AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49, relative to education.
Summary
SB2678 requires every elementary and secondary school in Tennessee to post, in a conspicuous location on its website, the toll-free telephone number operated by the Department of Children’s Services for reporting child abuse or neglect. The bill amends Tennessee Code Annotated Title 49 by adding a new subsection to the existing school-related reporting provisions.
The measure is straightforward and administrative in nature, focused on making the child abuse and neglect reporting hotline more visible and accessible to students, parents, staff, and the public. It does not create a new reporting system or change the underlying abuse reporting laws; instead, it adds a website-posting requirement for schools statewide, with an effective date of July 1, 2026.
Impact
The bill would amend Tennessee education law by imposing a new compliance obligation on elementary and secondary schools to display the Department of Children’s Services child abuse/neglect hotline on their websites. Schools would need to ensure the number is prominently posted online, and the Department of Education or other oversight entities could potentially use this requirement as part of school website compliance reviews. The bill affects public and private K-12 schools covered by the statute and is intended to improve awareness of mandatory reporting resources.
Sentiment
There is no recorded committee debate or vote history in the provided materials, but the bill’s language suggests a generally protective, child-safety-oriented purpose. Measures that increase visibility of abuse reporting resources are typically viewed favorably because they are low-cost and aimed at prevention and early intervention. The absence of amendments, opposition, or recorded votes in the provided context indicates no documented controversy in the available record.
Contention
No specific points of contention are shown in the provided transcripts or voting history. If any concerns were raised, they would likely center on implementation details such as website compliance, the scope of schools covered, or whether posting the hotline online meaningfully improves reporting. However, the available record does not identify any lawmakers, school officials, or advocacy groups taking a formal opposing position.