Amends TCA Title 54, Chapter 5.

This bill provides that public community colleges are not required to have a certain number of students enrolled for a directional sign to be erected for the college. Present law requires the department of transportation to implement a directional signing program for all institutions of higher learning, state colleges of applied technology, and state-operated special schools throughout the state. Under present law, institutions that are located within 10 miles of an interchange on the federal-aid interstate system of highways are signed on the interstate highway system. All state community colleges may be signed on the highway system if the colleges are within 19 miles of an interchange on the highway system. Rules of the department of transportation for the implementation of the directional signing program for institutions of higher education contain certain minimum enrollment requirements for certain institutions. This bill specifies, in regard to the provision whereby all state community colleges may be signed on the highway system if the colleges are within 19 miles of an interchange on the highway system that, notwithstanding any law or rule to the contrary, such institutions may be signed regardless of the number of students enrolled in the colleges. ON APRIL 26, 2021, THE SENATE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED SENATE BILL 427, AS AMENDED. AMENDMENT #1 rewrites this bill to require that any state community colleges that are within the service area of Roane State Community College, located in Campbell County, and located within five miles of Interstate 75 are signed.