---
type: "Bill"
title: "Children - As enacted, provides, in addition to present law, an alternative method for the voluntary surrender of parental rights if executed within the geographic boundaries of the state. - Amends TCA Title 36; Title 37 and Title 68."
description: "Children - As enacted, provides, in addition to present law, an alternative method for the voluntary surrender of parental rights if executed within the geographic boundaries of the state. - Amends TCA Title 36; Title 37 and Title 68."
jurisdiction: "us/states/tn"
legislature: "Tennessee General Assembly"
session: "114"
identifier: "HB 1263"
citation: "Tennessee HB 1263 (114)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: ["Children"]
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: ["Slater"]
version_count: 3
action_count: 42
vote_count: 7
first_action: "2025-02-06"
last_action: "2026-05-15"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/4e8e3715-5244-4633-8052-5e6293756a83"
source_url: "https://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/BillInfo/Default?BillNumber=HB1263&ga=114"
source_hash: "24cb1db6e81f61dbf2e219e9c6ba31cf17170c008b43dc52c52ec40dc0ec5b49"
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 1263 (114) — Children - As enacted, provides, in addition to present law, an alternative method for the voluntary surrender of parental rights if executed within the geographic boundaries of the state. - Amends TCA Title 36; Title 37 and Title 68.

## Version chain

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

1. **Amendment HA0868** (committee substitute) — [source](https://capitol.tn.gov/Bills/114/Amend/HA0868.pdf)
2. **Amendment HA1062** (committee substitute) — [source](https://capitol.tn.gov/Bills/114/Amend/HA1062.pdf)
3. **Current Version** (committee substitute) — [source](https://capitol.tn.gov/Bills/114/Bill/HB1263.pdf)

## Votes

- FLOOR VOTE: REGULAR CALENDAR AS AMENDED PASSAGE ON THIRD CONSIDERATION 4/15/2026 Passed (1) — **96–0** (pass) · lower
- HOUSE CALENDAR & RULES COMMITTEE: H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 4/2/2026 3/26/2026 (4) — **0–0** (fail) · lower
- HOUSE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE: Rec. for pass. if am., ref. to Calendar & Rules Committee 3/25/2026 Passed — **18–0** (pass) · lower
- FLOOR VOTE: Third Consideration 4/20/2026 Passed (1) — **27–4** (pass) · upper
- HOUSE CHILDREN AND FAMILY AFFAIRS SUBCOMMITTEE: Rec for pass if am by s/c ref. to Judiciary Committee 3/17/2026 Passed (5) — **6–0** (pass) · lower
- HOUSE CALENDAR & RULES COMMITTEE: H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 4/13/2026 4/9/2026 (2) — **0–0** (fail) · lower
- HOUSE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE: Rec. for pass. if am., ref. to Calendar & Rules Committee 4/7/2026 Passed (3) — **17–1** (pass) · lower

## Sponsors

- Slater — primary (person)

## Timeline

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

- **2025-02-06** Filed for introduction `filing`
- **2025-02-10** Intro., P1C. `introduction`
- **2025-02-12** P2C, caption bill, held on desk - pending amdt.
- **2025-03-11** Assigned to s/c Children and Family Affairs Subcommittee `referral-committee`
- **2025-03-11** Ref. to Judiciary Committee `referral-committee`
- **2025-03-12** Placed on s/c cal Children and Family Affairs Subcommittee for 3/18/2025
- **2025-03-18** Action Def. in s/c Children and Family Affairs Subcommittee to 3/25/2025
- **2025-03-19** Placed on s/c cal Children and Family Affairs Subcommittee for 3/25/2025
- **2025-03-25** Action Def. in s/c Children and Family Affairs Subcommittee to First Calendar of 2026
- **2026-01-21** Placed on s/c cal Children and Family Affairs Subcommittee for 1/27/2026
- **2026-01-23** Meeting Canceled
- **2026-01-28** Placed on s/c cal Children and Family Affairs Subcommittee for 2/3/2026
- **2026-02-03** Def. to Special Calendar to be Published with Final Calendar in Children and Family Affairs Subcommittee
- **2026-03-04** Placed on s/c cal Children and Family Affairs Subcommittee for 3/10/2026
- **2026-03-10** Action Def. in s/c Children and Family Affairs Subcommittee to 3/17/2026
- **2026-03-11** Placed on s/c cal Children and Family Affairs Subcommittee for 3/17/2026
- **2026-03-17** Rec for pass if am by s/c ref. to Judiciary Committee `referral-committee`
- **2026-03-18** Placed on cal. Judiciary Committee for 3/23/2026
- **2026-03-25** Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 3/26/2026
- **2026-03-25** Rec. for pass. if am., ref. to Calendar & Rules Committee `committee-passage-favorable`
- **2026-03-26** H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 4/2/2026
- **2026-04-02** Placed on cal. Judiciary Committee for 4/7/2026
- **2026-04-02** Re-ref. Judiciary Committee
- **2026-04-02** Sponsor(s) Added. `sponsorship`
- **2026-04-07** Rec. for pass. if am., ref. to Calendar & Rules Committee `committee-passage-favorable`
- **2026-04-08** Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 4/9/2026
- **2026-04-09** H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 4/13/2026
- **2026-04-15** Received from House, Passed on First Consideration `introduction`
- **2026-04-15** Engrossed; ready for transmission to Sen. `receipt`
- **2026-04-15** Sponsor(s) Added. `sponsorship`
- **2026-04-15** Passed H., as am., Ayes 96, Nays 0, PNV 0 `passage`
- **2026-04-15** H. adopted am. (Amendment 2 - HA1062) `amendment-passage`
- **2026-04-15** Am. withdrawn. (Amendment 1 - HA0868) `amendment-withdrawal`
- **2026-04-20** Passed Senate, Ayes 27, Nays 4, PNV 2 `passage`
- **2026-04-20** Senate substituted House Bill for companion Senate Bill. `substitution`
- **2026-04-23** Enrolled; ready for sig. of H. Speaker. `enrolled`
- **2026-04-30** Signed by H. Speaker `passage`
- **2026-05-05** Signed by Senate Speaker `passage`
- **2026-05-06** Transmitted to Governor for his action. `executive-receipt`
- **2026-05-07** Signed by Governor. `executive-signature`
- **2026-05-15** Effective date(s) 05/07/2026, 01/01/2027
- **2026-05-15** Pub. Ch. 936

## Source

OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot [2026-07-01](https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump); origin `ocd-bill/4e8e3715-5244-4633-8052-5e6293756a83`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official Tennessee legislature records).