SB2459 • 2026

Children's Services, Dept. of

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 37, relative to the department of children's services.

Children Firearms

Active

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

Sponsor: Bailey, Sherrell
Last action: 2026-04-15
Official status: Passed H., Ayes 72, Nays 23, PNV 0
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official bill summary does not provide information on how the department will enforce these new rules or what happens if a foster parent refuses to answer questions about firearm safety.

Department of Children's Services Changes

This bill restricts how the Department of Children's Services can ask foster parents and those who want to be foster parents about firearms in their homes.

What This Bill Does

Limits what information the department can request from foster parents or people wanting to become foster parents about firearms they own, such as the number or type of guns and ammunition.
Does not allow the department to ask for access to locked storage areas where firearms are kept.

Who It Names or Affects

Foster parents
People who want to become foster parents

Terms To Know

Department of Children's Services: A government agency that helps children and families in need.
Secure storage: Keeping firearms locked up to prevent unauthorized access.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify what happens if a foster parent or prospective foster parent refuses to answer questions about firearm safety.
It is unclear how the department will enforce these new rules.

Amendments

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

HA1106

Amendment 1-0 to HB2206

Plain English: The amendment stops the Department of Children's Services from asking foster parents and those who want to become foster parents about their firearms or ammunition details.

The department cannot ask for information on how many guns or types of ammo a foster parent has, nor can they demand to see these items.
However, the department is allowed to check if there are any guns in the home and whether they are stored safely.

The amendment does not explain what happens during abuse or neglect investigations involving firearms.

SA0573

Amendment 1-0 to SB2459

Plain English: The amendment stops the Department of Children's Services from asking foster parents and those who want to become foster parents about their firearms or ammunition details.

The department cannot ask for information on how many guns or types of bullets a foster parent has, nor can they demand to see these items.
However, the department is allowed to check if there are any guns in the home and whether they are stored safely.

The amendment does not explain what happens during abuse or neglect investigations involving foster homes.

Bill History

2026-04-15 Tennessee General Assembly
Passed H., Ayes 72, Nays 23, PNV 0
2026-04-15 Tennessee General Assembly
Am. withdrawn. (Amendment 1 - HA1106)
2026-04-15 Tennessee General Assembly
Subst. for comp. HB.
2026-04-15 Tennessee General Assembly
Sponsor(s) Added.
2026-04-15 Tennessee General Assembly
Comp. SB subst.
2026-04-09 Tennessee General Assembly
H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 4/13/2026
2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly
Sponsor(s) Added.
2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 4/9/2026
2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly
Rec. for pass. if am., ref. to Calendar & Rules Committee
2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on cal. Judiciary Committee for 4/8/2026
2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly
Rec for pass if am by s/c ref. to Judiciary Committee
2026-04-07 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on s/c cal Children and Family Affairs Subcommittee for 4/8/2026
2026-03-23 Tennessee General Assembly
Rcvd. from S., held on H. desk.
2026-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly
Sponsor(s) Added.
2026-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly
Engrossed; ready for transmission to House
2026-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly
Passed Senate as amended, Ayes 27, Nays 5, PNV 1
2026-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly
Senate adopted Amendment (Amendment 1 - SA0573)
2026-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 3/19/2026
2026-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly
Taken off notice for cal in s/c Children and Family Affairs Subcommittee of Judiciary Committee
2026-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on s/c cal Children and Family Affairs Subcommittee for 3/17/2026
2026-03-09 Tennessee General Assembly
Assigned to s/c Children and Family Affairs Subcommittee
2026-03-09 Tennessee General Assembly
Ref. to Judiciary Committee
2026-03-03 Tennessee General Assembly
Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 9, Nays 0 PNV 0
2026-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 3/3/2026
2026-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly
Sponsor(s) withdrawn.
2026-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly
Sponsor change.
2026-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly
Sponsor(s) Added.
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 19, 2026, THE SENATE
ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED SENATE BILL 2459, AS AMENDED.

AMENDMENT #1 rewrites the bill to, instead, generally prohibit t
he department of children's services
from (i) r
equest
ing
information regarding the number or type of firearms or ammunition or identifying information about such firearms or ammunition that a foster parent or prospective foster parent owns or possesses; or
(ii) r
equest
ing
a foster parent or prospective foster parent to display or provide access to a firearm or ammunition owned or possessed by the parent.

However, this amendment
does not prohibit the department from

(
i
)
i
nquiring whether firearms and ammunition are present in the foster parent or prospective foster parent's home and, if so, whether such firearms and ammunition are securely stored; and

(
ii
)
r
equesting to see the storage of
such
firearms or ammunition
without requesting
that the foster parent or prospective foster parent open a secured storage compartment.

Further, this amendment
does not apply to an investigation into an allegation of abuse or neglect within a foster home.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HOUSE BILL 2206
By Keisling

SENATE BILL 2459
By Bailey
SB2459
012096
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 37,
relative to the department of children's services.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 37-1-903(c)(2), is amended by
deleting the second sentence of the subdivision and substituting:
The department of children's services shall create and disseminate an annual report to
the director of the administrative office of the courts, the commissioner of the department
of mental health and substance abuse services, the council of juvenile and family court
judges, the commission on children and youth, and the chairs of the civil justice
committee of the house of representatives and the judiciary committee of the senate.
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.