Tennessee Senate Bill SB0297

Tennessee 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/27/25
• Chaptered: 3/31/25
• Passed: 3/31/25

Caption

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 70, Chapter 1, Part 5 and Section 70-2-201, relative to lifetime sportsman licenses for adopted children.

Summary

SB0297 amends Tennessee law governing lifetime sportsman licenses for adopted children. The bill removes the phrase “within thirty-six (36) months immediately” from Tennessee Code Annotated § 70-2-201(h)(1), which appears to broaden the eligibility window for an adopted child to qualify for a lifetime sportsman license. In practical terms, the measure changes the timing requirement tied to adoption so that the benefit is no longer limited to adoptions occurring within that specific 36-month period. The bill is narrow in scope and affects Title 70, which covers wildlife, hunting, and fishing regulations. By changing the eligibility criteria for a lifetime sportsman license, it impacts adopted children and their families, as well as the state agency responsible for issuing hunting and fishing licenses. The amendment does not create a new program; it modifies an existing statutory benefit and likely affects how the Department of Wildlife Resources administers license eligibility. The overall sentiment around the bill appears strongly favorable. It passed the Senate Energy, Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee 9-0 and then passed the floor 32-0, indicating broad bipartisan support and little to no opposition in the recorded votes. The absence of committee transcript discussion suggests the bill was not especially controversial and may have been viewed as a straightforward technical or fairness-oriented adjustment. There were no recorded points of contention in the available materials. Based on the bill text, any potential debate would likely have centered on whether the prior 36-month limitation should remain in place or whether adopted children should have a broader opportunity to receive the lifetime sportsman license benefit. However, the unanimous votes suggest that any such concerns were minimal or not raised in the legislative record provided.

Impact

This bill amends Tennessee Code Annotated § 70-2-201(h)(1) by deleting a timing restriction related to adopted children’s eligibility for lifetime sportsman licenses. The change affects state wildlife licensing law and the administration of hunting and fishing privileges, likely expanding access to the license for adopted children beyond the prior 36-month adoption window. It directly impacts adopted children, adoptive families, and the state agency that issues sportsman licenses.

Sentiment

The bill appears to have enjoyed broad, bipartisan support and little controversy. It was recommended for passage unanimously in committee and passed the floor 32-0, suggesting legislators viewed it as a reasonable and noncontroversial change. No committee transcript discussion was provided, and the voting record indicates a generally positive sentiment toward the measure.

Contention

No notable contention is reflected in the available record. The only plausible policy issue is whether the law should continue to limit the benefit to children adopted within a specific time frame, but the unanimous committee and floor votes indicate that any such disagreement was either absent or not significant. The bill seems to have been treated as a targeted correction or expansion of an existing benefit rather than a disputed policy change.