HB2443 • 2026

Child Custody and Support

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 34, Chapter 1; Title 36, Chapter 5 and Title 37, Chapter 1, relative to child support.

Children

Active

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

Sponsor: Rudder, Bailey
Last action: 2026-04-13
Official status: Sponsor(s) Added.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source does not provide details on how existing child support cases will be affected by this change.

Child Support Age Limit

This bill changes Tennessee's child support laws to end financial support for children at age 19 unless they are handicapped or disabled.

What This Bill Does

Changes the law so that parents no longer have to pay child support after a child turns 19, except if the child is handicapped or disabled.

Who It Names or Affects

Parents who have children turning 18 or older
Children aged 18-19 who are not handicapped or disabled

Terms To Know

handicapped or disabled: A condition that limits a person's ability to do certain activities and may require ongoing support.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify what happens if the child is still in high school but turns 19 before graduating.
It is unclear how this change will affect existing child support cases.

Bill History

2026-04-13 Tennessee General Assembly
Sponsor(s) Added.
2026-04-13 Tennessee General Assembly
Comp. SB subst.
2026-04-13 Tennessee General Assembly
Passed H., Ayes 94, Nays 0, PNV 0
2026-04-13 Tennessee General Assembly
Subst. for comp. HB.
2026-04-09 Tennessee General Assembly
H. Placed on Consent Calendar for 4/13/2026
2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 4/9/2026
2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly
Rec. for pass; ref to Calendar & Rules Committee
2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on cal. Judiciary Committee for 4/1/2026
2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly
Action def. in Judiciary Committee to 4/1/2026
2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on cal. Judiciary Committee for 3/23/2026
2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly
Action def. in Judiciary Committee to 3/25/2026
2026-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly
Rcvd. from S., held on H. desk.
2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on cal. Judiciary Committee for 3/18/2026
2026-03-10 Tennessee General Assembly
Rec. for pass by s/c ref. to Judiciary Committee
2026-03-09 Tennessee General Assembly
Engrossed; ready for transmission to House
2026-03-09 Tennessee General Assembly
Sponsor(s) Added.
2026-03-09 Tennessee General Assembly
Passed Senate, Ayes 32, Nays 0
2026-03-06 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on Senate Consent Calendar 2 for 3/9/2026
2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on s/c cal Children and Family Affairs Subcommittee for 3/10/2026
2026-03-03 Tennessee General Assembly
Recommended for passage, refer to Senate Calendar Committee
2026-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 3/3/2026
2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly
Assigned to s/c Children and Family Affairs Subcommittee
2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly
P2C, ref. to Judiciary Committee
2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly
Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Judiciary Committee
2026-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly
Intro., P1C.
2026-02-03 Tennessee General Assembly
Sponsor withdrawn.
2026-02-03 Tennessee General Assembly
Sponsor(s) withdrawn.
2026-02-03 Tennessee General Assembly
Sponsor(s) Added.
2026-02-03 Tennessee General Assembly
Filed for introduction
2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly
Introduced, Passed on First Consideration
2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly
Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

Present law
provides that parents are responsible for the support of their children after the child turns 18 if the child is in high school. This duty of support must continue until the child graduates from high school or until the class of which the child is a memb
er when the child turns 18 graduates, whichever is first. This bill clarifies that the duty of support does not continue after the child turns 19, unless the child is handicapped or disabled.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

SENATE BILL 2463
By Bailey

HOUSE BILL 2443
By Rudder
HB2443
012286
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 34,
Chapter 1; Title 36, Chapter 5 and Title 37,
Chapter 1, relative to child support.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 34-1-102, is amended by deleting
subsection (b) and substituting:
(b) Parents shall continue to be responsible for the support of each child for
whom they are responsible after the child reaches eighteen (18) years of age if the child
is enrolled in an accredited high school. The duty of support continues until the child
graduates from high school or the class of which the child is a member when the child
attains eighteen (18) years of age graduates, whichever occurs first, but in no event shall
support continue after the child reaches nineteen (19) years of age unless the child is
handicapped or disabled, as provided in § 36-5-101(k).
SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 36-5-101, is amended by deleting
subdivision (g)(6)(B)(i) and substituting:
(i) The department's records demonstrate that the child for whom an order of
support in a Title IV-D child support case has been entered has reached eighteen (18)
years of age and has graduated from high school, or that the class of which the child is a
member when the child reached eighteen (18) years of age has graduated from high
school, the obligor has otherwise provided the department with written documentation of
such facts, or the obligor has provided the department with written documentation that a
child for whom the obligor is required to pay support has died or has married; provided,

- 2 - 012286

however, that in no event shall support continue after the child reaches nineteen (19)
years of age except as provided in subsection (k);
SECTION 3. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.