Tennessee Senate Bill SB1513

Tennessee 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/7/26
• Engrossed: 4/20/26
• Enrolled: 4/27/26
• Passed: 5/22/26
• Chaptered: 5/27/26

Caption

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4, Chapter 29 and Title 37, Chapter 5, relative to the department of children's services.

Summary

SB1513 makes a narrow administrative change to Tennessee law governing the Department of Children’s Services (DCS). It removes DCS from one existing statutory list of state entities in Title 4, Chapter 29 and adds DCS to a different list in the same chapter, reflecting the department’s status as a state agency created under Tennessee law. The bill does not create new child welfare programs or change substantive services; instead, it updates the state’s organizational and reporting framework for the department. The bill also requires DCS to report back to the Education, Health, and General Welfare Joint Evaluation Committee by December 31, 2026, on progress addressing findings and observations from a December 2025 performance audit by the Division of State Audit. This creates a formal legislative oversight checkpoint tied to audit recommendations and keeps the committee informed about corrective actions and agency performance.

Impact

The bill amends Tennessee Code Annotated Title 4, Chapter 29, and references Title 37, Chapter 5, to update the statutory listing for the Department of Children’s Services. Its practical legal effect is to revise how DCS is categorized within state law and to impose a one-time reporting obligation to a legislative oversight committee. The bill affects the department itself, the General Assembly’s oversight process, and indirectly the implementation of any audit-related reforms identified by the state auditor.

Sentiment

The available voting history suggests broad support and little opposition. The Senate Government Operations Committee recommended passage unanimously, and the bill passed on the floor with strong margins. There is no committee transcript indicating substantive controversy, and the recorded votes suggest the measure was viewed as a routine administrative and oversight bill rather than a contentious policy change.

Contention

No major points of contention are evident in the available record. The only potentially notable issue is the requirement that DCS report on its response to a performance audit, which may reflect legislative concern about agency management or compliance. However, the unanimous committee vote and strong floor support indicate that any concern was limited and did not generate visible opposition.