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HB2262 • 2026

Children's Services, Dept. of

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 37 and Title 71, relative to investigations.

Children Healthcare Labor Taxes
Active

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

Sponsor
Martin G, Lowe
Last action
2026-04-24
Official status
Effective date(s) 01/01/2027
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Children's Services, Dept. of

ON APRIL 2, 2026, THE HOUSE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED HOUSE BILL 2262, AS AMENDED.

What This Bill Does

  • ON APRIL 2, 2026, THE HOUSE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED HOUSE BILL 2262, AS AMENDED.
  • AMENDMENT #1 rewrites the bill to, instead, require the department of children's services ("department") to make an initial screening, and potentially an assessment, upon receiving a report of harm that includes a report of harm alleging facts that invol ve a caregiver.
  • A "caregiver" means a person or persons or entity or entities responsible for providing for the supervision, protection, and basic needs of the child; or a relative or other person living, visiting, or working in the child's home who supe rv ises or otherwise provides care or assistance for the child, such as a babysitter, or who is an employee or volunteer with the responsibility for a child at an educational, recreational, medical, religious, therapeutic, or other setting where children are present.
  • However, a "caregiver" may also include a person who has allegedly used the child for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation of a minor or trafficking a minor for a commercial sex act, including, but not limited to, as a trafficker.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Amendments

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

Amendment 1-0 to HB2262

Plain English: House Judiciary 1 Amendment No.

  • House Judiciary 1 Amendment No.
  • 1 to HB2262 Farmer Signature of Sponsor AMEND Senate Bill No.
  • 2220* House Bill No.
  • 2262 HA0767 015693 - 1 - by deleting all language after the enacting clause and substituting: SECTION 1.
Amendment 1-0 to SB2220

Plain English: Senate Judiciary 1 Amendment No.

  • Senate Judiciary 1 Amendment No.
  • 1 to SB2220 Gardenhire Signature of Sponsor AMEND Senate Bill No.
  • 2220* House Bill No.
  • 2262 SA0767 015693 - 1 - by deleting all language after the enacting clause and substituting: SECTION 1.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Effective date(s) 01/01/2027

  2. 2026-04-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Pub. Ch. 762

  3. 2026-04-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Comp. became Pub. Ch. 762

  4. 2026-04-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Governor.

  5. 2026-04-07 Tennessee General Assembly

    Transmitted to Governor for his action.

  6. 2026-04-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Senate Speaker

  7. 2026-04-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by H. Speaker

  8. 2026-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Enrolled; ready for sig. of H. Speaker.

  9. 2026-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed Senate, Ayes 31, Nays 0

  10. 2026-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Amendment withdrawn. (Amendment 1 - SA0767)

  11. 2026-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Senate substituted House Bill for companion Senate Bill.

  12. 2026-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Received from House, Passed on First Consideration

  13. 2026-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Engrossed; ready for transmission to Sen.

  14. 2026-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  15. 2026-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  16. 2026-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. adopted am. (Amendment 1 - HA0767)

  17. 2026-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  18. 2026-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Companion House Bill substituted

  19. 2026-03-31 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 4/2/2026

  20. 2026-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 4/2/2026

  21. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 3/26/2026

  22. 2026-03-23 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  23. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Judiciary Committee for 3/23/2026

  24. 2026-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  25. 2026-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  26. 2026-03-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 3/17/2026

  27. 2026-03-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action deferred in Senate Judiciary Committee to 3/17/2026

  28. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Children and Family Affairs Subcommittee for 3/17/2026

  29. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  30. 2026-03-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action Def. in s/c Children and Family Affairs Subcommittee to 3/17/2026

  31. 2026-03-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  32. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Children and Family Affairs Subcommittee for 3/10/2026

  33. 2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Children and Family Affairs Subcommittee

  34. 2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, ref. to Judiciary Committee

  35. 2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Judiciary Committee

  36. 2026-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  37. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  38. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  39. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

ON APRIL 2, 2026, THE HOUSE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED HOUSE BILL 2262, AS AMENDED.

AMENDMENT #1 rewrites the bill to, instead, require the department of children's services ("department") to make an initial screening, and potentially an assessment, upon receiving a report of harm that includes a report of harm alleging facts that invol
ve a caregiver. A "caregiver" means a person or persons or entity or entities responsible for providing for the supervision, protection, and basic needs of the child; or a relative or other person living, visiting, or working in the child's home who supe
rv
ises or otherwise provides care or assistance for the child, such as a babysitter, or who is an employee or volunteer with the responsibility for a child at an educational, recreational, medical, religious, therapeutic, or other setting where children are
present. However, a "caregiver" may also include a person who has allegedly used the child for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation of a minor or trafficking a minor for a commercial sex act, including, but not limited to, as a trafficker.

This amendment extends the amount of time an assessment must be completed, from 45 days to 90 days, after receiving a report of potential harm. The department must consult with a caregiver about available services and potential interventions to address
the caregiver's needs following the completion of an assessment.

This amendment also changes the effective date of the bill from July 1, 2026, to January 1, 2027.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
SENATE BILL 2220
By Lowe

HOUSE BILL 2262
By Martin G
HB2262
011153
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 37
and Title 71, relative to investigations.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 37, Chapter 1, Part 4, is amended by
adding the following as a new section:
The department of children's services must complete any investigation of a child
care agency involving allegations of child abuse within forty-five (45) days of
commencing the investigation, except for good cause shown. This section does not
apply to an investigation into allegations that an operator or employee of a child care
agency committed child abuse.
SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 37, Chapter 1, Part 6, is amended by
adding the following as a new section:
The department of children's services must complete any investigation of a child
care agency involving allegations of child sexual abuse within forty-five (45) days of
commencing the investigation, except for good cause shown. This section does not
apply to an investigation into allegations that an operator or employee of a child care
agency committed child sexual abuse.
SECTION 3. This act takes effect July 1, 2026, the public welfare requiring it.