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

HB2083 • 2026

Courts, Juvenile

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

Children
Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
Littleton, Haile
Last action
2026-04-06
Official status
Comp. became Pub. Ch. 611
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill does not mention reducing long-term and short-term effects of traumatic experiences on a child's brain development.

Expanding Zero to Three Court Programs

This bill changes Tennessee laws to include children up to five years old in court programs that aim to reduce child maltreatment and speed up finding permanent homes for young children.

What This Bill Does

  • Changes the goals of zero to three court programs to cover children up to age five, with a focus on younger kids under three.
  • Aims to speed up finding permanent homes for young children who need them.
  • Works to lower repeat cases of child abuse and neglect among young children.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Children under five years old in Tennessee
  • Families with at-risk young children

Terms To Know

Permanency
Finding a stable and permanent home for a child, like adoption or guardianship.
Maltreatment
When someone harms or neglects a child.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify how the programs will be funded.
  • It is unclear what specific support services will be provided to families.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Comp. became Pub. Ch. 611

  2. 2026-04-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Effective date(s) 03/25/2026

  3. 2026-04-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Pub. Ch. 611

  4. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Governor.

  5. 2026-03-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Transmitted to Governor for action.

  6. 2026-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by H. Speaker

  7. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Enrolled and ready for signatures

  8. 2026-03-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Comp. SB subst.

  9. 2026-03-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed H., Ayes 95, Nays 0, PNV 0

  10. 2026-03-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Subst. for comp. HB.

  11. 2026-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. Placed on Consent Calendar for 3/9/2026

  12. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 3/5/2026

  13. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass; ref to Calendar & Rules Committee

  14. 2026-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Judiciary Committee for 3/4/2026

  15. 2026-02-17 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  16. 2026-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  17. 2026-02-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Children and Family Affairs Subcommittee for 2/17/2026

  18. 2026-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  19. 2026-02-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Engrossed; ready for transmission to House

  20. 2026-02-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed Senate, Ayes 32, Nays 0

  21. 2026-02-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  22. 2026-02-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Consent Calendar 2 for 2/9/2026

  23. 2026-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Children and Family Affairs Subcommittee

  24. 2026-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, ref. to Judiciary Committee

  25. 2026-02-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage, refer to Senate Calendar Committee

  26. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  27. 2026-01-27 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 2/3/2026

  28. 2026-01-23 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  29. 2026-01-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Judiciary Committee

  30. 2026-01-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  31. 2026-01-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

Abstract summarizes the bill.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
SENATE BILL 1605
By Haile

HOUSE BILL 2083
By Littleton
HB2083
010691
- 1 -

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

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 37-1-902(b), is amended by deleting
subdivisions (b)(1)-(3) and substituting:
(1) To reduce time to permanency of children five (5) years of age or younger,
with priority given to cases involving children younger than three (3) years of age, by
surrounding at-risk families with support services;
(2) To reduce incidences of repeat maltreatment among children five (5) years of
age or younger;
(3) To reduce the long-term and short-term effects of traumatic experiences
occurring when a child is five (5) years of age or younger on a child's brain development;
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.