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HB 739

Education - As introduced, requires each elementary and secondary school to post the toll-free telephone number operated by the department of children's services to receive reports of child abuse or neglect on the homepage of the school's website. - Amends Chapter __ of the Public Acts of 2025 (1st Ex. Sess. – SB 6001 / HB 6004); and TCA Title 49.

114th Regular Session (2025-2026) Introduced by Chris Hurt

Tennessee schools must display the DCS child abuse hotline number on their website homepages to increase reporting accessibility.

P2C, caption bill, held on desk - pending amdt.
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Bill Summary · HB 739

Legislative bill overview

HB 739 mandates that all Tennessee elementary and secondary schools display the Department of Children's Services (DCS) child abuse and neglect hotline number prominently on their school website homepages. This is a straightforward information accessibility requirement with no apparent enforcement mechanisms or funding allocations specified in the bill's current form.

Why is this important

Making abuse reporting information easily accessible can reduce barriers to reporting suspected child maltreatment, potentially enabling faster intervention in abuse cases. Schools are mandated reporters, and students or staff who suspect abuse need clear pathways to report; this bill attempts to ensure that pathway is visible and accessible to anyone visiting a school's website.

Potential points of contention

  • Implementation burden: Schools must ensure website compliance, which may pose challenges for under-resourced districts, particularly those with outdated or poorly maintained websites
  • Limited scope: The requirement only addresses website visibility; it doesn't guarantee increased reporting or address whether the DCS hotline has adequate capacity to handle increased call volume
  • Placeholder statutory reference: The bill references amending "Chapter __" with no specific chapter designated, suggesting it may still be in early drafting stages and the full legislative intent remains unclear

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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