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SB0609 • 2026

Child Custody and Support

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 36 and Title 37, relative to children.

Children
Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Massey, Atchley
Last action
2026-04-07
Official status
Transmitted to Governor for action.
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary does not provide details about removing the frequency requirement for meaningful opportunities.

Child Custody and Support Act

This bill changes Tennessee's child custody laws to require courts to consider how often each parent can spend time with their child when deciding custody arrangements.

What This Bill Does

  • Changes the law so that courts must think about how much time each parent gets to see and take care of their child when making decisions about who has custody.
  • Increases from twice to three times per week the number of unimpeded telephone or video calls that a parent not living with the child can have with their child.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Parents involved in custody disputes
  • Courts making decisions about child custody

Terms To Know

custody determination
A decision made by a court about who will take care of a child and make important decisions for them.
parenting schedule
An arrangement that outlines when each parent can spend time with their child.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify how courts should balance the best interest of the child with other factors.
  • It is unclear what happens if technology for video calls or phone conversations is unavailable to either party.

Amendments

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

Amendment 1-0 to HB0590

Plain English: The amendment changes how courts in Tennessee decide child custody by making sure the best interest of the child is always the top priority and adds a new factor to consider when setting parenting schedules.

  • Changes the language in Section 36-6-106(a) of the Tennessee Code Annotated to emphasize that the court must prioritize the child's best interests above all other factors.
  • Adds a new subdivision (17) to Section 36-6-106(a), which requires courts to consider whether each parent has meaningful opportunities to participate in their child’s life, based on what is best for the child.
  • Updates references within the code to reflect these changes.
  • The exact impact of these changes on specific custody cases cannot be predicted without further legal interpretation and application by courts.
Amendment 1-0 to SB0609

Plain English: The amendment adds a new requirement to consider how often each parent can spend time with their child when making custody decisions.

  • Adds a new subdivision (17) to Tennessee Code Annotated Section 36-6-106(a), which states that the parenting schedule should provide both parents frequent and meaningful opportunities to participate in their child's life, based on what is best for the child.
  • Updates references from 'subdivisions (a)(1)-(17)' to 'this subsection (a)' in Section 36-6-106(a) of Tennessee Code Annotated.
  • Replaces '§ 36-6-106(a)(1)–(15)' with '§ 36-6-106(a)' in Section 36-6-404(b) of Tennessee Code Annotated.
  • The amendment text does not provide specific details on how to measure or define 'frequent and meaningful opportunities.'

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-07 Tennessee General Assembly

    Transmitted to Governor for action.

  2. 2026-04-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by H. Speaker

  3. 2026-04-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Senate Speaker

  4. 2026-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Enrolled and ready for signatures

  5. 2026-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Concurred, Ayes 32, Nays 0 (Amendment 1 - HA0756)

  6. 2026-03-31 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Message Calendar for 4/2/2026

  7. 2026-03-30 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed H., as am., Ayes 91, Nays 0, PNV 0

  8. 2026-03-30 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. adopted am. (Amendment 1 - HA0756)

  9. 2026-03-30 Tennessee General Assembly

    Subst. for comp. HB.

  10. 2026-03-30 Tennessee General Assembly

    Comp. SB subst.

  11. 2026-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 3/30/2026

  12. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  13. 2026-03-23 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  14. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  15. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in Judiciary Committee to 3/25/2026

  16. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Judiciary Committee for 3/18/2026

  17. 2026-03-10 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  18. 2026-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  19. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  20. 2026-03-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  21. 2026-03-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action Def. in s/c Children and Family Affairs Subcommittee to 3/10/2026

  22. 2026-03-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Engrossed; ready for transmission to House

  23. 2026-03-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed Senate as amended, Ayes 32, Nays 0

  24. 2026-03-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Senate adopted Amendment (Amendment 1 - SA0516)

  25. 2026-02-27 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 3/2/2026

  26. 2026-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  27. 2026-02-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 8, Nays 0 PNV 1

  28. 2026-02-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Children and Family Affairs Subcommittee

  29. 2026-02-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Ref. to Judiciary Committee

  30. 2026-02-20 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  31. 2026-02-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 2/24/2026

  32. 2026-02-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action deferred in Senate Judiciary Committee to 2/24/2026

  33. 2026-02-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 2/17/2026

  34. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Judiciary Committee

  35. 2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  36. 2025-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  37. 2025-02-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  38. 2025-01-31 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  39. 2025-01-30 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

ON MARCH 2, 2026, THE SENATE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED SENATE BILL 609, AS AMENDED.

AMENDMENT #1 rewrites the bill to, instead, require the court to consider the extent to which a parenting schedule provides each parent a frequent and meaningful opportunity to participate in the child's life, consistent with the child's best interest, i
n addition to the other relevant factors, when making a child custody determination. This amendment also changes the effective date from effective upon becoming a law to July 1, 2026.

ON MARCH 30, 2026, THE HOUSE SUBSTITUTED SENATE BILL 609, ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1, AND PASSED SENATE BILL 609, AS AMENDED.

AMENDMENT #1 makes the following revisions:



Requires a court, when making a child custody determination, to consider all relevant factors with the best interest of the child always being paramount.



Removes that such meaningful opportunities must be frequent.

ON APRIL 2, 2026, THE SENATE CONCURRED IN HOUSE AMENDMENT #1.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
HOUSE BILL 590
By Atchley

SENATE BILL 609
By Massey

SB0609
002440
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 36
and Title 37, relative to children.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 36-6-101(a)(3)(B)(i), is amended by
deleting "twice" and substituting "three (3) times".
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.