TN SB2445

Prohibits professional employees and local boards of education from engaging in collaborative conferencing (formal negotiations over terms and conditions of employment) effective July 1, 2026

Redefines "representative" to explicitly exclude attorneys from representing either professional employees or school boards in these matters

Preserves the right of professional employees to request meetings with boards of education, but grants boards the right to refuse such requests

Allows local boards to continue voluntary consultation with individual professional employees outside the collaborative conferencing framework

Protects existing contracts and memoranda of understanding entered into before July 1, 2026, allowing them to remain in effect until expiration