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TennesseeHB 0102114th General Assembly (2025-2026)House

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 36, Chapter 1, Part 1, relative to adoption records.

Sponsored By: William Lamberth (Republican)

Became Law

Adoption

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

3 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 2 mixed.

Officials get needed records for child safety

Beginning July 1, 2025, the department may open adoption and related sealed records to carry out its duties. When it gets a report of child abuse or neglect, workers may get only the information needed to check the report, help the child, or reduce risk. A district attorney general may get information needed to investigate or prosecute child abuse or neglect. If a lawsuit about an adoptive child is filed against the department, department staff may access the records to handle the case.

Adoption records at 18, parents decide for minors

Beginning July 1, 2025, adopted people can request their records at age 18 or if emancipated. People who are 18 or emancipated get notices and make contact and disclosure decisions themselves. For relatives under 18, parents or legal representatives get the notices and make the decisions. Adoptive parents may access records for their under‑18 adopted child as allowed by the law. The law updates prior 21‑year age references to 18.

New rules for sharing birth parent info

Beginning July 1, 2025, if the consenting party is deceased, identifying info from sealed or post‑adoption records may be given to the adopted person and to listed relatives (parents, siblings, lineal descendants, and lineal ancestors). If records show a biological parent was a rape or incest victim, their identifying info is not released without that parent’s written consent; if the parent is deceased, the adopted person may receive it. If a conservator has been appointed under Title 34, lineal descendants may ask the court for access under the law. The law clarifies who may petition as a lineal descendant, updates wording in a related clause, and uses age 18 instead of 21 for this rule.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • William Lamberth

    Republican • House

Cosponsors

  • Jody Barrett

    Republican • House

  • Mark Cochran

    Republican • House

  • G.A. Hardaway

    Democrat • House

  • Torrey C. Harris

    Democrat • House

  • William Slater

    Republican • House

  • Chris Todd

    Republican • House

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 150 • No: 0

Senate vote • 3/10/2025

FLOOR VOTE: Motion to Adopt 3/10/2025

Yes: 30 • No: 0

House vote • 2/24/2025

FLOOR VOTE: CONSENT CALENDAR PASSAGE ON THIRD CONSIDERATION 2/24/2025

Yes: 93 • No: 0

House vote • 2/24/2025

HOUSE CALENDAR & RULES COMMITTEE

Yes: 0 • No: 0

House vote • 2/19/2025

HOUSE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE

Yes: 20 • No: 0

House vote • 2/11/2025

HOUSE CHILDREN AND FAMILY AFFAIRS SUBCOMMITTEE

Yes: 7 • No: 0

Actions Timeline

  1. Pub. Ch. 79

    4/4/2025

  2. Effective date(s) 07/01/2025

    4/4/2025

  3. Signed by Governor.

    3/28/2025

  4. Transmitted to Governor for his action.

    3/20/2025House

  5. Signed by H. Speaker

    3/19/2025House

  6. Signed by Senate Speaker

    3/19/2025Senate

  7. Enrolled; ready for sig. of H. Speaker.

    3/11/2025House

  8. Senate substituted House Bill for companion Senate Bill.

    3/10/2025Senate

  9. Passed Senate, Ayes 30, Nays 0

    3/10/2025Senate

  10. Received from House, Passed on First Consideration

    2/27/2025Senate

  11. Engrossed; ready for transmission to Sen.

    2/25/2025House

  12. Sponsor(s) Added.

    2/24/2025House

  13. Passed H., Ayes 93, Nays 0, PNV 2

    2/24/2025House

  14. H. Placed on Consent Calendar for 2/24/2025

    2/20/2025House

  15. Rec. for pass; ref to Calendar & Rules Committee

    2/19/2025House

  16. Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 2/20/2025

    2/19/2025House

  17. Placed on cal. Judiciary Committee for 2/19/2025

    2/12/2025House

  18. Rec. for pass by s/c ref. to Judiciary Committee

    2/11/2025House

  19. Sponsor(s) Added.

    2/10/2025House

  20. Placed on s/c cal Children and Family Affairs Subcommittee for 2/11/2025

    2/5/2025House

  21. Sponsor(s) Added.

    1/28/2025House

  22. Assigned to s/c Children and Family Affairs Subcommittee

    1/28/2025House

  23. Ref. to Judiciary Committee

    1/16/2025House

  24. P2C held on desk, pending appointment of Standing Committees

    1/15/2025House

  25. Intro., P1C.

    1/14/2025House

Bill Text

  • Enrolled / Public Chapter

    PDF

  • Fiscal Note

    PDF

  • Introduced

    PDF

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