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

HB2353 • 2026

Welfare

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4 and Title 71, relative to welfare.

Budget Children
Active

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

Sponsor
Littleton, Watson
Last action
2026-04-08
Official status
Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/14/2026
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official summary does not specify that the bill requires notices to exclude verbal or electronic forms. It also doesn't provide details on what information must be included in the written notice.

Welfare Notice Requirements

This bill changes Tennessee's laws to require written notices for temporary assistance eligibility decisions.

What This Bill Does

  • Changes Tennessee law to say that the Department of Human Services must give a written notice when they decide on someone’s eligibility for temporary assistance.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People who apply for temporary assistance from the Department of Human Services.
  • The Department of Human Services staff who make eligibility decisions.

Terms To Know

Temporary Assistance
Financial help given to people in need, usually for a short time.
Department of Human Services
The government agency that provides services and support to individuals and families.

Limits and Unknowns

  • It is not clear how the Department will implement this change.
  • There are no details on what information must be included in the written notice.

Amendments

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

Amendment 1-0 to HB2353

Plain English: The amendment creates a pilot program using artificial intelligence and other technologies to detect fraud and improve oversight of publicly funded child care payments in Tennessee.

  • Adds a new section to Title 71 of the Tennessee Code Annotated, establishing a two-year pilot program starting July 1, 2026, aimed at improving payment integrity and detecting fraud in child care assistance programs.
  • Requires the commissioner to use various technologies including artificial intelligence to track attendance and identify irregularities or anomalies in payments.
  • Specifies that the program will be funded from existing reserve funds without requiring new state appropriations.
  • The exact details of how the pilot program will operate, such as specific vendor requirements and implementation timelines, are not fully detailed in the amendment text.
Amendment 1-0 to SB2198

Plain English: This amendment creates a pilot program using artificial intelligence and other technologies to detect fraud and improve oversight of publicly funded child care payments in Tennessee.

  • Adds a new section to Title 71 of the Tennessee Code Annotated, establishing a two-year pilot program starting July 1, 2026, aimed at improving payment integrity and detecting fraud in child care assistance programs.
  • Requires the commissioner to use various technologies such as artificial intelligence, software tools, and analytics to track attendance and identify irregularities or anomalies in payments.
  • Specifies that the program will be funded using existing reserve funds held by TennCare without requiring new state appropriations.
  • The exact details of how the pilot program will operate are not fully specified in the amendment text, leaving some aspects open to interpretation or further rulemaking.
  • The amendment does not provide specific penalties for fraud detected through this program.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/14/2026

  2. 2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed behind the budget

  3. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/8/2026

  4. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee Ayes 8, Nays 1 PNV 0

  5. 2026-03-30 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee

  6. 2026-03-30 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass; ref to Finance, Ways, and Means Committee

  7. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Government Operations Committee for 3/30/2026

  8. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  9. 2026-03-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass. if am., ref. to Government Operations Committee

  10. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Health Committee for 3/24/2026

  11. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  12. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Reset on Final calendar of Senate Health and Welfare Committee

  13. 2026-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  14. 2026-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  15. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Health Subcommittee for 3/18/2026

  16. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  17. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  18. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Health Subcommittee for 3/11/2026

  19. 2026-03-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor change.

  20. 2026-02-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  21. 2026-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Health Subcommittee

  22. 2026-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Ref. to Health Committee - Government Operations for Review

  23. 2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  24. 2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  25. 2026-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  26. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  27. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  28. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

Abstract summarizes the bill.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
SENATE BILL 2198
By Taylor

HOUSE BILL 2353
By Littleton
HB2353
012228
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4 and
Title 71, relative to welfare.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 71-3-107(f), is amended by deleting
"notice" and substituting "written notice".
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.