Senate Education Committee Unanimously Votes In Favor Of “Tennessee Religious Freedom Act”

March 5, 2026
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Democrats, HB1834, House Bill 1834, House Education Committee, Mark Pody, Prayer, Raumesh Akbari, Republicans, Rick Eldridge, SB1957, school boards, Senate Bill 1957, Tennessee, Tennessee General Assembly, Tennessee House of Representatives, Tennessee Religious Freedom Act, Tennessee Senate

Image Credit: TN General Assembly

Tennessee Conservative News Staff –

The “Tennessee Religious Freedom Act” has been unanimously recommended for passage by the Senate Education Committee.

Senate Bill 1957 (SB1957), sponsored by State Senator Mark Pody, “authorizes a local board of education to open a meeting of the board with a prayer led by a member of the board as long as the prayer does not require participation of any person in attendance at the meeting and no person is harassed or coerced to participate in the prayer.”

After the bill was introduced by the sponsor, committee members were given an opportunity to ask questions.

State Senator Raumesh Akbari (D-Memphis-D29) asked if a board member of any faith would be allowed to lead that prayer or if the bill specified a particular religion.

Pody replied that the bill was not issuing stipulations on that but was just letting school boards know that they could open with a prayer if they wanted to.

With no further questions, committee members voted with all nine voting in favor of the bill.

The bill will be sent to the Senate Calendar Committee.

Companion House Bill 1834 (HB1834), sponsored by Representative Rick Eldridge (R-Morristown-D 10), was scheduled to be heard by the House Education Committee on Tuesday, March 3, but that action was deferred until their March 10 calendar.

House Education Committee – HB1834 to be heard March 10.

HB1834 authorizes a local board of education meeting to open with a prayer led by a school board member.

Senate Education Committee Unanimously Votes In Favor Of “Tennessee Religious Freedom Act”