonable grounds for distinction.

Persons adversely affected by improper enforcement of church-state separation can sue for declaratory relief, injunctive relief, compensatory damages, and attorney's fees; plaintiffs who sue to enforce separation doctrine and lose become liable for the defendant's legal costs.

Effective July 1, 2026.