Tracking 2025 Family Law Legislation for Tennessee
Get an early look at the family law legislative trends for 2025 by following several bills introduced in Tennessee’s 114th General Assembly. The first set of bills are those that have already been signed into law by Governor. (Note: Public chapter numbers will be added once available from the Secretary of State. )
NEW LAWS IN 2025
2025 family law legislative trends by tracking several bills introduced in the 114th Tennessee General Assembly
Protective Orders and the Voyeurism Victims Act
Governor Lee signed the “Voyeurism Victims Act” into law on March 25, 2025 (Public Chapter 62). The victims of unlawful photography who discover that they were secretly or surreptitiously recorded have more time in which to seek protective measures. This includes orders of protection. The sections 1 and 2 amend T.C.A. SS 39-13-605, Criminal offenses against Person, will take effect on July 1, 2025. All other sections of the act took effect upon becoming law, including family law amendments.
Why is this VVA important? The act allows for the issuance of an
order of protection to a person who has been subjected to, threatened with, or placed in fear of unlawful photography. The VVA authorizes the issuance of an order of protection for a person who has been subjected to, threatened with, or placed in fear of unlawful photography.Which family laws were amended?
Specific to domestic violence in family law, amendments to SS 36-6-601, 36-3-602(a) and (c), 36-3-605(b), 36-3-606(a), 36-3-613(a), and 36-3-617(a) are now law. In terms of obtaining protective orders against perpetrators, the act places unlawful photography victims alongside victims of domestic abuse, stalking, sexual assault, even human trafficking.
Importantly, new subsection (g) was added to SS 39-13-605. Tolling the limitations period is the act of suspending or delaying it. Beginning July 1, the criminal prosecutions limitations period will be “tolled” for any period in which the defendant conceals a crime until the victim discovers it. The limitations clock resumes ticking when the person discovers he or she is the victim of unlawful photography.
Forensic Interviews of Child Victims
The governor signed SB0304 into law on April 11, and the act is now in effect. (Public Chapter TBA.). This act still allows introduction into
evidence a video recorded interview conducted by a forensic interviewer wherein the child interviewee made a statement regarding sexual contact or physically violent contact against himself or herself.What is new? What is new? The child must be present for cross-examination. (Amends Title 24 Chapter 7. For more information about independent child custody evaluations, visit
Protecting Teenage Students Online. Visit
Protecting teens online for more information.
On the 11th of April, the governor signed HB0825 which created the new
Teen Social Media and Internet Safety Act. The act will require that schools serving students in grades 6-12 adhere to new social media safety and internet safety curriculums. Section 1 is already in place. These bills concern:MarriageChild Custody and Support
Child Abuse and Neglect
Domestic Violence
- Tennessee Covenant Marriage Act
- Tennessee Covenant Marriage Act
- Cross-filed bills – HB0315/SB0737 introducing the “Tennessee Covenant Marriage Act” seem to have stalled. These bills regard:
- Marriage
Child Custody and Support
Child Abuse and Neglect
Domestic Violence
Tennessee Covenant Marriage Act
Tennessee Covenant Marriage Act
Cross-filed bills – HB0315/SB0737 – introducing the “Tennessee Covenant Marriage Act” seem to have stalled. The act would amend Title 36 in part by adding a new section to the marriage chapter SS 36-3-201-201 et al.
The Act would create a contract marriage option available only for adult opposite sex couples. The act would create a covenant marriage contract option, available only to adult opposite sex couples. The parties who desire a covenant marriage agree and understand that marriage is a relationship lasting a lifetime. Premarital counseling is the main requirement, with an emphasis on the nature, purpose, and responsibilities associated with marriage. The parties agree to do everything they can to preserve their marriage, including marriage counseling.
The act allows married couples to convert their traditional marriage, whether it is licensed in Tennessee or not, into a covenant wedding. What are the grounds for divorce in a covenant relationship?
The grounds of divorce from a marriage covenant would only be available in cases where there has been “a complete and total violation of the marital commitment”. This includes adultery, abandonment and felony imprisonment. The types of lawsuits that spouses can bring before legal separation are also specified. Update on Status:
- Initially, HB0315 had been assigned to the Judiciary Committee Children and Family Affairs Subcommittee. The bill was removed from the legislative agenda on March 4. As for SB0737, there has been little action by the Senate since February 12 when it passed on second consideration.
CHILD CUSTODY AND CHILD SUPPORT
Non-Custodial Parent’s Right to Unimpeded Conversations with the Child
Non-Custodial Parent’s Right to Unimpeded Conversations with the Child
Currently, a parent who is not in possession of his or her child (for instance, during the other party’s parenting time) has the right to unimpeded telephone or video conference conversations twice a week with the child. The proposed legislation would increase the minimum number of such conversations to three times a week by amending SS 36-6-101(a)(3)(B)(i). The legislation is a simple change, but the potential impact is significant. Increasing opportunities for the non-custodial parent to converse with the child could have, hopefully would have, a material impact on the parent-child relationship.
Status Update: HB0590 has been held on the House desk since February 5 pending amendment. On February 12, SB0609 was referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Child Custody Factors and Parenting Plans
This legislation would amend the SS 36-6-106(a) list of child custody factors in one significant way. The court will consider if a parent has not paid court-ordered support for three years or longer. (SS 36-6 106(a)(16). The bills HB0492/SB0540 would require the court to consider any failure to pay child support ordered by a court in its custody determination. This is a shift in favor of the alternate resident parent who has fallen behind on child support payments, even temporarily due to an employment change, illness, relocation or other circumstances. The act would amend SS 36-6-406(d)(1) to give the court the authority to add temporary and permanent restrictions to parenting plans. The court can limit or exclude any parenting plan provision if it finds that “neglect, or substantial nonperformance” of parenting responsibilities is present, including failure to pay court ordered child support, among other factors. The substitute SB0549 passed the House floor vote on April 15 (Ayes 75; Noes 17; PNV 2). Will the governor sign this bill? Likely.
Parental Access to All of the Child’s Medical Records
Should parental access to a 16-year-old child’s medical records include access to records of treatments provided without parental consent? If HB0853/SB0259 becomes law, then the answer would be “Yes.” Including access by the parent with legal decision-making authority over healthcare and medical matters.
Among other things, the act would amend SS 36-8-103(c)(4) to allow parents access and review of all the child’s health care records (medical and mental health). This covers treatments to unemancipated minors that occurred without parental consent, meaning parental access would no longer be limited to prescription records of an older child.Status Update:
Both bills are in committee.
CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT
Numerous bills have been introduced in the House and Senate regarding child abuse and child neglect, including the following:
On felony child abuse, HB0045/SB0693 would heighten the penalty – from a Class A misdemeanor to a Class E felony – the offense of child abuse. The age of the victim is a factor in determining felony abuse. The floor vote of the House on April 14 passed HB0045 (Ayes 94; Noes 0; PNV 1). It was then engrossed and readied for transmission to the Senate. SB0693 was added to the Senate Consent Calendar on April 17. The bill aims to keep families together in spite of poverty or a profound change in financial circumstances. In essence, the non-payment of child support by a financially strapped parents may not be considered child neglect.
- Was it solely due to financial difficulties that a parent was unable to provide for a child’s basic needs? This may not be enough to qualify as child neglect. Did the financially strapped parents look the gift horse in its mouth? If the parent refused to accept reasonable material resources such as housing and cash assistance, then neglect is the result. And then the child suffered as a consequence.
If passed, the act would apply in parental rights termination and adoption cases.
Status Update: SB0560 passed a Senate floor vote unanimously on March 31. The House floor vote for SB0560 was also unanimous. This bill will soon be on the governor’s table. Will Governor Lee sign this bill? Very likely.
Allowing kids to be kids, HB1170/SB1259 would remove from the definition of child neglect a parent’s permitting those independent activities a child of sufficient age and maturity would normally do. Child maturity is the ability to avoid harm, or a risk of harm that is unreasonable. Parents wouldn’t be neglecting their child if they allowed them to run, walk, or ride a bike to school. Or be home alone for reasonable periods. Or be home alone for reasonable periods.
Status Update: HB1170 failed in House committee on March 11 while SB1259 was referred to Senate committee on February 12.
On child abuse,
SB1241 includes a child who is witness to abuse – abuse of another child in the home or of domestic violence of an adult in the household – as also the victim of child abuse.
(According to the DOJ Office of Victims of Crime, vicarious trauma is real. Even adults who assist victims in their work can suffer vicarious trauma. Status Update: A unanimous vote on the floor of the Senate took place on April 15, and SB1241 was passed. The House then passed SB1241 as a substitute (Ayes 94 Noes 0, PNV 1) the following day. Soon, the legislation should be on Governor Brown’s desk. Will it become law? Very likely.
- Regarding token support by a putative father, SB1052 would define “token financial support” made by the child’s biological father or alleged biological father as including payments that are minimal, infrequent, or short in duration. These perfunctory payments may be used to establish a person as a presumed father. If passed, this law would apply to cases of termination of parental rights and adoption. The substituted SB1052 was approved by the House on April 16 (Ayes 85, Noes 0, PNV 3) This bill will soon be sent to the governor. Will it become a law? Likely.
Regarding child abandonment, HB0386/SB0262 would redefine “infant” as a newborn child up to six weeks old (45 days). Currently, a newborn infant is considered to be a child born within the first two weeks of life (14 days). This bill would give the mother a substantial amount of time to surrender her child. She would still be required to deliver her baby to an authorized facility such as a fire station, hospital, or newborn safety device, Safe Haven Baby Box. She would not be held criminally liable or charged with abandoning her child. The proposed legislation would amend 36-1-102(1)(A)(v), 36-1-142(a), and 68-11-225.
- Status Update: HB0386 was placed on the regular House calendar for April 21. SB0262 was unanimously approved by the Senate on March 17. Very likely.
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
Domestic violence is another area where there has been significant legislative activity, including the following. Very likely. DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
- Domestic violence is another area where there has been significant legislative activity, including the following.Shelby County Courts Entering Orders of Protection
Passage of SB0406 will amend SS 36-3-601(3)(E) so that, in addition to the general sessions courts, Shelby County criminal courts can also hear petitions for orders of protection sought by victims of domestic abuse, sexual assault, or stalking. Caveat: Only petitions that are part of criminal cases before the court will fall under this bill. Will it become a law? Very likely.Abrial’s Law Revisited
- Among other things, SB0943 would amend SS 36-6-702(a), also known as “Abrial’s Law, the Keeping Children Safe from Family Violence Act.” If passed, then the CLE custody courses already required of judges would increase from two hours per year to three hours. The required hours of CLE training or CLE on child abuse would also increase from 10 to 15 hours each year. SB0943 was unanimously approved by the House on April 14. The bill will then be sent to the Governor once it has been signed by the Speaker. Will it become law? Very likely.Savanna’s Law and Persistent Domestic Violence Offenders
If HB1200/SB0324 becomes law (“Savanna’s Law”), then a specific registry will be created within the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) for persistent domestic violence offenders
- . Pertinent domestic violence offenders are those who have, by definition, at least one previous conviction for DV. In SS 36-3-601, a domestic violence victims can be either an adult or a child. The legislation amends Title 40 Chapter 39 by adding a part SS 40 39-401 et seq. The public will have access to the registry online. The number of domestic violence convictions will determine how long a defendant’s name will remain on the registry. If there is only one prior domestic violence conviction, the TBI Registry will be active for two years. If you have two prior DV convictions, the TBI registry will be for five years. If three or more DV priors, then 10 years.
Savanna’s Law commemorates the 2022 death of Savanna Puckett, a Robertson County Sheriff’s Deputy who was murdered by a defendant with domestic assault priors.
Status Update:
Savanna’s Law is advancing through both chambers. HB1200, which was unanimously approved by the House on April 16, was sent to the Senate. Meanwhile, SB0324 was placed on the Senate Calendar.
That’s all for now. Remember that legislation is not always a straight line. Sometimes, bills that pass both chambers will be vetoed by the Governor. Check to make sure that the statutory provisions in your case are current.
