SB2355 • 2026

Courts, Juvenile

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 16; Title 20; Title 33; Title 34; Title 36 and Title 37, relative to guardians ad litem.

Children Parental Rights

Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor: Massey, Raper
Last action: 2026-04-15
Official status: Transmitted to Governor for action.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

Guardian Ad Litem Training and Reporting Requirements

This bill requires court-appointed guardians ad litem to complete specific training and mandates juvenile court clerks to report uncollected guardian ad litem administrative fees.

What This Bill Does

Requires a guardian ad litem appointed by the court to complete appropriate training, including in early childhood, child, and adolescent development, within three years of their appointment.
Allows existing guardians ad litem who were appointed before July 1, 2026, to continue serving if they complete the required training by July 1, 2029.
Requires juvenile court clerks to report uncollected guardian ad litem administrative fees in monthly reports.

Who It Names or Affects

Courts that appoint guardians ad litem for children
Guardians ad litem appointed by the courts

Terms To Know

guardian ad litem: A person chosen by a court to represent and protect the interests of a child in legal matters.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify what happens if a guardian ad litem fails to complete training within the required time frame.
It is unclear how the reporting requirement will be enforced or monitored by the courts.

Amendments

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

HA0862

Amendment 1-0 to HB2154

Plain English: The amendment adds new requirements for guardians ad litem to receive specific training in child development and sets a deadline for existing guardians ad litem to complete this training.

Requires all newly appointed guardians ad litem to complete training on early childhood, child, and adolescent development provided by qualified professionals.
Allows courts to appoint individuals as guardians ad litem before they have completed the required training, but these individuals must finish their training within three years of appointment.
Existing guardians ad litem can continue serving until July 1, 2029, without completing the new training requirements if appointed before July 1, 2026.

The amendment does not specify what happens to individuals who fail to complete their training within the required timeframe.

SA0517

Amendment 1-0 to SB2355

Plain English: The amendment adds new requirements for guardians ad litem in Tennessee to complete specific training within three years of their appointment.

Requires a guardian ad litem to receive training on early childhood, child, and adolescent development from a qualified professional.
Allows the court to appoint someone as a guardian ad litem before they have completed the required training, but mandates that they must complete it within three years of their appointment.

The amendment does not specify what happens if a guardian ad litem fails to complete the required training within the specified timeframe.

Bill History

2026-04-15 Tennessee General Assembly
Transmitted to Governor for action.
2026-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly
Signed by H. Speaker
2026-04-09 Tennessee General Assembly
Signed by Senate Speaker
2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly
Enrolled and ready for signatures
2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly
Passed H., Ayes 91, Nays 4, PNV 1
2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly
Am. withdrawn. (Amendment 1 - HA0862)
2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly
Subst. for comp. HB.
2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly
Sponsor(s) Added.
2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly
Comp. SB subst.
2026-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly
H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 4/8/2026
2026-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly
Sponsor(s) Added.
2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 4/2/2026
2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly
Rec. for pass. if am., ref. to Calendar & Rules Committee
2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on cal. Judiciary Committee for 3/23/2026
2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly
Action def. in Judiciary Committee to 3/25/2026
2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on cal. Judiciary Committee for 3/18/2026
2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly
Sponsor(s) Added.
2026-03-10 Tennessee General Assembly
Rec. for pass. if am. by s/c ref. to Judiciary Committee
2026-03-09 Tennessee General Assembly
Rcvd. from S., held on H. desk.
2026-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly
Engrossed; ready for transmission to House
2026-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly
Passed Senate as amended, Ayes 27, Nays 3
2026-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly
Senate adopted Amendment (Amendment 1 - SA0517)
2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on s/c cal Children and Family Affairs Subcommittee for 3/10/2026
2026-03-03 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 3/5/2026
2026-03-03 Tennessee General Assembly
Action Def. in s/c Children and Family Affairs Subcommittee to 3/10/2026
2026-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on s/c cal Children and Family Affairs Subcommittee for 3/3/2026
2026-02-24 Tennessee General Assembly
Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 7, Nays 2 PNV 0
2026-02-24 Tennessee General Assembly
Assigned to s/c Children and Family Affairs Subcommittee
2026-02-24 Tennessee General Assembly
Ref. to Judiciary Committee
2026-02-18 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 2/24/2026
2026-02-17 Tennessee General Assembly
Action deferred in Senate Judiciary Committee to 2/24/2026
2026-02-11 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 2/17/2026
2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly
Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Judiciary Committee
2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly
P2C, caption bill, held on desk - pending amdt.
2026-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly
Intro., P1C.
2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly
Introduced, Passed on First Consideration
2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly
Filed for introduction
2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly
Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

ON MARCH 5, 2026, THE SENATE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED SENATE BILL 2355, AS AMENDED.

AMENDMENT #1 rewrites the bill to, instead, require a guardian ad litem appointed by the court to complete training appropriate to that role, including training in early childhood, child, and adolescent development. However, the court may appoint a pers
on as a guardian ad litem that has not completed such training if that person completes the required training within three years of the date of the person's initial appointment. Persons appointed as a guardian ad litem prior to July 1, 2026, can continue
t
o be appointed and serve as a guardian ad litem, if such a person completes the required training before July 1, 2029.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HOUSE BILL 2154
By Raper

SENATE BILL 2355
By Massey
SB2355
012180
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 16;
Title 20; Title 33; Title 34; Title 36 and Title 37,
relative to guardians ad litem.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 37-1-126(c)(5), is amended by
adding the following as a new subdivision:
(H) Total amount of guardian ad litem administrative fees that were not waived
but were not collected.
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.