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SB1666 • 2026

Human Resources, Department of

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 71, Chapter 3, relative to child care agencies.

Children Education
Active

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

Sponsor
Powers, Maberry
Last action
2026-03-23
Official status
Companion House Bill substituted
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source does not provide a detailed list of who qualifies as an eligible patron beyond referencing federal regulations. The exact definition is left open to interpretation based on 32 CFR 79.3.

Exempting Family Child Care Homes for Military Personnel

This bill changes Tennessee law to allow family child care homes with a U.S. Department of Defense certificate to operate without needing a state license if they only serve eligible military personnel and their families.

What This Bill Does

  • Adds an exemption in the law for family child care homes that have a special certificate from the U.S. Department of Defense.
  • These child care homes do not need a Tennessee state license to operate as long as they only take care of children who are eligible under military rules.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Family child care homes that have a U.S. Department of Defense certificate
  • Military personnel and their families who use these child care services

Terms To Know

eligible patron
A person or family member who is allowed to receive child care from an exempted family child care home, as defined by military rules.
Department of Defense certificate
A special permit given by the U.S. Department of Defense that allows a family child care home to operate without needing a state license under certain conditions.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify what happens if an exempted child care home serves someone who is not eligible.
  • It's unclear how many family child care homes will qualify for this exemption.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Governor.

  2. 2026-04-07 Tennessee General Assembly

    Transmitted to Governor for his action.

  3. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Senate Speaker

  4. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by H. Speaker

  5. 2026-03-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Enrolled; ready for sig. of H. Speaker.

  6. 2026-03-23 Tennessee General Assembly

    Companion House Bill substituted

  7. 2026-03-23 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed Senate, Ayes 29, Nays 0

  8. 2026-03-23 Tennessee General Assembly

    Senate substituted House Bill for companion Senate Bill.

  9. 2026-03-20 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Consent Calendar 2 for 3/23/2026

  10. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage, refer to Senate Calendar Committee

  11. 2026-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  12. 2026-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  13. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  14. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  15. 2026-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Received from House, Passed on First Consideration

  16. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Health and Welfare Committee calendar for 3/11/2026

  17. 2026-03-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Engrossed; ready for transmission to Sen.

  18. 2026-03-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed H., Ayes 94, Nays 0, PNV 0

  19. 2026-02-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. Placed on Consent Calendar for 3/2/2026

  20. 2026-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 2/26/2026

  21. 2026-02-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass; ref to Calendar & Rules Committee

  22. 2026-02-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  23. 2026-02-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Health Committee for 2/17/2026

  24. 2026-02-11 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  25. 2026-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Health Subcommittee for 2/11/2026

  26. 2026-01-21 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  27. 2026-01-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Health Subcommittee

  28. 2026-01-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, ref. to Health Committee

  29. 2026-01-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  30. 2026-01-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  31. 2026-01-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  32. 2026-01-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

Present law exempts certain entities from licensure as child care agencies, including, but not limited to,
home school
s;
program
s
operated by a church-related school for students whose parents are associated, registered, or participating as a parent-teacher with the church-related school
; and
educational or tutorial program
s
designed to support or enhance the education of home school students
.

This bill adds to such list of exemptions a person
or entity that operates a family child care home and obtains a United States department of defense certificate to operate, pursuant to
federal law
as long as such family child care home provides child care services only to an eligible patron.
As used in this bill, an "eligible patron" means
active duty
m
ilitary
s
ervice members,
certain department of war
civilian employees,
r
eserve
c
omponent
m
ilitary
s
ervice members on inactive duty training, combat relate
d wounded warriors, surviving spouses of military members who died from a combat related incident, eligible employees of
department of defense
contractors, other
f
ederal employees, and those acting in loco parentis
(taking on the duties and responsibilities)
of the aforementioned
persons.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
HOUSE BILL 1663
By Maberry

SENATE BILL 1666
By Powers
SB1666
010573
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 71,
Chapter 3, relative to child care agencies.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 71-3-503, is amended by adding the
following as a new subsection:
(g)
(1) A person or entity that operates a family child care home and obtains
a United States department of defense certificate to operate, pursuant to 32 CFR
79.6, is not subject to licensure and does not require an exemption from licensing
to operate lawfully as long as such family child care home provides child care
services only to an eligible patron.
(2) As used in this subsection (g),"eligible patron" has the same meaning
as defined in 32 CFR 79.3.
SECTION 2. This act takes effect July 1, 2026, the public welfare requiring it.