Tennessee Senate Bill SB0326

Tennessee 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/27/25

Caption

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 8; Title 38; Title 39; Title 45; Title 68 and Title 71, relative to abuse of elderly or vulnerable adults.

Summary

SB0326 makes a narrow change to Tennessee’s laws on abuse of elderly or vulnerable adults. The bill amends Tennessee Code Annotated § 71-6-122 to require the Department to prominently advertise the existing toll-free telephone service on the home page of the Department’s website. In practical terms, the measure is aimed at making the reporting/help line easier for the public to find, especially for people seeking information or assistance related to suspected abuse, neglect, or exploitation. The bill does not create a new program or expand the underlying hotline itself; instead, it focuses on visibility and access to an existing service. Because the act takes effect immediately upon becoming law, the change would be implemented without delay and would apply to the Department responsible for elder/vulnerable adult abuse services.

Impact

The bill amends Title 71, specifically Tennessee Code Annotated § 71-6-122, by adding a website-publicity requirement for the Department’s toll-free telephone service. Its legal effect is limited to administrative presentation of the hotline on the Department’s homepage, but it may improve public awareness and reporting of elder and vulnerable adult abuse. No other statutes are directly changed by the text provided, and the measure appears to affect the Department’s communications obligations rather than substantive enforcement or penalty provisions.

Sentiment

The available voting history suggests broad support for the bill. The Senate Health and Welfare Committee recommended passage with amendment by a unanimous 9-0 vote, indicating little to no opposition at the committee stage. No committee transcript is available, but the vote pattern points to a generally favorable view of the bill as a low-cost, consumer-protection-oriented measure.

Contention

There is no recorded substantive contention in the materials provided. Because the bill is narrowly focused on website placement of an existing toll-free service, any debate would likely center on implementation details, administrative burden, or whether the change is sufficient to improve access to abuse reporting resources. However, the unanimous committee vote and lack of transcript evidence suggest no significant disagreement among lawmakers or stakeholders in the available record.