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SB2637 • 2026

Education, Dept. of

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49 and Title 71, Chapter 3, Part 5, relative to child care programs.

Children Education
Active

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

Sponsor
Roberts, Kumar
Last action
2026-04-13
Official status
Effective date(s) 07/01/2026
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The candidate explanation includes details that were not explicitly supported in the official summary, such as specific dates and impacts on parents.

Child Care Program Age Requirements

This bill changes Tennessee's laws to require child care teachers and assistant teachers for children under four years old to be at least 18 years old.

What This Bill Does

  • Changes the law so that anyone who teaches or helps teach in a child care program for kids under four must be at least 18 years old.
  • Adds this new rule to Tennessee's laws about education and child care programs.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Child care teachers and assistant teachers for kids under four years old in Tennessee.

Terms To Know

Tennessee Code Annotated
The official collection of laws passed by the state of Tennessee.
Child Care Program
A place where parents can leave their children to be cared for and taught while they are at work or busy with other things.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not address what happens if someone under 18 is already working as a teacher or assistant teacher in these programs.
  • It's unclear how this change will affect the availability of child care for very young children.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Effective date(s) 07/01/2026

  2. 2026-04-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Pub. Ch. 679

  3. 2026-04-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Comp. became Pub. Ch. 679

  4. 2026-04-07 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Governor.

  5. 2026-03-27 Tennessee General Assembly

    Transmitted to Governor for action.

  6. 2026-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by H. Speaker

  7. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Senate Speaker

  8. 2026-03-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Enrolled and ready for signatures

  9. 2026-03-23 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed H., Ayes 82, Nays 0, PNV 2

  10. 2026-03-23 Tennessee General Assembly

    Subst. for comp. HB.

  11. 2026-03-23 Tennessee General Assembly

    Comp. SB subst.

  12. 2026-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  13. 2026-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. Placed on Consent Calendar for 3/23/2026

  14. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 3/19/2026

  15. 2026-03-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Engrossed; ready for transmission to House

  16. 2026-03-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed Senate, Ayes 32, Nays 0

  17. 2026-03-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Consent Calendar 2 for 3/16/2026

  18. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage, refer to Senate Calendar Committee

  19. 2026-03-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass; ref to Calendar & Rules Committee

  20. 2026-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Education Committee calendar for 3/11/2026

  21. 2026-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Education Committee for 3/10/2026

  22. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Education Committee for 3/10/2026

  23. 2026-03-03 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  24. 2026-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Education Administration Subcommittee for 3/3/2026

  25. 2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Education Committee

  26. 2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Education Administration Subcommittee

  27. 2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, ref. to Education Committee

  28. 2026-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  29. 2026-02-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  30. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  31. 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 2573
By Kumar

SENATE BILL 2637
By Roberts
SB2637
010353
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49
and Title 71, Chapter 3, Part 5, relative to child
care programs.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 49-1-1103(a), is amended by adding
the following as a new subdivision:
(4) An individual shall not serve as a teacher or assistant teacher in a child care
program for children who are four (4) years of age or younger unless the teacher or
assistant teacher is at least eighteen (18) years of age.
SECTION 2. This act takes effect July 1, 2026, the public welfare requiring it.