Tennessee House Bill HB2349

Tennessee 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 2/2/26
• Refer: 2/5/26
• Refer: 3/17/26
• Refer: 4/1/26
• Refer: 4/14/26

Caption

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 37, Chapter 5, Part 5, relative to licenses.

Impact

The legislation, if enacted, would significantly amend Tennessee Code Annotated by establishing requirements for child care agency transparency. Parents and guardians will have better access to data regarding violations, inspections, and safety statuses of child care providers. This aligns with broader public welfare goals to ensure that children are provided safe environments while in the care of third-party providers. By centralizing this information online, the state seeks to empower families to make informed decisions regarding child care options.

Summary

House Bill 2349 aims to enhance the transparency and safety standards in child care services across Tennessee by introducing a web-based registry for child care agencies. This registry will include comprehensive information about licensed and approved child care providers, such as their current licensing status, past violations, and inspection outcomes. The bill mandates that this registry, which is to be set up by July 1, 2027, be easily navigable and include search functionalities by zip code, essentially improving public access to crucial child care information.

Contention

While the bill is generally viewed as a positive step for child safety and public accountability, there may be concerns regarding the potential burden it could place on child care providers, particularly smaller operations that may struggle with compliance costs and administrative requirements. Some stakeholders may argue that the emphasis on public reporting of violations could lead to undue scrutiny and might deter individuals from entering the child care sector altogether. Balancing the need for transparency with the operational realities of child care agencies is expected to be a point of discussion among lawmakers and advocates.