---
type: "Bill"
title: "Child Abuse - As enacted, adds to the definition of \"severe child abuse\" the act of knowingly allowing a child to be within a structure where a Schedule I controlled substance, cocaine, methamphetamine, or fentanyl is present and accessible to the child. - Amends TCA Title 37."
description: "Child Abuse - As enacted, adds to the definition of \"severe child abuse\" the act of knowingly allowing a child to be within a structure where a Schedule I controlled substance, cocaine, methamphetamine, or fentanyl is present and accessible to the child. - Amends TCA Title 37."
jurisdiction: "us/states/tn"
legislature: "Tennessee General Assembly"
session: "112"
identifier: "HB 417"
citation: "Tennessee HB 417 (112)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: ["Child Abuse"]
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: ["Littleton", "Roberts"]
version_count: 3
action_count: 58
vote_count: 8
first_action: "2021-01-26"
last_action: "2021-06-01"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/84f32e07-059e-45c7-bc43-d6fa590dbaf4"
source_url: "http://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/BillInfo/default.aspx?BillNumber=HB0417&GA=112"
source_hash: "35523fb259dd2c4bba220b01269b2760cd5e4a28ce53452bbd8d02ad1e9cdccd"
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 HB 417 (112) — Child Abuse - As enacted, adds to the definition of "severe child abuse" the act of knowingly allowing a child to be within a structure where a Schedule I controlled substance, cocaine, methamphetamine, or fentanyl is present and accessible to the child. - Amends TCA Title 37.

## Version chain

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

1. **Amendment HA0120** (committee substitute) — [source](https://www.capitol.tn.gov/Bills/112/Amend/HA0120.pdf)
2. **Amendment SA0375** (committee substitute) — [source](https://www.capitol.tn.gov/Bills/112/Amend/SA0375.pdf)
3. **Current Version** (committee substitute) — [source](https://www.capitol.tn.gov/Bills/112/Bill/HB0417.pdf)

## Votes

- HOUSE FINANCE, WAYS, AND MEANS COMMITTEE: Rec. for pass; ref to Calendar & Rules Committee 5/3/2021 (2) — **0–0** (pass) · lower
- SENATE FINANCE, WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE: Recommended for passage, refer to Senate Calendar Committee 5/3/2021 Passed (2) — **11–0** (pass) · upper
- FLOOR VOTE: as Amended Third Consideration 5/4/2021 Passed (1) — **32–0** (pass) · upper
- SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE: Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee Ayes 8, Nays 0 PNV 0 4/20/2021 Passed (3) — **8–0** (pass) · upper
- HOUSE FINANCE, WAYS, AND MEANS SUBCOMMITTEE: Rec. for pass by s/c ref. to Finance, Ways, and Means Committee 5/3/2021 (3) — **0–0** (pass) · lower
- HOUSE CALENDAR & RULES COMMITTEE: H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 5/4/2021 5/3/2021 (1) — **0–0** (fail) · lower
- HOUSE CHILDREN & FAMILY AFFAIRS SUBCOMMITTEE: Rec for pass if am by s/c ref. to Civil Justice Committee 3/17/2021 (5) — **0–0** (fail) · lower
- HOUSE CIVIL JUSTICE COMMITTEE: Rec. for pass. if am., ref. to Finance, Ways, and Means Committee 3/24/2021 (4) — **0–0** (pass) · lower

## Sponsors

- Littleton — primary (person)
- Roberts — primary (person)

## Timeline

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

- **2021-01-26** Filed for introduction `introduction, reading-1`
- **2021-02-08** Intro., P1C. `introduction`
- **2021-02-10** Assigned to s/c Children & Family Affairs Subcommittee `referral-committee`
- **2021-02-10** P2C, ref. to Civil Justice Committee `referral-committee`
- **2021-02-11** Introduced, Passed on First Consideration `introduction`
- **2021-02-11** Filed for introduction `introduction, reading-1`
- **2021-02-22** Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Judiciary Committee
- **2021-03-10** Placed on s/c cal Children & Family Affairs Subcommittee for 3/17/2021
- **2021-03-17** Placed on cal. Civil Justice Committee for 3/24/2021
- **2021-03-17** Rec for pass if am by s/c ref. to Civil Justice Committee `referral-committee`
- **2021-03-24** Assigned to s/c Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee `referral-committee`
- **2021-03-24** Sponsor(s) Added.
- **2021-03-24** Rec. for pass. if am., ref. to Finance, Ways, and Means Committee `committee-passage-favorable`
- **2021-03-24** Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 3/30/2021
- **2021-03-30** Action deferred in Senate Judiciary Committee to 4/6/2021
- **2021-03-31** Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 4/6/2021
- **2021-04-06** Action deferred in Senate Judiciary Committee to 4/7/2021
- **2021-04-06** Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 4/7/2021
- **2021-04-07** Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/14/2021
- **2021-04-07** Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 4/13/2021
- **2021-04-07** Reset on Final calendar of Senate Judiciary Committee
- **2021-04-13** Action deferred in Senate Judiciary Committee to 4/14/2021
- **2021-04-14** Placed behind the budget
- **2021-04-14** Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 4/20/2021
- **2021-04-14** Action deferred in Senate Judiciary Committee to 4/20/2021
- **2021-04-14** Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 4/14/2021
- **2021-04-20** Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee Ayes 8, Nays 0 PNV 0
- **2021-04-22** Placed on Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee calendar for 4/27/2021
- **2021-04-22** Rule #83(8) Suspended, to be heard in S. FW&M Comm. 4/27/21
- **2021-04-27** Action deferred in Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee to 4/28/2021
- **2021-04-28** Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 5/3/2021
- **2021-04-28** Action deferred in Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee to 5/3/2021
- **2021-04-28** Placed on Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee calendar for 4/28/2021
- **2021-04-29** Placed on Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee calendar for 5/3/2021
- **2021-05-03** H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 5/4/2021
- **2021-05-03** Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 5/3/2021
- **2021-05-03** Rec. for pass; ref to Calendar & Rules Committee `committee-passage-favorable`
- **2021-05-03** Placed on cal. Finance, Ways, and Means Committee for 5/3/2021
- **2021-05-03** Rec. for pass by s/c ref. to Finance, Ways, and Means Committee `committee-passage-favorable`
- **2021-05-03** Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 5/4/2021
- **2021-05-03** Recommended for passage, refer to Senate Calendar Committee
- **2021-05-04** Comp. SB subst.
- **2021-05-04** Sponsor(s) Added.
- **2021-05-04** Passed H., Ayes 94, Nays 0, PNV 0 `passage`
- **2021-05-04** Am. withdrawn. (Amendment 1 - HA0120) `amendment-withdrawal`
- **2021-05-04** Subst. for comp. HB.
- **2021-05-04** Engrossed; ready for transmission to House
- **2021-05-04** Passed Senate as amended, Ayes 32, Nays 0 `passage`
- **2021-05-04** Senate adopted Amendment (Amendment 1 - SA0375)
- **2021-05-05** Sponsor(s) Added.
- **2021-05-12** Enrolled and ready for signatures
- **2021-05-13** Signed by H. Speaker
- **2021-05-13** Signed by Senate Speaker
- **2021-05-17** Transmitted to Governor for action.
- **2021-05-25** Signed by Governor. `executive-signature`
- **2021-06-01** Comp. became Pub. Ch. 508
- **2021-06-01** Effective date(s) 07/01/2021
- **2021-06-01** Pub. Ch. 508

## Source

OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot [2026-07-01](https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump); origin `ocd-bill/84f32e07-059e-45c7-bc43-d6fa590dbaf4`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official Tennessee legislature records).