HB 2078 Tennessee House · 114th Regular Session (2025-2026)

Courts - As enacted, enacts the "Parental Rights Protection Act." - Amends TCA Title 36, Chapter 8 and Title 40, Chapter 11.

HB 2078, the "Parental Rights Protection Act," requires courts to hold a quick court review within 15 days if a criminal defendant's bond restricts their contact with, custody of, or visitation with a minor child (who isn't a victim of the crime). The government must prove, with clear evidence, that a serious threat to the child exists, less restrictive options won't work, and the restriction is truly in the child's best interest. If the court doesn't hold the review on time, the bond condition automatically cancels. The bill also presumes that parental contact is generally in a child's best interest. This directly affects criminal defendants in Tennessee facing bond conditions involving their children.
Bill status died 1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2026
Committee Review
Floor Vote
Governor
Introduced Feb 2, 2026 Last action May 4, 2026
Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
22
Key actions
10
Committee
13
Mar 25, 2026
Lower · Passed
Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 3/26/2026
lower
Mar 23, 2026
Lower · Passed
Rec. for pass. if am., ref. to Calendar & Rules Committee
lower
Mar 18, 2026
Lower · Passed
Action def. in Judiciary Committee to 3/25/2026
lower
Mar 18, 2026
Lower · Passed
Placed on cal. Judiciary Committee for 3/23/2026
lower
Mar 11, 2026
Lower · Passed
Action def. in Judiciary Committee to 3/18/2026
lower
Mar 11, 2026
Lower · Passed
Placed on cal. Judiciary Committee for 3/18/2026
lower
Mar 4, 2026
Lower · Passed
Action def. in Judiciary Committee to 3/11/2026
lower
Mar 4, 2026
Lower · Passed
Placed on cal. Judiciary Committee for 3/11/2026
lower
Feb 25, 2026
Lower · Passed
Placed on cal. Judiciary Committee for 3/4/2026
lower
Feb 17, 2026
Committee
Rec for pass if am by s/c ref. to Judiciary Committee
lower
Feb 11, 2026
Lower · Passed
Placed on s/c cal Children and Family Affairs Subcommittee for 2/17/2026
lower
Feb 4, 2026
Committee
P2C, ref. to Judiciary Committee
lower
Feb 4, 2026
Committee
Assigned to s/c Children and Family Affairs Subcommittee
lower
Feb 2, 2026
Introduced
Intro., P1C.
lower
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Photo of Andrew Farmer
Andrew Farmer
RRepublican
TN
17