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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
2026-04-09
Official status
Received from House, Passed on First Consideration
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: The amendment changes how the bureau responds to reports of suspected elder financial exploitation by allowing the bureau to investigate on its own when appropriate.

  • Removes the requirement for the bureau to coordinate with the district attorney general and other agencies immediately upon receiving a report.
  • Adds that the bureau may conduct an investigation independently if it deems it necessary.
  • The amendment does not specify under what circumstances the bureau can decide to investigate on its own, leaving this decision to the discretion of the bureau.
Amendment 1-0 to SB0326

Plain English: The amendment changes how the bureau responds to reports of suspected elder financial exploitation by allowing the bureau to investigate on its own when appropriate.

  • Removes the requirement for the bureau to coordinate with the district attorney general and other agencies immediately upon receiving a report.
  • Adds that the bureau may conduct an investigation independently if it deems it necessary.
  • The amendment does not specify under what circumstances the bureau can decide to investigate on its own, leaving this decision to the discretion of the bureau.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 4/14/2026

  2. 2026-04-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Received from House, Passed on First Consideration

  3. 2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Engrossed; ready for transmission to Sen.

  4. 2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  5. 2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  6. 2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. adopted am. (Amendment 1 - HA0967)

  7. 2026-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  8. 2026-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  9. 2026-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  10. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  11. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  12. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  13. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  14. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  15. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  16. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  17. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  18. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Reset on Final calendar of Senate Health and Welfare Committee

  19. 2026-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  20. 2026-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  21. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  22. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  23. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  24. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  25. 2026-03-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Criminal Justice Subcommittee

  26. 2026-03-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Ref. to Judiciary Committee

  27. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  28. 2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  29. 2025-02-03 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  30. 2025-01-27 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  31. 2025-01-27 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  32. 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.