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Tennessee

Overview of Tennessee law, statistics, legislation, and news stories related to Safe Haven Baby Boxes in the state.

Law

Code notation link pending. SB 1146 went into effect May 11, 2022

Tennessee Statistics

Baby Boxes: 18
Cases: 1

    Legislation

    2024

    • Summary of SB1671/H2067: Requires each county to obtain and maintain a “newborn safety device.” Fiscal Note: $2 milion

    2023

    • HB 164 and SB534— Requires the Department of Children’s Services to designate an authorized nonprofit licensed child-placing agency to assume physical care, custody, and control of an infant voluntarily left at certain facilities or in a newborn safety device; specifies that a court may waive the six-month waiting period after the filing of an adoption petition if the child was voluntarily left at certain facilities or in a newborn safety device and certain other circumstances have been met. Passed. Effective Date: July 1, 2023

    2022

    • HB 1146 Expands the procedure for surrendering a newborn infant without criminal liability to include placement in a newborn safety device located at a continuously staffed police station, fire station, or hospital; extends age limit from 2 weeks to 30 days. Requires that an infant delivered to a facility authorized to accept an infant as described in this amendment be issued a birth certificate by the office of vital records which supersedes and invalidates any previously issued birth certificate. Passed April 20, 2022; Signed by Governor, April 9, 2022; Effective Date: May 11, 2022.

    • SB 1790  Expands the procedure for surrendering a newborn infant without criminal liability to include placement in a newborn safety device located at a continuously staffed police station, fire station, or hospital; allows either parent, rather than only a mother, to voluntarily surrender a newborn infant. Sine Die
    • HB1932 Companion to SB 1790 Sine Die

    2020

    • HB 534: Amendment to state’s Safe Haven law to authorize use of newborn safety device. This bill is referenced in news articles below, but there is no record of it on the Tennessee Legislative page or Legiscan.

    Hearings/Testimony/Letters

    • Video: full hearing on HB2067, February 20, 2024

    News and Commentary

    2024

    Community ritual. Layng of hands on the box. The Oak Ridge SHBB blessing, Fire Station No. 3.Angelina Alcantar/News Sentinel

    2023

    2022

    2020

    Updated November 29, 2024