Higher Education Purchasing Act - Private Institution Procurement
Summary
The Tennessee General Assembly enacted the 'Higher Education Purchasing Act' (SB2670), amending Tennessee Code Annotated Title 12 and Title 49 to establish procurement requirements for private institutions of higher education. The bill passed the Senate 32-0 and the House 81-3. This legislation creates new obligations for private colleges and universities regarding procurement opportunities and purchasing practices.
What changed
Tennessee enacted the 'Higher Education Purchasing Act' (SB2670) on April 6, 2026, creating a new statutory framework governing procurement opportunities for private higher education institutions. The act amends TCA Title 12 (Public Contracts) and Title 49 (Education) and establishes the 'Higher Education Purchasing Act' as new law. The bill passed the Senate State and Local Government Committee unanimously (8-0) before clearing the full Senate 32-0 and House 81-3.
Private institutions of higher education in Tennessee must review their current procurement policies and procedures to ensure compliance with the new statutory requirements under TCA Titles 12 and 49. These institutions should assess how the act affects their purchasing practices, vendor selection processes, and any existing contracts. Compliance with the new procurement standards should be implemented according to any transition periods specified in the act.
What to do next
- Review current procurement policies against new requirements under the Higher Education Purchasing Act
- Update internal purchasing procedures to align with TCA Title 12 and Title 49 amendments
- Assess vendor selection and contracting processes for compliance with the new statutory framework
Source document (simplified)
ChangeBridge / Tennessee / SB2670 Passed SB2670 Senate Bill Passed 2026-02-26
AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 12 and Title 49, relative to the procurement opportunities available to private institutions of higher education in this state.
As introduced, enacts the "Higher Education Purchasing Act." - Amends TCA Title 12 and Title 49.
Bill Details
State Tennessee
Session 114th General Assembly
Chamber Senate
Official Source wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/Billinfo/Default?...
LegiScan View on LegiScan
Sponsors
Raumesh Akbari (Sen - D)
Action History
2026-04-06 H Passed H., Ayes 81, Nays 3, PNV 3 2026-04-06 H Subst. for comp. HB. 2026-03-02 H Rcvd. from S., held on H. desk. 2026-02-26 S Engrossed; ready for transmission to House 2026-02-26 S Passed Senate, Ayes 32, Nays 0 2026-02-24 S Placed on Senate Consent Calendar 2 for 2/26/2026 2026-02-24 S Recommended for passage, refer to Senate Calendar Committee 2026-02-17 S Placed on Senate State and Local Government Committee calendar for 2/24/2026 2026-02-05 S Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate State and Local Government Committee 2026-02-02 S Introduced, Passed on First Consideration 2026-02-02 S Filed for introduction
Votes
2026-02-24 SENATE STATE & LOCAL GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE: Recommended for passage, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Yea: 8 Nay: 0 2026-02-26 FLOOR VOTE: Motion to Adopt Yea: 32 Nay: 0 2026-04-06 FLOOR VOTE: REGULAR CALENDAR PASSAGE ON THIRD CONSIDERATION Yea: 81 Nay: 3
Committee Referrals
2026-02-05 S State and Local Government 2026-02-24 S Calendar
Bill Text Versions
2026-02-02 Draft
Subjects
Public Contracts Legislative data powered by LegiScan (CC BY 4.0)
Named provisions
Related changes
Source
Classification
Who this affects
Taxonomy
Browse Categories
Get Government General alerts
Weekly digest. AI-summarized, no noise.
Free. Unsubscribe anytime.
Get alerts for this source
We'll email you when Tennessee Legislative Events publishes new changes.