---
type: "Bill"
title: "Children's Services, Dept. of - As enacted, prohibits the department from requiring an immunization as a condition of adopting or overseeing a child in foster care if an individual or member of an individual's household objects to immunization on the basis of religious or moral convictions. - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 36; Title 37 and Title 71."
description: "Children's Services, Dept. of - As enacted, prohibits the department from requiring an immunization as a condition of adopting or overseeing a child in foster care if an individual or member of an individual's household objects to immunization on the basis of religious or moral convictions. - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 36; Title 37 and Title 71."
jurisdiction: "us/states/tn"
legislature: "Tennessee General Assembly"
session: "113"
identifier: "SB 2359"
citation: "Tennessee SB 2359 (113)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: ["Children's Services", "Dept. of"]
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: ["Watson"]
version_count: 2
action_count: 22
vote_count: 5
first_action: "2024-01-30"
last_action: "2024-04-17"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/1c3d36ed-523c-48bd-9856-953ea827fd41"
source_url: "http://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/BillInfo/default.aspx?BillNumber=SB2359&GA=113"
source_hash: "fed2bcd9f8f52e9d7a105f9e962b304006b192ed89535f264ce5228922dc67d2"
vintage: "2026-07-01"
source_snapshot: "https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-06"
confidence: "reported"
tags: ["legislation", "bill", "us-tn"]
---

# Tennessee SB 2359 (113) — Children's Services, Dept. of - As enacted, prohibits the department from requiring an immunization as a condition of adopting or overseeing a child in foster care if an individual or member of an individual's household objects to immunization on the basis of religious or moral convictions. - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 36; Title 37 and Title 71.

## Version chain

The bill's text revisions, in order — the diff chain from filing to enrollment.

1. **Amendment HA0729** (committee substitute) — [source](https://www.capitol.tn.gov/Bills/113/Amend/HA0729.pdf)
2. **Current Version** (committee substitute) — [source](https://www.capitol.tn.gov/Bills/113/Bill/SB2359.pdf)

## Votes

- FLOOR VOTE: Third Consideration 2/29/2024 Passed (1) — **24–2** (pass) · upper
- FLOOR VOTE: REGULAR CALENDAR MOTION TO ADOPT AMENDMENT # 1 BY PEARSON PASSAGE ON THIRD CONSIDERATION 3/25/2024 Failed — **24–68** (fail) · lower
- SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE: Recommended for passage, refer to Senate Calendar Committee 2/20/2024 Passed (2) — **8–1** (pass) · upper
- FLOOR VOTE: REGULAR CALENDAR PASSAGE ON THIRD CONSIDERATION 3/25/2024 Passed (1) — **70–24** (pass) · lower
- FLOOR VOTE: REGULAR CALENDAR PREVIOUS QUESTION PASSAGE ON THIRD CONSIDERATION 3/25/2024 Passed — **71–23** (pass) · lower

## Sponsors

- Watson — primary (person)

## Timeline

The legislative action history — every referral, reading, and vote.

- **2024-01-30** Filed for introduction `filing`
- **2024-01-31** Introduced, Passed on First Consideration `introduction`
- **2024-02-01** Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Judiciary Committee `passage`
- **2024-02-07** Sponsor(s) Added. `sponsorship`
- **2024-02-13** Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 2/20/2024
- **2024-02-20** Recommended for passage, refer to Senate Calendar Committee
- **2024-02-27** Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 2/29/2024
- **2024-02-28** Sponsor(s) Added. `sponsorship`
- **2024-02-29** Engrossed; ready for transmission to House `receipt`
- **2024-02-29** Passed Senate, Ayes 24, Nays 2, PNV 1 `passage`
- **2024-03-01** Sponsor(s) Added. `sponsorship`
- **2024-03-04** Rcvd. from S., held on H. desk.
- **2024-03-25** Passed H., Ayes 70, Nays 24, PNV 0 `passage`
- **2024-03-25** Failed to adopt (Amendment No. 1 - HA0729), Ayes 24, Nays 68, PNV 0
- **2024-03-25** Subst. for comp. HB. `substitution`
- **2024-03-26** Enrolled and ready for signatures `enrolled`
- **2024-03-27** Signed by Senate Speaker `passage`
- **2024-03-28** Signed by H. Speaker `passage`
- **2024-04-01** Transmitted to Governor for action. `executive-receipt`
- **2024-04-11** Signed by Governor. `executive-signature`
- **2024-04-17** Effective date(s) 04/11/2024
- **2024-04-17** Pub. Ch. 699

## Source

OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot [2026-07-01](https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump); origin `ocd-bill/1c3d36ed-523c-48bd-9856-953ea827fd41`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official Tennessee legislature records).