# Tennessee HB 1979: AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4; Title 43; Title 49; Title 57; Title 67 and Title 71, relative to child care. Tennessee HB 1979, AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4; Title 43; Title 49; Title 57; Title 67 and Title 71, relative to child care., is a 114th General Assembly (2025-2026) House bill sponsored by no sponsor on record; status signed, last action 2026-05-26 (Effective date(s) 05/19/2026, 01/01/2027); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-11-01). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/TN-HB1979-2025-2026 - 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 1979 - State: Tennessee - Session: 114th General Assembly (2025-2026) - Title: AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4; Title 43; Title 49; Title 57; Title 67 and Title 71, relative to child care. - Status: signed - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2026-01-22 - Last action: 2026-05-26, Effective date(s) 05/19/2026, 01/01/2027 - Sponsors: no sponsor on record - Cosponsors: 2 - Subjects: Human Services, Dept. of - Touches household money: yes - Roll calls: 9 (247 yes, 12 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 4 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Free child care for eligible workers: benefit, high. The Child Care Workforce Scholarship Pilot provides free child care for eligible Tennessee child care workers, regardless of household income. Workers must hold direct-care, supervision, or education jobs at eligible providers and average at least 30 work hours weekly. They must also meet departmen… - More child care help for working families: benefit, medium. Smart Steps Plus creates sliding-scale child care scholarships for working families above existing child care assistance income limits. Families must have a child needing care and income no higher than 150% of state median income. This uses the latest Census estimate, adjusted for family size; othe… - State matches employers’ child care help: benefit, medium. CareShare Tennessee shares child care costs among participating employers, employees, and the state, after other applicable child care aid. Employers need approval, and employers, employees, and eligible providers all choose whether to join. The state can match up to 100% of employer contributions… - Dedicated funding for Tennessee child care: benefit, low. The law creates the Promising Futures Fund, managed by Tennessee’s Department of Human Services, beginning January 1, 2027. It accepts designated state revenue, lawmakers’ funding, federal funds, grants, gifts, donations, and other lawful deposits. Interest and unspent money stay in the fund; spend… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Cosponsor: Scott Cepicky (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Dave Wright (Republican), House ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-04-22 | Senate | FLOOR VOTE: as Amended Third Consideration 4/22/2026 | pass | 31 | 0 | | | 2026-04-22 | House | FLOOR VOTE: REGULAR CALENDAR AS AMENDED PASSAGE ON THIRD CONSIDERATION 4/22/2026 | pass | 73 | 8 | | | 2026-04-22 | House | FLOOR VOTE: MESSAGE CALENDAR 2 CONCUR IN SENATE AMENDMENT # 2 4/22/2026 | pass | 77 | 3 | | | 2026-04-21 | House | HOUSE CALENDAR & RULES COMMITTEE | fail | 0 | 0 | | | 2026-04-20 | House | HOUSE FINANCE, WAYS, AND MEANS SUBCOMMITTEE | pass | 12 | 0 | | | 2026-04-20 | House | HOUSE FINANCE, WAYS, AND MEANS COMMITTEE | pass | 26 | 0 | | | 2026-04-06 | House | HOUSE GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS COMMITTEE | pass | 8 | 1 | | | 2026-03-31 | House | HOUSE HEALTH COMMITTEE | pass | 14 | 0 | | | 2026-03-11 | House | HOUSE HEALTH SUBCOMMITTEE | pass | 6 | 0 | | ## Actions (45) - 2026-05-26: Effective date(s) 05/19/2026, 01/01/2027 - 2026-05-26: Pub. Ch. 997 - 2026-05-19: Signed by Governor. - 2026-05-07: Transmitted to Governor for his action. (House) - 2026-05-05: Signed by Senate Speaker (Senate) - 2026-04-30: Signed by H. Speaker (House) - 2026-04-28: Enrolled; ready for sig. of H. Speaker. (House) - 2026-04-22: H. concurred in S. am. no. 2 Ayes 77, Nays 3 PNV 5 (House) - 2026-04-22: H. Placed on Message Calendar #2 for 4/22/26 (House) - 2026-04-22: Passed Senate as amended, Ayes 31, Nays 0 (Senate) - 2026-04-22: Senate adopted Amendment (Amendment 2 - SA1106) (Senate) - 2026-04-22: Amendment withdrawn. (Amendment 1 - SA1105) (Senate) - 2026-04-22: Senate substituted House Bill for companion Senate Bill. (Senate) - 2026-04-22: Received from House, Passed on First Consideration (Senate) - 2026-04-22: Engrossed; ready for transmission to Sen. (House) - 2026-04-22: Passed H., as am., Ayes 73, Nays 8, PNV 10 (House) - 2026-04-22: Sponsor(s) Added. (House) - 2026-04-22: H. adopted am. (Amendment 1 - HA1231) (House) - 2026-04-20: H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 4/21/2026 (House) - 2026-04-20: Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 4/20/2026 (House) - 2026-04-20: Rec. for pass. if am., ref. to Calendar & Rules Committee (House) - 2026-04-20: Placed on cal. Finance, Ways, and Means Committee for 4/20/2026 (House) - 2026-04-20: Rec for pass if am by s/c ref. to Finance, Ways, and Means Committee (House) - 2026-04-16: Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/20/2026 (House) - 2026-04-15: Taken off notice for cal in s/c Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee of Finance, Ways, and Means Committee (House) - 2026-04-08: Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/14/2026 (House) - 2026-04-08: Placed behind the budget (House) - 2026-04-06: Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/8/2026 (House) - 2026-04-06: Assigned to s/c Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee (House) - 2026-04-06: Rec. for pass; ref to Finance, Ways, and Means Committee (House) - 2026-04-01: Placed on cal. Government Operations Committee for 4/6/2026 (House) - 2026-03-31: Rec. for pass; ref to Government Operations Committee (House) - 2026-03-25: Placed on cal. Health Committee for 3/31/2026 (House) - 2026-03-24: Action def. in Health Committee to 3/31/2026 (House) - 2026-03-18: Placed on cal. Health Committee for 3/24/2026 (House) - 2026-03-17: Action def. in Health Committee to 3/24/2026 (House) - 2026-03-11: Placed on cal. Health Committee for 3/17/2026 (House) - 2026-03-11: Rec. for pass by s/c ref. to Health Committee (House) - 2026-03-04: Placed on s/c cal Health Subcommittee for 3/11/2026 (House) - 2026-03-04: Action Def. in s/c Health Subcommittee to 3/11/2026 (House) - 2026-02-25: Placed on s/c cal Health Subcommittee for 3/4/2026 (House) - 2026-02-04: Assigned to s/c Health Subcommittee (House) - 2026-02-04: P2C, ref. to Health Committee - Government Operations for Review (House) - 2026-02-02: Intro., P1C. (House) - 2026-01-22: Filed for introduction (House) ## Bill text - HA1231, 2026-04-22: [PDF](https://capitol.tn.gov/Bills/114/Amend/HA1231.pdf) - Enrolled / Public Chapter: [PDF](https://publications.tnsosfiles.com/acts/114/pub/pc0997.pdf) - Fiscal Note: [PDF](https://capitol.tn.gov/Bills/114/Fiscal/SB2062.pdf) - Introduced: [PDF](https://capitol.tn.gov/Bills/114/Bill/HB1979.pdf) - SA1105: [PDF](https://capitol.tn.gov/Bills/114/Amend/SA1105.pdf) - SA1106: [PDF](https://capitol.tn.gov/Bills/114/Amend/SA1106.pdf) ## Related bills - HB 2023: AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 40-24-109, relative to the victims assistance assessment. (failed) - HB 1967: AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 39, Chapter 13 and Title 55, Chapter 10, relative to leaving the scene of an accident. (failed) - HB 1906: AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 8, Chapter 34, Part 6, relative to creditable service for a period of disability. (failed) - HB 1720: AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 5; Title 6; Title 7 and Title 13, relative to zoning outside of municipal boundaries. (failed) - HB 1710: AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4, Chapter 1 and Title 4, Chapter 58, relative to public benefits. (failed) - HB 1690: AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 29; Title 55 and Title 56, relative to motor vehicle financial responsibility. (failed) ## Sources - [HA1231 (PDF)](https://capitol.tn.gov/Bills/114/Amend/HA1231.pdf) - [Enrolled / Public Chapter (PDF)](https://publications.tnsosfiles.com/acts/114/pub/pc0997.pdf) - [Fiscal Note (PDF)](https://capitol.tn.gov/Bills/114/Fiscal/SB2062.pdf) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://capitol.tn.gov/Bills/114/Bill/HB1979.pdf) - [SA1105 (PDF)](https://capitol.tn.gov/Bills/114/Amend/SA1105.pdf) - [SA1106 (PDF)](https://capitol.tn.gov/Bills/114/Amend/SA1106.pdf) ## Related - [HB 2023: AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 40-24-109, relative to the vi…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/TN-HB2023-2025-2026) - [HB 1967: AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 39, Chapter 13 and Title 55, Ch…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/TN-HB1967-2025-2026) - [HB 1906: AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 8, Chapter 34, Part 6, relative…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/TN-HB1906-2025-2026) - [HB 1720: AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 5; Title 6; Title 7 and Title 1…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/TN-HB1720-2025-2026) - [HB 1710: AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4, Chapter 1 and Title 4, Chapt…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/TN-HB1710-2025-2026) - [HB 1690: AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 29; Title 55 and Title 56, rela…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/TN-HB1690-2025-2026) - [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-HB1979-2025-2026 (as of 2026-11-01).