Back to Tennessee

SB0272 • 2026

Guardians and Conservators

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 24; Title 25; Title 26; Title 27; Title 28; Title 29; Title 30; Title 31; Title 32; Title 34; Title 35 and Title 36, relative to civil justice.

Parental Rights
Active

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

Sponsor
Gardenhire, Farmer
Last action
2025-02-10
Official status
Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Judiciary Committee
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official summary does not provide details on how many titles are affected or if there is an immediate effective date. The bill text confirms that it affects multiple titles but does not specify which ones in detail.

Changing Hearing Time for Guardians and Conservators

This bill changes the time limit for holding hearings on requests to appoint guardians or conservators from 60 days to 90 days.

What This Bill Does

  • Changes the law so that a hearing must be held within 90 days instead of 60 days after someone asks to become a guardian or conservator.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People who ask for hearings to appoint guardians or conservators
  • Courts that handle cases involving guardians and conservators

Terms To Know

Guardian
A person appointed by the court to make decisions for someone who cannot take care of themselves.
Conservator
A person chosen by a court to manage the financial affairs of another person who is unable to do so.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify how much longer it will take for courts to process these cases after the change.
  • It's unclear if this change will affect all types of guardianship and conservatorship cases equally.

Bill History

  1. 2026-03-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor change.

  2. 2026-03-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) withdrawn.

  3. 2026-03-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  4. 2026-02-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) withdrawn.

  5. 2026-02-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor change.

  6. 2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Judiciary Committee

  7. 2025-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  8. 2025-02-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  9. 2025-01-29 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  10. 2025-01-27 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  11. 2025-01-23 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

Abstract summarizes the bill.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
HOUSE BILL 493
By Farmer

SENATE BILL 272
By Gardenhire
SB0272
001801
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 24;
Title 25; Title 26; Title 27; Title 28; Title 29; Title
30; Title 31; Title 32; Title 34; Title 35 and Title 36,
relative to civil justice.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 34-1-108(a), is amended by deleting
the language "sixty (60) days" and substituting instead "ninety (90) days".
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.