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SB0314 • 2026

Public Employees

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 8, Chapter 50; Title 36 and Title 37, Chapter 1, relative to family leave for adoption of a newly placed minor child.

Children Education Labor
Active

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

Sponsor
Yarbro, Miller
Last action
2025-05-02
Official status
Effective date(s) 04/11/2025
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide details on the duration and conditions of paid leave beyond clarifying the definition of 'adoption'.

Family Leave for Adoption

This bill amends Tennessee's laws to allow eligible education workers who adopt a child to take paid leave during the adoption process.

What This Bill Does

  • Clarifies that 'adoption' includes the period from when an adoption petition is filed and a minor child is initially placed within the residence of a prospective adoptive parent until the issuance of a final order of adoption by the court.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Teachers, principals, supervisors, or other individuals required to hold a valid license for employment in Tennessee's public schools who have been employed full-time with a local education agency or public charter school for at least one year.
  • Local education agencies and public charter schools that employ eligible employees.

Terms To Know

Eligible employee
A teacher, principal, supervisor, or other individual required to hold a valid license of qualification for employment in the public schools of Tennessee who has worked full-time with a local education agency or public charter school for at least one year.
Local education agency (LEA)
An organization that oversees and manages public schools within a specific area.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify the duration or conditions of paid leave beyond clarifying the definition of 'adoption'.
  • It is unclear how this will affect employees who adopt children outside of Tennessee.

Bill History

  1. 2025-05-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Effective date(s) 04/11/2025

  2. 2025-05-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Pub. Ch. 163

  3. 2025-05-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Comp. became Pub. Ch. 163

  4. 2025-04-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Governor.

  5. 2025-04-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Transmitted to Governor for action.

  6. 2025-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by H. Speaker

  7. 2025-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Senate Speaker

  8. 2025-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Enrolled and ready for signatures

  9. 2025-03-31 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed H., Ayes 93, Nays 0, PNV 2

  10. 2025-03-31 Tennessee General Assembly

    Subst. for comp. HB.

  11. 2025-03-31 Tennessee General Assembly

    Comp. SB subst.

  12. 2025-03-27 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. Placed on Consent Calendar for 3/31/2025

  13. 2025-03-27 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  14. 2025-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 3/27/2025

  15. 2025-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass; ref to Calendar & Rules Committee

  16. 2025-03-20 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  17. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Education Committee for 3/25/2025

  18. 2025-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  19. 2025-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  20. 2025-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Engrossed; ready for transmission to House

  21. 2025-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed Senate, Ayes 32, Nays 0

  22. 2025-03-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Consent Calendar 2 for 3/17/2025

  23. 2025-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Education Administration Subcommittee for 3/18/2025

  24. 2025-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage, refer to Senate Calendar Committee

  25. 2025-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action Def. in s/c Education Administration Subcommittee to 3/18/2025

  26. 2025-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Education Administration Subcommittee for 3/11/2025

  27. 2025-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate State and Local Government Committee calendar for 3/11/2025

  28. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate State and Local Government Committee

  29. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Education Administration Subcommittee

  30. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, ref. to Education Committee

  31. 2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  32. 2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  33. 2025-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  34. 2025-01-27 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

Present law generally grants
a teacher, principal, supervisor, or other individual required to hold a valid license of qualification for employment in the public schools of this state and who has been employed full time with a
local education agency or public charter school for at least 12 consecutive months
("
eligible
employee")
absence from work with pay for a period of time equal to six work weeks after
the
employee's adoption of a newly placed minor child upon the employee
giving
30
-days' notice to the employee's LEA or public charter school
. H
owever, if an employee learns of the adoption of the employee's child less than 30 days in advance of the adoption, then the employee must give notice of the adoption to the employee'
s LEA or public charter school as soon as reasonably possible to be eligible to receive
such
pay.

Present law prohibits

a
n eligible employee
from
receiv
ing
more than six work weeks of
such
paid leave within a
12
-month period.

The six work weeks of
such
paid leave do not need to be consecutively taken
as long as
the paid leave is used within 12 months of the employee's adoption of a newly placed minor child.

This bill clarifies that "adoption," as used above, includes that
period of time beginning with
the filing of an adoption petition and the initial placement of a minor child within the residence of a prospective adoptive parent pursuant to a court-ordered parental power of attorney or guardianship or custodial order until the issuance of a final ord
e
r of adoption by the court
.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
HOUSE BILL 1150
By Miller

SENATE BILL 314
By Yarbro

SB0314
000595
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 8,
Chapter 50; Title 36 and Title 37, Chapter 1,
relative to family leave for adoption of a newly
placed minor child.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 8-50-814(a), is amended by adding
the following new subsection:
( ) "Adoption" includes that period of time beginning with the filing of an adoption
petition and the initial placement of a minor child within the residence of a prospective
adoptive parent pursuant to a court-ordered parental power of attorney or guardianship
or custodial order until the issuance of a final order of adoption by the court;
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.