PRIA Logo™
TennesseeHB 1979114th General Assembly (2025-2026)HouseWALLET

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4; Title 43; Title 49; Title 57; Title 67 and Title 71, relative to child care.

Sponsored By: Mark White, Mark (Republican)

Became Law

Human Services, Dept. of

Your PRIA Score

Score Hidden

Personalized for You

How does this bill affect your finances?

Sign up for a PRIA Policy Scan to see your personalized alignment score for this bill and every other piece of legislation we track. We analyze your financial profile against policy provisions to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.

Free to start

Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

4 provisions identified: 4 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.

Free child care for child care workers

Child care workers who average at least 30 hours per week get free child care for their children. This applies no matter your household income. The help is applied after any other state or federal child care assistance. The department must hire outreach vendors by November 1, 2026, and can operate the pilot starting January 1, 2027, when funds are available. Lawmakers state an intent to allocate $5 million over each three-year period.

Sliding-scale child care scholarships for families

Working families with income at or below 150% of the state median can get sliding-scale child care scholarships. Help is applied after any other state or federal child care assistance. The department sets benefit levels, copays, and priorities by rule. The program can run on or after January 1, 2027 when funding is available.

State match for employer child care

If your employer joins CareShare and contributes to child care, the state matches that amount from a dedicated fund when money is available. The match is up to 100% if your household income is at or below 100% of the state median. It drops by 10 percentage points for every 20-point rise above 100% of the median, and it is 50% if income is over 150% of the median. A third-party administrator must be in place by November 1, 2026, and the pilot can operate starting January 1, 2027. Participation by employers, employees, and providers is voluntary, and the legislature states an intent to allocate $5 million over each three-year period.

New fund for child care programs

The state creates the Promising Futures Fund to pay for the new child care programs. Starting January 1, 2027, money from designated taxes, state budgets, federal grants, and donations goes into the fund. Interest stays in the fund, and balances do not revert. The department can keep up to 10% for administration. Money can be spent only on these programs and only when the legislature appropriates it.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • Mark White, Mark

    Republican • House

Cosponsors

  • Scott Cepicky, Scott

    Republican • House

  • Dave Wright, Dave

    Republican • House

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 247 • No: 12

House vote • 4/22/2026

FLOOR VOTE: MESSAGE CALENDAR 2 CONCUR IN SENATE AMENDMENT # 2 4/22/2026

Yes: 77 • No: 3

House vote • 4/22/2026

FLOOR VOTE: REGULAR CALENDAR AS AMENDED PASSAGE ON THIRD CONSIDERATION 4/22/2026

Yes: 73 • No: 8

Senate vote • 4/22/2026

FLOOR VOTE: as Amended Third Consideration 4/22/2026

Yes: 31 • No: 0

House vote • 4/21/2026

HOUSE CALENDAR & RULES COMMITTEE

Yes: 0 • No: 0

House vote • 4/20/2026

HOUSE FINANCE, WAYS, AND MEANS COMMITTEE

Yes: 26 • No: 0

House vote • 4/20/2026

HOUSE FINANCE, WAYS, AND MEANS SUBCOMMITTEE

Yes: 12 • No: 0

House vote • 4/6/2026

HOUSE GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS COMMITTEE

Yes: 8 • No: 1

House vote • 3/31/2026

HOUSE HEALTH COMMITTEE

Yes: 14 • No: 0

House vote • 3/11/2026

HOUSE HEALTH SUBCOMMITTEE

Yes: 6 • No: 0

Actions Timeline

  1. Pub. Ch. 997

    5/26/2026

  2. Effective date(s) 05/19/2026, 01/01/2027

    5/26/2026

  3. Signed by Governor.

    5/19/2026

  4. Transmitted to Governor for his action.

    5/7/2026House

  5. Signed by Senate Speaker

    5/5/2026Senate

  6. Signed by H. Speaker

    4/30/2026House

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

    4/28/2026House

  8. H. adopted am. (Amendment 1 - HA1231)

    4/22/2026House

  9. Passed H., as am., Ayes 73, Nays 8, PNV 10

    4/22/2026House

  10. Engrossed; ready for transmission to Sen.

    4/22/2026House

  11. Sponsor(s) Added.

    4/22/2026House

  12. Received from House, Passed on First Consideration

    4/22/2026Senate

  13. Senate substituted House Bill for companion Senate Bill.

    4/22/2026Senate

  14. Amendment withdrawn. (Amendment 1 - SA1105)

    4/22/2026Senate

  15. Senate adopted Amendment (Amendment 2 - SA1106)

    4/22/2026Senate

  16. Passed Senate as amended, Ayes 31, Nays 0

    4/22/2026Senate

  17. H. Placed on Message Calendar #2 for 4/22/26

    4/22/2026House

  18. H. concurred in S. am. no. 2 Ayes 77, Nays 3 PNV 5

    4/22/2026House

  19. Rec for pass if am by s/c ref. to Finance, Ways, and Means Committee

    4/20/2026House

  20. Placed on cal. Finance, Ways, and Means Committee for 4/20/2026

    4/20/2026House

  21. Rec. for pass. if am., ref. to Calendar & Rules Committee

    4/20/2026House

  22. Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 4/20/2026

    4/20/2026House

  23. H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 4/21/2026

    4/20/2026House

  24. Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/20/2026

    4/16/2026House

  25. Taken off notice for cal in s/c Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee of Finance, Ways, and Means Committee

    4/15/2026House

Bill Text

Related Bills

Back to State Legislation