---
type: "Bill"
title: "Domestic Violence - As enacted, revises present law definitions relative to abuse. - Amends TCA Title 36, Chapter 3, Part 6 and Title 71."
description: "Domestic Violence - As enacted, revises present law definitions relative to abuse. - Amends TCA Title 36, Chapter 3, Part 6 and Title 71."
jurisdiction: "us/states/tn"
legislature: "Tennessee General Assembly"
session: "113"
identifier: "SB 979"
citation: "Tennessee SB 979 (113)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: ["Domestic Violence"]
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: ["Gardenhire"]
version_count: 3
action_count: 27
vote_count: 3
first_action: "2023-01-31"
last_action: "2023-05-03"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/1b9dead9-7778-432b-ae67-bd0ec5cd51dd"
source_url: "http://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/BillInfo/default.aspx?BillNumber=SB0979&GA=113"
source_hash: "9ba2c25bec642a6bec1dab0d89dfe5c532200e67f9edec92eec7115d381d0ba3"
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 979 (113) — Domestic Violence - As enacted, revises present law definitions relative to abuse. - Amends TCA Title 36, Chapter 3, Part 6 and Title 71.

## Version chain

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

1. **Amendment HA0395** (committee substitute) — [source](https://www.capitol.tn.gov/Bills/113/Amend/HA0395.pdf)
2. **Amendment SA0451** (committee substitute) — [source](https://www.capitol.tn.gov/Bills/113/Amend/SA0451.pdf)
3. **Current Version** (committee substitute) — [source](https://www.capitol.tn.gov/Bills/113/Bill/SB0979.pdf)

## Votes

- FLOOR VOTE: REGULAR CALENDAR PASSAGE ON THIRD CONSIDERATION 4/13/2023 Passed (1) — **94–0** (pass) · lower
- SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE: Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 9, Nays 0 PNV 0 3/28/2023 Passed (2) — **9–0** (pass) · upper
- FLOOR VOTE: as Amended Third Consideration 4/12/2023 Passed (1) — **32–1** (pass) · upper

## Sponsors

- Gardenhire — primary (person)

## Timeline

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

- **2023-01-31** Filed for introduction `filing`
- **2023-02-02** Introduced, Passed on First Consideration `introduction`
- **2023-02-06** Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Judiciary Committee `passage`
- **2023-03-15** Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 3/21/2023
- **2023-03-21** Action deferred in Senate Judiciary Committee to 3/22/2023
- **2023-03-22** Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 3/28/2023
- **2023-03-22** Action deferred in Senate Judiciary Committee to 3/28/2023
- **2023-03-22** Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 3/22/2023
- **2023-03-28** Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 9, Nays 0 PNV 0
- **2023-04-10** Sponsor(s) Added. `sponsorship`
- **2023-04-10** Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 4/12/2023
- **2023-04-11** Sponsor(s) Added. `sponsorship`
- **2023-04-12** Engrossed; ready for transmission to House `receipt`
- **2023-04-12** Sponsor(s) Added. `sponsorship`
- **2023-04-12** Passed Senate as amended, Ayes 32, Nays 1 `passage`
- **2023-04-12** Senate adopted Amendment (Amendment 1 - SA0451)
- **2023-04-13** Passed H., Ayes 94, Nays 0, PNV 0 `passage`
- **2023-04-13** Am. withdrawn. (Amendment 1 - HA0395) `amendment-withdrawal`
- **2023-04-13** Subst. for comp. HB. `substitution`
- **2023-04-13** Rcvd. from S., held on H. desk.
- **2023-04-14** Enrolled and ready for signatures `enrolled`
- **2023-04-17** Signed by Senate Speaker `passage`
- **2023-04-18** Signed by H. Speaker `passage`
- **2023-04-19** Transmitted to Governor for action. `executive-receipt`
- **2023-04-28** Signed by Governor. `executive-signature`
- **2023-05-03** Effective date(s) 04/28/2023
- **2023-05-03** Pub. Ch. 277

## Source

OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot [2026-07-01](https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump); origin `ocd-bill/1b9dead9-7778-432b-ae67-bd0ec5cd51dd`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official Tennessee legislature records).