PRIA Logo™
TennesseeSB 2324114th General Assembly (2025-2026)Senate

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 36 and Title 37, relative to children.

Sponsored By: Ferrell Haile (Republican)

Signed by Governor

Children

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

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

Winners recover legal fees in juvenile cases

Beginning July 1, 2026, in juvenile cases about custody, visitation, relocation with a child, child support, or dependency and neglect, the winning party may recover reasonable attorney’s fees, court costs, and other litigation expenses from the losing party. The judge decides whether to award fees and the amount. No fees or costs may be awarded for or against the Department.

Child support paused during dependency cases

Beginning July 1, 2026, when a child is alleged dependent and neglected and removed from the original custodial parent, the court hearing the case may temporarily suspend the current child support obligation. The suspension lasts only while the dependency and neglect case is pending.

Parent class required in juvenile custody cases

Beginning July 1, 2026, unmarried parents in juvenile court cases to set or change custody or a permanent parenting schedule must complete a parent education seminar before the final order. The court may also order the seminar in dependency or other juvenile cases if it helps the child. The class is at least four hours and teaches co‑parenting, child well‑being, the court process, a 30‑minute ACEs video, alternative dispute resolution, and domestic violence. Parents pay the fee; the judge can split costs, and must waive fees for indigent parents. A minor child may not attend. Each parent must file a certificate showing completion. The judge may excuse one or both parents for good cause, such as domestic violence, long absence, or when the class is impractical; the order must say why. If a parent willfully refuses to attend without a waiver, the court may hold them in contempt, and nonattendance can count in custody or visitation decisions. The court cannot refuse to decide parental rights or enter an order only because a parent missed the class. Attendance is not required solely because parentage is established when no custody, visitation, or modification case is pending.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • Ferrell Haile

    Republican • Senate

Cosponsors

  • Bill Powers

    Republican • Senate

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 108 • No: 26

House vote • 3/30/2026

FLOOR VOTE: REGULAR CALENDAR PASSAGE ON THIRD CONSIDERATION 3/30/2026

Yes: 75 • No: 19

Senate vote • 3/16/2026

FLOOR VOTE: as Amended Third Consideration 3/16/2026

Yes: 26 • No: 5

Senate vote • 3/3/2026

SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE

Yes: 7 • No: 2

Actions Timeline

  1. Signed by Governor.

    4/14/2026Senate

  2. Signed by H. Speaker

    4/2/2026House

  3. Transmitted to Governor for action.

    4/2/2026Senate

  4. Enrolled and ready for signatures

    4/1/2026Senate

  5. Signed by Senate Speaker

    4/1/2026Senate

  6. Subst. for comp. HB.

    3/30/2026House

  7. Am. withdrawn. (Amendment 1 - HA0762)

    3/30/2026House

  8. Passed H., Ayes 75, Nays 19, PNV 0

    3/30/2026House

  9. Rcvd. from S., held on H. desk.

    3/19/2026House

  10. Senate adopted Amendment (Amendment 1 - SA0570)

    3/16/2026Senate

  11. Passed Senate as amended, Ayes 26, Nays 5

    3/16/2026Senate

  12. Engrossed; ready for transmission to House

    3/16/2026Senate

  13. Sponsor(s) Added.

    3/16/2026Senate

  14. Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 3/16/2026

    3/13/2026Senate

  15. Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 7, Nays 2 PNV 0

    3/3/2026Senate

  16. Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 3/3/2026

    2/25/2026Senate

  17. Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Judiciary Committee

    2/5/2026Senate

  18. Filed for introduction

    2/2/2026Senate

  19. Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

    2/2/2026Senate

Bill Text

Related Bills

Back to State Legislation