Amends TCA Section 49-7-2004 and Section 49-7-2022.

This bill revises exemption and bond requirement provisions of the Tennessee Higher Education Authorization Act of 2016, as follows:<br /> <br /> (1) Present law exempts from the Act any postsecondary educational institution that, among other things, has had its primary campus domiciled in the same state for at least 20 consecutive years and continues to have its primary campus domiciled in that state.<br /> <br /> This bill revises the above exemption to provide that the postsecondary educational institution described above may be: <br /> <br /> (A) The primary campus;<br /> (B) Another location of the institution in the same state where the primary campus is domiciled; or<br /> (C) An alternate location, including a branch or satellite campus, located in a state other than the state where the primary campus is located, but has been located in the state where the alternate location is presently located for at least 20 consecutive years.<br /> <br /> (2) Under present law, the Tennessee higher education commission may require a postsecondary educational institution that is applying for authorization to operate, or for renewal of the authorization, to file with the commission a good and sufficient surety bond. Institutions that qualify under the optional expedited authorization are exempt from this bond provision under present law. This bill removes that exemption.<br /> <br /> ON FEBRUARY 21, 2019, THE SENATE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED SENATE BILL 335, AS AMENDED.<br /> <br /> AMENDMENT #1 adds to this bill and changes present law by specifying that the exemption described in the Bill Summary applies to a postsecondary educational institution if its primary campus has been accredited by a recognized accreditor for at least 20 consecutive years.<br /> <br />