KLS Keeping Law Simple Legislation in plain English

Straight-ahead summaries built from the official bill text. We keep the source links front and center and leave the decision up to you.

Back to Tennessee

HB0354 • 2026

Human Services, Dept. of

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 8; Title 38; Title 39; Title 45; Title 68 and Title 71, relative to abuse of elderly or vulnerable adults.

Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor
Powers, Massey
Last action
2026-04-16
Official status
Signed by H. Speaker
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific updates for each title mentioned in the candidate explanation. The bill summary focuses mainly on TBI's investigation authority and the requirement to advertise a toll-free number.

Amends Elder and Vulnerable Adult Protection Laws

This bill allows the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) to independently investigate reports of elder financial exploitation when appropriate and requires the Department of Human Services to advertise a toll-free number for reporting abuse or neglect on their website.

What This Bill Does

  • Allows the TBI to investigate suspected elder financial exploitation independently, not just coordinate with others.
  • Requires the Department of Human Services to put a toll-free number on their website for people to report abuse or neglect of elderly and vulnerable adults.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Elderly people and those who are considered vulnerable adults.
  • The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI).
  • People working in law enforcement and adult protective services.

Terms To Know

Vulnerable Adult
A person aged 18 or older who is unable to protect themselves from abuse, neglect, or exploitation due to a mental or physical condition.
Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI)
The state agency responsible for investigating major crimes and providing support to local law enforcement agencies in Tennessee.

Limits and Unknowns

  • It is not clear how much funding will be provided for these changes.
  • The bill does not specify what 'when appropriate' means in the context of TBI investigations.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

Amendment 1-0 to HB0354

Plain English: House Judiciary 1 Amendment No.

  • House Judiciary 1 Amendment No.
  • 1 to HB0354 Farmer Signature of Sponsor AMEND Senate Bill No.
  • 326 House Bill No.
  • 354* HA0967 014302 - 1 - by deleting all language after the enacting clause and substituting: SECTION 1.
Amendment 1-0 to SB0326

Plain English: Senate Health and Welfare 1 Amendment No.

  • Senate Health and Welfare 1 Amendment No.
  • 1 to SB0326 Crowe Signature of Sponsor AMEND Senate Bill No.
  • 326 House Bill No.
  • 354* SA0971 014302 - 1 - by deleting all language after the enacting clause and substituting: SECTION 1.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by H. Speaker

  2. 2026-04-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Enrolled; ready for sig. of H. Speaker.

  3. 2026-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed Senate, Ayes 32, Nays 0

  4. 2026-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Amendment withdrawn. (Amendment 1 - SA0971)

  5. 2026-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Senate substituted House Bill for companion Senate Bill.

  6. 2026-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  7. 2026-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Companion House Bill substituted

  8. 2026-04-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 4/14/2026

  9. 2026-04-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Received from House, Passed on First Consideration

  10. 2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Engrossed; ready for transmission to Sen.

  11. 2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  12. 2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed H., as am., Ayes 93, Nays 1, PNV 0

  13. 2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. adopted am. (Amendment 1 - HA0967)

  14. 2026-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  15. 2026-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 4/8/2026

  16. 2026-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  17. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 4/2/2026

  18. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  19. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 9, Nays 0 PNV 0

  20. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Judiciary Committee for 4/1/2026

  21. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  22. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Health and Welfare Committee calendar for 4/1/2026

  23. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Criminal Justice Subcommittee for 3/25/2026

  24. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action Def. in s/c Criminal Justice Subcommittee to 3/25/2026

  25. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Reset on Final calendar of Senate Health and Welfare Committee

  26. 2026-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Health and Welfare Committee calendar for 3/18/2026

  27. 2026-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action deferred in Senate Health and Welfare Committee to 3/18/2026

  28. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Criminal Justice Subcommittee for 3/18/2026

  29. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action Def. in s/c Criminal Justice Subcommittee to 3/18/2026

  30. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Health and Welfare Committee calendar for 3/17/2026

  31. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Criminal Justice Subcommittee for 3/11/2026

  32. 2026-03-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Criminal Justice Subcommittee

  33. 2026-03-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Ref. to Judiciary Committee

  34. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Health and Welfare Committee

  35. 2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  36. 2025-02-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, caption bill, held on desk - pending amdt.

  37. 2025-01-27 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  38. 2025-01-27 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  39. 2025-01-23 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

ON APRIL 8, 2026, THE HOUSE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED HOUSE BILL 354, AS AMENDED.

AMENDMENT #1 rewrites this bill to provide the TBI with discretion to investigate reports of suspected elder financial exploitation.

Upon receiving a report of suspected elder financial exploitation, present law requires the TBI to coordinate with the district attorney general and, when appropriate, with other law enforcement agencies and adult protective services for additional inves
tigation of the reported exploitation. This amendment instead provides that, upon receiving a report of suspected elder financial exploitation, the TBI is authorized to investigate the matter when appropriate, and coordinate with the district attorney ge
ne
ral in the appropriate judicial district, other law enforcement agencies, and adult protective services for additional investigation of the reported exploitation.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
SENATE BILL 326
By Massey

HOUSE BILL 354
By Powers

HB0354
001939
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 8;
Title 38; Title 39; Title 45; Title 68 and Title 71,
relative to abuse of elderly or vulnerable adults.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 71-6-122, is amended by adding the
following at the end of the section:
The department shall advertise the toll-free telephone service prominently on the home
page of the department's website.
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.