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SB2165 • 2026

Foster Care

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 36-1-113 and Section 37-2-415, relative to foster parents.

Children
Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor
Haile, Littleton
Last action
2026-04-15
Official status
Transmitted to Governor for action.
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide details on how the bill will affect foster parents' ability to advocate for the child's best interests or specify consequences if the department fails to comply with the seven-day requirement.

Foster Care Petition Notification

This bill requires the Tennessee Department of Children's Services to give foster parents a copy of petitions to terminate parental rights if the child has been in their care for at least nine months.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires the department to send copies of termination of parental rights petitions to foster parents who have cared for a child for at least nine consecutive months.
  • Specifies that the department must provide these copies within seven days after filing or receiving service if they are the petitioner, and within seven days of being served with the petition if another party is the petitioner.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Foster parents who have cared for a child for at least nine consecutive months
  • The Tennessee Department of Children’s Services

Terms To Know

Petition to terminate parental rights
A legal document asking the court to end a parent's rights over their child.
Foster parents
People who take care of children temporarily when they cannot live with their biological parents.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify what happens if the department fails to provide the required information within seven days.
  • It is unclear how this change will affect foster parents' ability to advocate for the child's best interests.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Transmitted to Governor for action.

  2. 2026-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by H. Speaker

  3. 2026-04-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Senate Speaker

  4. 2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Enrolled and ready for signatures

  5. 2026-04-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed H., Ayes 77, Nays 16, PNV 0

  6. 2026-04-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Subst. for comp. HB.

  7. 2026-04-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  8. 2026-04-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Comp. SB subst.

  9. 2026-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 4/6/2026

  10. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 4/2/2026

  11. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass; ref to Calendar & Rules Committee

  12. 2026-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  13. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  14. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  15. 2026-03-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  16. 2026-03-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Engrossed; ready for transmission to House

  17. 2026-03-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed Senate, Ayes 27, Nays 4

  18. 2026-03-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 3/16/2026

  19. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  20. 2026-03-10 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  21. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  22. 2026-03-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage, refer to Senate Calendar Committee

  23. 2026-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 3/3/2026

  24. 2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Judiciary Committee

  25. 2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Children and Family Affairs Subcommittee

  26. 2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, ref. to Judiciary Committee

  27. 2026-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  28. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  29. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  30. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

Abstract summarizes the bill.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
HOUSE BILL 2350
By Littleton

SENATE BILL 2165
By Haile
SB2165
012318
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Section
36-1-113 and Section 37-2-415, relative to foster
parents.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 36-1-113(e), is amended by
redesignating the current language as subdivision (e)(1) and adding the following new
subdivision:
(2) If the child who is the subject of the petition is in the legal custody or
guardianship of the department, then the department must provide a copy of the petition
to the foster parent of the child, if the foster parent has served as the physical placement
for the child for a period of nine (9) or more consecutive months. If the department is the
petitioner, then the department must provide the required copy within seven (7) days of
the filing of the petition. If another party is the petitioner, then the department must
provide the required copy within seven (7) days of service upon the department.
SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 37-2-415(a)(15), is amended by
deleting the subdivision and substituting the following:
(15) The department shall provide all information regarding the child and the
child's family background and health history, in a timely manner to the foster parent or
parents. The foster parent or parents shall receive additional or necessary information,
that is relevant to the care of the child, on an ongoing basis; provided, that confidential
information received by the foster parents, including the copy of any termination of
parental rights petition provided pursuant to § 36-1-113(e)(2), shall be maintained as

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such by the foster parents, except as necessary to promote or protect the health and
welfare of the child.
SECTION 3. This act takes effect July 1, 2026, the public welfare requiring it.