Tennessee General Assembly· SB 609Signed by Governor.

Child Custody and Support - As enacted, requires a court to consider the extent to which a parenting schedule provides each parent a meaningful opportunity to participate in the child's life, consistent with the child's , the official text

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                             PUBLIC CHAPTER NO. 683

                                                     SENATE BILL NO. 609

                                                 By Massey, Campbell, Seal

                                             Substituted for: House Bill No. 590

                                                             By Atchley

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 36 and Title 37, relative to children.

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

          SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 36-6-106(a), is amended by deleting the
language "The court shall consider all relevant factors, including the following, where applicable:"
and substituting:

          The court shall consider all relevant factors with the best interest of the child always being
          paramount, including the following, where applicable:

          SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 36-6-106(a), is amended by adding the
following as a new subdivision (17) and redesignating the existing subdivision accordingly:

                    (17) Without creating any presumption as to parenting time, the extent to which the
          parenting schedule proposed or ordered provides each parent with meaningful opportunities
          to participate in the child's life, consistent with the child's best interest; and

          SECTION 3. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 36-6-106(a), is amended by deleting the
language "subdivisions (a)(1 )-(17)" and substituting "this subsection (a)".

          SECTION 4. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 36-6-404(b), is amended by deleting the
language"§ 36-6-106(a)(1)-(15)" and substituting"§ 36-6-106(a)".

          SECTION 5. This act takes effect July 1, 2026, the public welfare requiring it.
         SENATE BILL NO. 609

PASSED:  April 2, 2026

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                                             RANDYMcN
                                      SPEAKER OF THE SE.

                        CAMERcw;a,rXTON,SPEAKER

                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

APPROVED this 11,otl. day of P,,ri·\         2026

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                         BILL LEE, GOVERNOR

Every fact on this page links to its source, starting with the official bill record.