Children - As enacted, revises various provisions governing surrendering custody of unwanted infants. - Amends TCA Title 36, Chapter 1, Part 1 and Title 68, Chapter 11, Part 2.
SB 1773 expands Tennessee's safe surrender options for newborns by adding 24-hour ambulance stations to the list of facilities where parents can anonymously leave infants without legal consequences. It updates existing law to include ambulance stations, police stations, emergency communications centers, and licensed nursing homes that maintain continuous 24-hour staffing by licensed providers. This change gives parents more accessible locations beyond hospitals and fire stations to safely surrender infants. The bill requires all listed facilities to have licensed staff available around the clock to accept surrenders.
Bill status
signed
all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2026
Committee Review
Feb 2026
Senate Passage
Apr 2026
House Passage
May 2026
Signed into Law
May 2026
Introduced Jan 21, 2026
Signed May 22, 2026
Floor votes
How they voted
This bill passed the Senate by voice vote (no roll call recorded).
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
22
Key actions
8
Committee
3
Amendments
1
May 22, 2026
Signed into law
Signed by Governor.
lower
May 7, 2026
Lower · Passed
Signed by H. Speaker
lower
Apr 30, 2026
Upper · Passed
Signed by Senate Speaker
upper
Apr 21, 2026
Amended
Am. withdrawn. (Amendment 1 - HA0568)
lower
Apr 21, 2026
Lower · Passed
Passed H., Ayes 92, Nays 0, PNV 1
lower
Feb 23, 2026
Lower · Passed
Senate adopted Amendment (Amendment 1 - SA0482)
lower
Feb 23, 2026
Upper · Passed
Passed Senate as amended, Ayes 31, Nays 0
upper
Feb 17, 2026
Upper · Passed
Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 9, Nays 0 PNV 0
upper
Feb 11, 2026
Lower · Passed
Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 2/17/2026
lower
Jan 22, 2026
Committee
Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Judiciary Committee
upper
Jan 21, 2026
Introduced
Introduced, Passed on First Consideration
lower
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors
Sponsors
Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Becky Massey
RRepublican
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