Children - As enacted, adds the commissioner of mental health and substance abuse services, and one at large member with experience advocating for children, to the Tennessee second look commission; revises certain severe, the official text

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~tate of \!Cennessee

PUBLIC CHAPTER NO. 1003

                                                  HOUSE BILL NO. 2081

                                      By Representatives Littleton, Hakeem

                                       Substituted for: Senate Bill No. 1937

                                    By Senators Jackson, Gardenhire, Akbari

         AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 37; Title 38; Title 39 and Title 40,
relative to abuse of children.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:

          SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 37-3-804(a), is amended by adding
the following as new subdivisions:

                    (14) The commissioner of mental health and substance abuse services or the
          commissioner's designee; and

                    (15) One (1) at large member with experience advocating for children, appointed
          by the commission's co-chairs.

          SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 37-3-804(b)(1)(A), is amended by
deleting "subdivisions (a)(1)-(5)" wherever it appears and substituting "subdivisions (a)(1)-(5)
and (a)(14)".

          SECTION 3. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 37-3-804(b)(1 )(B)(i), is amended by
deleting "(a)(6)-(13)" and substituting "(a)(6)-(13) and (a)(15)".

          SECTION 4. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 37-3-804(b)(1)(B)(ii), is amended by
deleting "(a)(6)-(13)" and substituting "(a)(6)-(13) or (a)(15)".

          SECTION 5. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 37-3-809, is amended by deleting
"child protective teams," and substituting "child protective teams or the provision of services to
dependent and neglected youth,".

          SECTION 6. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 37-3-803, is amended by deleting
subsection (d) and substituting:

                    (d) The commission shall provide a report detailing the commission's findings and
          recommendations from a review of the appropriate sampling by no later than July 1,
          2027, and annually thereafter, to the general assembly. The report must be submitted to
          the governor, the judiciary and health and welfare committees of the senate, and the
          committee of the house of representatives having jurisdiction over children.

          SECTION 7. Tennessee Code Annotated 1 Section 37-1-102(b)(28)(A)(i), is amended by
deleting "abuse, neglect, or use of force" and substituting "abuse, neglect, use of force, or
strangulation, as defined in§ 39-13-102(a)(2)".

          SECTION 8. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 39-15-402(a)(3), is amended by
deleting "involved the infliction of.torture" and substituting "involved strangulation, as defined in
§ 39-13-102(a)(2), or the infliction of torture".

          SECTION 9. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 37-1-130, is amended by adding the
following as a new subsection:

                    (g) If a child found to be dependent and neglected under this part is less than one
          (1) year of age and the child has been diagnosed by a licensed physician with neonatal
          abstinence syndrome, then:
HB2081
                              (1) The court may order the child's parent, guardian, or other custodian to:
                                        (A) Submit to the department documentation of compliance with
                              preventative pediatric care consistent with the periodicity schedule of the
                             American Academy of Pediatrics until the child reaches one (1) year of
                              age; and
                                        (8) Submit to drug testing at regular intervals at the parent's,
                              guardian's, or other custodian's expense if there are allegations that the
                              parent, guardian, or other custodian has engaged in substance misuse;
                              and
                              (2) The department may initiate a visit to ascertain the well-being of the

                    child if the documentation provided contains allegations of abuse or neglect.
          SECTION 10. Sections 7 and 8 of this act take effect July 1, 2026, the public welfare
requiring it. Section 6 of this act takes effect January 1, 2027, the public welfare requiring it. For
all other sections, this act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.

                                                               2
                    HOUSE BILL NO. 2081

PASSED:  April 22, 2026

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                              CAMERON SEXTON, SPEAKER
                             HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                                                    RANDY MCNAL~
                                       1SPEAKER OF THE SENAT

\qtL APPROVED this  day of (\(\ CM/\/    2026
                         a

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BILL LEE, GOVERNOR