Tennessee legislation · 114th General Assembly
Tennessee HB2082: AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 36, Chapter 6; Title 37, Chapter 1 and Title 39, Chapter 15, relative to children.
Status: Chaptered, May 5, 2026
Fiscal Summary NOT SIGNIFICANT Bill Summary This bill prohibits a parent's or legal guardian's action of raising, guiding, or instructing the parent's or legal guardian's child consistent with the child's biological sex, including referring to the child by titles or pronouns consistent with the child's biological sex, or making mental health or medical decisions based on the child's biological sex, including consenting to any lawful medical or mental health service to assist the child in living consistent with the child's biological sex and declining any medical or mental health service for the purpose of gender transition, from being the basis for any of the following: A finding of abuse or severe child abuse. Determining that a child is a dependent and neglected child. Taking a child into custody. A child to be detained or placed in shelter care. A determination by a court that a child is in need of immediate protection or that a child should be removed from the custody of the child's parent, guardian, legal custodian, or the person who physically possesses or controls the child. A petition. A court to order an assessment of a child. A disposition. Termination of parental rights. Committing a child to the temporary legal custody of the department of children's services. Criminal offenses related to child abuse, child neglect, or child endangerment. Child custody arrangements. Further, this bill prohibits a child's disagreement with a parent's or legal guardian's decision to raise, guide, or instruct the child consistent with the child's biological sex, including referring to the child by titles or pronouns consistent with the child's biological sex, or making mental health or medical decisions based on the child's biological sex, including consenting to any lawful
What the bill says
An act to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 36, Chapter 6; Title 37, Chapter 1 and Title 39, Chapter 15, relative to children.
From the introduced text:
AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 36, Chapter 6; Title 37, Chapter 1 and Title 39, Chapter 15, relative to children. SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 37, Chapter 1, Part 1, is amended by adding the following as a new section: (a) A parent's or legal guardian's action of raising, guiding, or instructing the parent's or legal guardian's child consistent with the child's biological sex, including, but not limited to, referring to the child by titles or pronouns consistent with the child's biological sex, or making mental health or medical decisions based on the child's biological sex, including, but not limited to, consenting to any lawful medical or mental health service to assist the child in living consistent with the child's biological sex and declining any medical or mental health service for the purpose of gender transition, must not be a basis (2) Determining that a child is a dependent and neglected child; (3) Taking a child into custody pursuant to § 37-1-113; (4) A child to be detained or placed in shelter care pursuant to § 37-1114 or § 37-1-116; (5) A determination by a court that a child is in need of immediate protection or that a child should be removed from the custody of the child's parent, guardian, legal custodian, or the person who …
Sponsors
- Littleton, Mary (R, 78) · primary sponsor
- Reneau, Michele (R, 27)
- Fritts, Monty (R, 32)
- Hulsey, Bud (R, 2)
- McCalmon, Jake (R, 63)
- Davis, Elaine (R, 18)
Latest actions
- : Comp. became Pub. Ch. 846
- : Sponsor(s) Added.
- : Comp. SB subst.
- : H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 4/13/2026
- : Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 4/9/2026
- : Rec. for pass; ref to Calendar & Rules Committee
- : Placed on cal. Judiciary Committee for 4/1/2026
- : Action def. in Judiciary Committee to 4/1/2026
- : Placed on cal. Judiciary Committee for 3/23/2026
- : Action def. in Judiciary Committee to 3/25/2026
Votes
- FLOOR VOTE: REGULAR CALENDAR PASSAGE ON THIRD CONSIDERATION (April 14, 2026): 79 yea, 16 nay, passed
- HOUSE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE: Rec. for pass; ref to Calendar & Rules Committee (April 1, 2026): 13 yea, 5 nay, passed
- FLOOR VOTE: Third Consideration (March 12, 2026): 27 yea, 6 nay, passed
- SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE: Recommended for passage, refer to Senate Calendar Committee (March 3, 2026): 7 yea, 1 nay, passed
- HOUSE CHILDREN AND FAMILY AFFAIRS SUBCOMMITTEE: Rec. for pass by s/c ref. to Judiciary Committee (February 17, 2026): 3 yea, 1 nay, passed
Subjects: Archives, Publications, My Bills
Common questions
- What is HB2082?
- HB2082 is a bill in the Tennessee Legislature (114th General Assembly): AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 36, Chapter 6; Title 37, Chapter 1 and Title 39, Chapter 15, relative to children.
- What does HB2082 do?
- In its own words: An act to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 36, Chapter 6; Title 37, Chapter 1 and Title 39, Chapter 15, relative to children.
- What is the status of HB2082?
- Chaptered as of May 5, 2026. Latest action: Comp. became Pub. Ch. 846 (May 5, 2026).
- Who sponsored HB2082?
- Littleton, Mary (R, 78), with 5 co-sponsors.
- Where is the official record for HB2082?
- On the Tennessee Legislature website: https://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/BillInfo/Default?BillNumber=HB2082&GA=114
Source: official Tennessee record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.