All Roll Calls
Yes: 164 • No: 5
TennesseeHB 1263114th General Assembly (2025-2026)House
AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 36; Title 37 and Title 68, relative to children.
Sponsored By: Sponsor information unavailable
Signed by Governor
Children
Personalized for You
How does this bill affect your finances?
Personalize government policy and PRIA will tell you what this bill means for your household, plus every other piece of legislation we track. PRIA reads each provision against your financial profile to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.
Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
5 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 3 mixed.
Out-of-court surrender for newborns
Beginning January 1, 2027, Tennessee lets a birth parent give up parental rights without going before a judge by signing in Tennessee. You can use this only if the child is 6 months old or younger, not in department custody, and you are 18 or older with your own lawyer. You cannot use it if you have an intellectual or developmental disability or if you lack legal capacity. A surrender done under these rules has the same legal effect as one done in court.
Plan ahead with court-approved notice
You may file a court-approved notice saying you plan an out-of-court surrender. It must be signed by you, your lawyer, the accepting party, and that party’s lawyer, and cannot be signed more than 30 days before birth. File the notice, petition, and home study with the clerk; the court holds a hearing within 14 days. Reports stay confidential, with limited sharing if a report is adverse. If the court approves, it may give the accepting party provisional guardianship, which ends unless the surrender is signed within 30 days after birth or 30 days after approval. If you leave the baby with the accepting party or a facility and do not sign or ask for the child back during the 30-day window, the accepting party’s lawyer must seek full guardianship within 7 days after the notice expires; the court presumes you meant adoption unless that harms the child’s best interest or the accepting party declines. These rules apply beginning January 1, 2027.
Signing and revoking an out-of-court surrender
Beginning January 1, 2027, you may sign an out-of-court surrender only after you leave the birth facility or 72 hours after birth, whichever is later. Three different people must witness and certify the signing: your lawyer, an independent adult witness, and a notary. Some people tied to the case cannot serve. Your lawyer must certify compliance. The signed papers must be filed with the court within 3 days; the accepting party gets a copy, and their lawyer must seek full guardianship within 7 days. You can revoke within the three-day window in § 36-1-112 by hand-filing a signed, notarized revocation with the court. You or your lawyer can file it, and the court can help if the form is lost.
Out-of-state and video judge options
If the adoptive parent lives in another state, you can sign that state’s surrender or consent papers in Tennessee. A Tennessee judge can be present in person or by live video to see and hear you sign. If you are incarcerated, a warden, deputy warden, or a notary may witness instead. These options apply beginning January 1, 2027.
Standard surrender forms posted online
The court system develops and posts three standard forms online: a notice of intent with required rights, an out-of-court surrender form, and a revocation form. These forms are available to parents, lawyers, agencies, and courts.
Sponsors & Cosponsors
Sponsors
There is no primary sponsor on record.
Cosponsors
Rush Bricken
Republican • House
T.J. Hardaway
Democrat • House
Mary Littleton
Republican • House
Roll Call Votes
Senate vote • 4/20/2026
FLOOR VOTE: Third Consideration 4/20/2026
Yes: 27 • No: 4
House vote • 4/15/2026
FLOOR VOTE: REGULAR CALENDAR AS AMENDED PASSAGE ON THIRD CONSIDERATION 4/15/2026
Yes: 96 • No: 0
House vote • 4/13/2026
HOUSE CALENDAR & RULES COMMITTEE
Yes: 0 • No: 0
House vote • 4/7/2026
HOUSE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE
Yes: 17 • No: 1
House vote • 4/2/2026
HOUSE CALENDAR & RULES COMMITTEE
Yes: 0 • No: 0
House vote • 3/25/2026
HOUSE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE
Yes: 18 • No: 0
House vote • 3/17/2026
HOUSE CHILDREN AND FAMILY AFFAIRS SUBCOMMITTEE
Yes: 6 • No: 0
Actions Timeline
Effective date(s) 05/07/2026, 01/01/2027
5/15/2026Pub. Ch. 936
5/15/2026Signed by Governor.
5/7/2026Transmitted to Governor for his action.
5/6/2026HouseSigned by Senate Speaker
5/5/2026SenateSigned by H. Speaker
4/30/2026HouseEnrolled; ready for sig. of H. Speaker.
4/23/2026HousePassed Senate, Ayes 27, Nays 4, PNV 2
4/20/2026SenateSenate substituted House Bill for companion Senate Bill.
4/20/2026SenateReceived from House, Passed on First Consideration
4/15/2026SenateEngrossed; ready for transmission to Sen.
4/15/2026HousePassed H., as am., Ayes 96, Nays 0, PNV 0
4/15/2026HouseH. adopted am. (Amendment 2 - HA1062)
4/15/2026HouseAm. withdrawn. (Amendment 1 - HA0868)
4/15/2026HouseSponsor(s) Added.
4/15/2026HouseH. Placed on Regular Calendar for 4/13/2026
4/9/2026HousePlaced on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 4/9/2026
4/8/2026HouseRec. for pass. if am., ref. to Calendar & Rules Committee
4/7/2026HousePlaced on cal. Judiciary Committee for 4/7/2026
4/2/2026HouseRe-ref. Judiciary Committee
4/2/2026HouseSponsor(s) Added.
4/2/2026HouseH. Placed on Regular Calendar for 4/2/2026
3/26/2026HousePlaced on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 3/26/2026
3/25/2026HouseRec. for pass. if am., ref. to Calendar & Rules Committee
3/25/2026HousePlaced on cal. Judiciary Committee for 3/23/2026
3/18/2026House
Bill Text
HA1062 (Substitute)
4/15/2026
Enrolled / Public Chapter
Fiscal Note
HA0868
Introduced
Related Bills
HB 0794, AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4; Title 5; Title 6; Title 7; Title 8; Title 12; Title 13; Title 29; Title 54; Title 64; Title 65; Title 68 and Title 69, relative to municipal utilities.
HB 0489, AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 38; Title 39; Title 40 and Title 55, relative to criminal law.
HB 0162, AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 67, relative to taxes.
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 to the City of Gleason.
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 any other acts amendatory thereto, relative to the City of Charlotte.
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, in the administration, operation and maintenance of the legislative, executive and judicial branches of the various departments, institutions, offices and agencies of the state; for certain state aid and obligations; for capital outlay, for the service of the public debt, for emergency and contingency; to repeal certain appropriations and any acts inconsistent herewith; to provide provisional continuing appropriations; and to establish certain provisions, limitations and restrictions under which appropriations may be obligated and expended. This act makes appropriations for the purposes described above for the fiscal years beginning July 1, 2025, and July 1, 2026.