# Tennessee HB 0045: AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 36; Title 37; Title 39 and Title 40, relative to child abuse. Tennessee HB 0045, AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 36; Title 37; Title 39 and Title 40, relative to child abuse., is a 114th General Assembly (2025-2026) House bill sponsored by no sponsor on record; status signed, last action 2025-05-27 (Effective date(s) 07/01/2025) (as of 2026-11-01). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/TN-HB0045-2025-2026 - As of: 2026-11-01 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Tennessee HB 0045 - State: Tennessee - Session: 114th General Assembly (2025-2026) - Title: AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 36; Title 37; Title 39 and Title 40, relative to child abuse. - Status: signed - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2024-12-19 - Last action: 2025-05-27, Effective date(s) 07/01/2025 - Sponsors: no sponsor on record - Cosponsors: 7 - Subjects: Criminal Offenses - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 7 (193 yes, 0 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 1 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Felony penalties for one child-abuse offense: cost, low. Tennessee raises the penalty for the child abuse offense under § 39-15-401(a). It changes from a Class A misdemeanor to a Class E felony. The law takes effect July 1, 2025, and applies only to offenses committed on or after that date. Offenses committed before that date are not affected. ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Cosponsor: Rebecca K. Alexander (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Jody Barrett (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Rick Eldridge (Republican), House - Cosponsor: T.J. Hardaway (Democrat), House - Cosponsor: Mary Littleton (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Powers - Cosponsor: Chris Todd (Republican), House ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2025-04-21 | Senate | FLOOR VOTE: Motion to Adopt 4/21/2025 | pass | 33 | 0 | | | 2025-04-14 | House | HOUSE CALENDAR & RULES COMMITTEE | fail | 0 | 0 | | | 2025-04-14 | House | FLOOR VOTE: CONSENT CALENDAR PASSAGE ON THIRD CONSIDERATION 4/14/2025 | pass | 94 | 0 | | | 2025-04-08 | House | HOUSE FINANCE, WAYS, AND MEANS COMMITTEE | pass | 28 | 0 | | | 2025-04-02 | House | HOUSE FINANCE, WAYS, AND MEANS SUBCOMMITTEE | pass | 8 | 0 | | | 2025-03-05 | House | HOUSE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE | pass | 21 | 0 | | | 2025-02-26 | House | HOUSE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SUBCOMMITTEE | pass | 9 | 0 | | ## Actions (32) - 2025-05-27: Effective date(s) 07/01/2025 - 2025-05-27: Pub. Ch. 472 - 2025-05-21: Signed by Governor. - 2025-05-09: Transmitted to Governor for his action. (House) - 2025-05-08: Signed by Senate Speaker (Senate) - 2025-04-30: Signed by H. Speaker (House) - 2025-04-24: Enrolled; ready for sig. of H. Speaker. (House) - 2025-04-21: Passed Senate, Ayes 33, Nays 0 (Senate) - 2025-04-21: Senate substituted House Bill for companion Senate Bill. (Senate) - 2025-04-15: Received from House, Passed on First Consideration (Senate) - 2025-04-14: Engrossed; ready for transmission to Sen. (House) - 2025-04-14: Passed H., Ayes 94, Nays 0, PNV 1 (House) - 2025-04-14: Sponsor(s) Added. (House) - 2025-04-10: H. Placed on Consent Calendar for 4/14/2025 (House) - 2025-04-09: Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 4/10/2025 (House) - 2025-04-08: Rec. for pass; ref to Calendar & Rules Committee (House) - 2025-04-02: Placed on cal. Finance, Ways, and Means Committee for 4/8/2025 (House) - 2025-04-02: Rec. for pass by s/c ref. to Finance, Ways, and Means Committee (House) - 2025-04-01: Sponsor(s) Added. (House) - 2025-03-26: Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/2/2025 (House) - 2025-03-06: Assigned to s/c Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee (House) - 2025-03-05: Rec. for pass; ref to Finance, Ways, and Means Committee (House) - 2025-02-26: Placed on cal. Judiciary Committee for 3/5/2025 (House) - 2025-02-26: Rec. for pass by s/c ref. to Judiciary Committee (House) - 2025-02-19: Placed on s/c cal Criminal Justice Subcommittee for 2/26/2025 (House) - 2025-02-18: Assigned to s/c Criminal Justice Subcommittee (House) - 2025-02-18: Ref. to Judiciary Committee (House) - 2025-02-06: Sponsor(s) Added. (House) - 2025-01-15: caption bill, held on desk - pending amdt. (House) - 2025-01-15: P2C held on desk, pending appointment of Standing Committees (House) - 2025-01-14: Intro., P1C. (House) - 2024-12-19: Filed for introduction (House) ## Bill text - Enrolled / Public Chapter: [PDF](https://publications.tnsosfiles.com/acts/114/pub/pc0472.pdf) - Fiscal Note: [PDF](https://capitol.tn.gov/Bills/114/Fiscal/HB0045.pdf) - Introduced: [PDF](https://capitol.tn.gov/Bills/114/Bill/HB0045.pdf) ## Related bills - SB 2733: AN ACT to amend Chapter 33 of the Private Acts of 1985; as amended by Chapter 85 of the Private Acts of 2004; and any other acts amendatory thereto, relative t… (failed) - SB 2690: AN ACT to make appropriations for the purpose of defraying the expenses of the state government for the fiscal years beginning July 1, 2025, and July 1, 2026,… (signed) - SB 2725: AN ACT to amend Chapter 48 of the Private Acts of 1919; as amended and rewritten by Chapter 15 of the Private Acts of 2013; Chapter 25 of the Private Acts of 2… (failed) - SB 2716: AN ACT to amend Chapter 325 of the Private Acts of 1945; as amended by Chapter 335 of the Private Acts of 1968; Chapter 282 of the Private Acts of 1972; Chapte… (failed) - SB 2702: AN ACT to amend Chapter 154 of the Private Acts of 1955; as amended by Chapter 158 of the Private Acts of 1988; Chapter 204 of the Private Acts of 1990; and an… (failed) - SB 2557: AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 3; Title 4; Title 5; Title 6; Title 7; Title 8; Title 10; Title 12; Title 29; Title 35; Title 36; Title 37; Tit… (failed) ## Sources - [Enrolled / Public Chapter (PDF)](https://publications.tnsosfiles.com/acts/114/pub/pc0472.pdf) - [Fiscal Note (PDF)](https://capitol.tn.gov/Bills/114/Fiscal/HB0045.pdf) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://capitol.tn.gov/Bills/114/Bill/HB0045.pdf) ## Related - [SB 2733: AN ACT to amend Chapter 33 of the Private Acts of 1985; as amended by Chapter 8…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/TN-SB2733-2025-2026) - [SB 2690: AN ACT to make appropriations for the purpose of defraying the expenses of the…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/TN-SB2690-2025-2026) - [SB 2725: AN ACT to amend Chapter 48 of the Private Acts of 1919; as amended and rewritte…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/TN-SB2725-2025-2026) - [SB 2716: AN ACT to amend Chapter 325 of the Private Acts of 1945; as amended by Chapter…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/TN-SB2716-2025-2026) - [SB 2702: AN ACT to amend Chapter 154 of the Private Acts of 1955; as amended by Chapter…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/TN-SB2702-2025-2026) - [SB 2557: AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 3; Title 4; Title 5; Title 6; T…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/TN-SB2557-2025-2026) - [Tennessee bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/tennessee/bills) - [Tennessee state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/tennessee) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/TN-HB0045-2025-2026 (as of 2026-11-01).