Tennessee House Bill HB2081

Tennessee 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/23/26
• Refer: 2/4/26
• Refer: 3/25/26
• Refer: 4/1/26
• Refer: 4/6/26
• Refer: 4/15/26
• Engrossed: 4/21/26
• Enrolled: 4/28/26
• Passed: 5/19/26

Caption

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

Summary

HB2081 makes several changes to Tennessee law relating to child abuse, child welfare, and the state’s response to dependent and neglected children. It expands the membership of the child abuse commission by adding the commissioner of mental health and substance abuse services or a designee, plus an at-large child advocacy member appointed by the commission’s co-chairs. It also broadens the commission’s review and reporting duties to include services for dependent and neglected youth, and requires annual reports to the General Assembly beginning July 1, 2027. The bill also updates statutory definitions and criminal provisions to expressly include strangulation in the child abuse and aggravated child abuse framework. In addition, it creates a new court option for children under one year old who have been diagnosed with neonatal abstinence syndrome: the court may require proof of compliance with preventive pediatric care, and may order drug testing at the parent, guardian, or custodian’s expense if there are allegations of substance misuse. The Department of Children’s Services may also initiate a welfare visit if the documentation raises abuse or neglect concerns.

Impact

HB2081 amends multiple titles of the Tennessee Code, primarily affecting child welfare proceedings, child abuse definitions, and related criminal statutes. It expands the scope of the child abuse commission’s oversight and reporting, adds strangulation as an expressly covered form of abuse in relevant child-protection provisions, and creates a specific judicial and departmental response for infants with neonatal abstinence syndrome. The bill affects courts, the Department of Children’s Services, the child abuse commission, parents or custodians of affected children, and child advocacy stakeholders.

Sentiment

The bill appears to have broad bipartisan support and was advanced overwhelmingly at each stage, including unanimous or near-unanimous committee votes and strong floor passage. The final House vote was 85-2, and the Senate third consideration passed 30-0, suggesting general agreement with the bill’s child-protection goals. The available record does not include committee debate transcripts, so sentiment must be inferred from the voting pattern rather than specific remarks.

Contention

There is little visible contention in the available record, but the bill’s most potentially sensitive provisions are the expanded court authority over parents or custodians of infants diagnosed with neonatal abstinence syndrome and the ability to require drug testing at the parent’s expense. Another area that could draw attention is the explicit inclusion of strangulation in abuse-related definitions and offenses, which broadens legal exposure in child abuse cases. Despite these policy implications, the recorded votes show minimal opposition, indicating that any concerns were not enough to prevent strong support.